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What’s NEXT for the Member Segment Value Committee and the Member Survey Results
​Authors: Ann Fox and Kelli Kreps

Fifteen months ago, the Member Segment Value (MSV) Committee met for the very first time, charged with the following: To mobilize current and potential segment members to help us identify our unique value for them (features, functions, and benefits) and develop an ongoing member experience to deliver that value, with a particular focus on working alumni and Local United Ways. 

This committee, comprised of United Way alumni, set out to understand how best to attract and retain members, considering that the newly rebranded name, United Way NEXT (formerly UW Retirees Association), was intentional and strategic. At our early meetings, we examined the difference between “retiree” and “alumni” (noting that besides current staff, we ALL are “alumni” of United Way but not everyone is “retired”) and then sought to build personas that represent the majority of United Way alumni, working and retired.
What often-times felt like meandering conversations, turned into the emergence of four different personas and led us to work with United Way alum and entrepreneur, Edwin Goutier. Using his company LaunchPath’s AI-powered tool, United Way NEXT committee chairs, committee members, and board members participated in a workshop to develop a series of engagements that, based on our research, would appeal to the alumni we wish to attract, while also providing meaningful engagements for our current members.

Earlier this Spring, the MSV Committee launched a survey to test our assumptions. We sought to survey current and lapsed members as well as prospective members. At the survey’s close, 177 people had participated. Seventy-three percent of the respondents identified as “alumni – not fully retired,” which is the target demographic we were seeking to hear from; however, 77% that responded are current members. We had hoped to hear from more prospective members so as a result have reopened the survey. We continue to seek feedback from prospective members through personal outreach by board and committee members. 

Given the size of the alumni pool (estimated to be 42,000 people) as identified through LinkedIn, the MSV Committee will be focusing its work on engaging working alumni aged 35 to 54 to build a strong membership pipeline.   
 
We anticipate that other committees, such as Engage and Exchange, Resource Development/Membership Recruitment, and Marketing can use the results of this survey to inform their work and to develop programming that will appeal to our current members and other member segments, such as local United Ways and consultants. 
 
Up next for the MSV Committee is to work on developing an easily searchable Membership Directory. This tool scored overwhelmingly above all other options and was top of the list as the most valuable offering proposed in the survey. We look forward to keeping you posted on our progress. 

Special thanks to our committee members:
Barbara Edmond, Paula Gilberto, Edwin Goutier, DJ Hampton, Mary Kay Leonard 
Pete Manzo, Tish McCutchen, Maureen Noe, Cynthia Round 
Staff: Katelyn Guest, Christina Lawrence, Carole Peters
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United Way NEXT’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
United Way NEXT harnesses the passion and experience of current and former United Way professionals for the betterment of each other, the United Way network, and our communities. In achieving this purpose, we aim to create member experiences that enhance a sense of value and belonging by:
  • Embracing the broadest possible view of diversity;
  • Valuing the visible and invisible qualities that make each of us who we are;
  • Believing that every person brings unique perspectives and experiences;
  • Ensuring that the interwoven threads of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access are at work to enhance our members’ experience of belonging;
  • Pledging to hold ourselves accountable for cultivating a culture of belongingness in our various programmatic efforts. 
This ongoing journey requires our United Way NEXT staff, board, committees, and members to embrace intentional behaviors and actions to make it happen! Join us as we ensure every person in every community belongs.

Board approved – 9/11/2023