Community Investment Strategy
The United Way understands you want to make a difference here in Elkhart County. We help you do that. Your United Way contribution goes to work immediately to bring about lasting change, right where you live. The United Way’s mission is to improve the community over the long-term. Each year, hundreds of volunteers raise and distribute funds to innovative programs throughout the county. Our goal is long lasting change by focusing on the underlying problems.
Our Planning Process
| 1. Identify the need |  |
Every day, the United Way addresses on-going needs (hunger, childcare), but other needs change (affordable prescriptions, home ownership training). The United Way works with the community to identify emerging needs. Tools used to identify needs include surveys, research and community dialogue sessions.
| 2. Build the Strategy |  |
If an emerging need is identified, the United Way begins talking with the people and organizations involved. Who has the most experience with this issue? What does the research say? What resources does the community have? As the issue becomes clearly identified, the United Way organizes the community resources and shapes a strategy.
| 3. Mobilize the Resources |  |
For a strategy to work, the United Way has to get others involved; volunteers, government officials, educators, and civic leaders. A good idea isn’t enough. For a community to really change, it takes a lot of people. The United Way reaches out to anyone who can help.
| 4. Measure the Impact |  |
Not all strategies work right the first time. The United Way understands success has to be gauged and the results have to feed the process of continual improvement. Solving community challenges isn’t simply about success or failure. We have to learn as we go and build on each success.
