On April 12th, community members gathered together to write aspiration statements for the future works of the North Penn United Way. Below are their aspirations for the future: (please feel free to add you own Affirmative Comments to the Aspiration Statements).

Aspirational Statement #1 Leadership Development:

The NPUW’s Resource Center provides leadership training and mentoring to individuals within the community. By developing these resources we are able to recruit and retain effective leaders within the North Penn community.

Affirmative Comments:

• Chambers and Non-profit Academy could be utilized.
• No organization has too many leaders!
• Move #1 in combination with #8. There are resources already in place—PANO (Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profits), local chamber of commerce (Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce) and the North Penn Non-profit Academy.
• I think we could take advantage of and/or improve on the North Penn Non-profit academy and chamber Leadership Class.
• This aspirational statement may fall under expanded Volunteer resources (Aspirational Statement #3).
• Recommend checking/ coordinating with Indian Valley chamber and North Penn Non-profit Academy.
• This may be a better home for CLI (Community Leadership Institute) and North Penn Non-Profit Academy.

Aspirational Statement #2 Inspiring Projects:

United Way “Days of Caring” is the premiere event to mobilize the caring power of people and their resources for the good of the community. By connecting people with hands-on projects we are building personal relationships; volunteers are motivated to give more time and money to the United Way family.

Affirmative Comments:

• Another inspiring project idea: Big Effort around transportation
• This should allow innovation, inspiration, and ideas for new projects and ways to allow volunteerism and service.
• Change meaning of “Days of Caring” to include special projects.
• Big Effort: Technology resources that create a United Way Craig’s List for getting and giving in our community.
• Agree creative transportation needed. I’m willing to work on this (Amy Cummings-Leight)
• Tackle Bigger Projects (I.e. transportation)
• Transportation or other future big projects.
• Truly get people from a broad, carried base to participate.
• The wallet follows the heart!
• Days of Caring” is an inspirational start to build our advocate base to push large community projects (i.e. transportation) forward).
• Diversity of those recruited.
• Keep Days of Caring apart and unique as a signature event.
• Days of caring to restrictive (Everything is a hands on project)
• Change UW from allocator of funds to convener
• I’m willing to help with this project (Gloria Echols)

Aspirational Statement #3 Expanded Volunteer Resources:

The NPUW has become the preeminent entity for paring our generous community to the charitable groups that need their support. Through the establishment of a volunteer coordination system the NPUW has become the first primary outlet for people seeking service opportunities in the North Penn area. Beyond improving the fabric of the community, this effort has raised awareness of the NPUW and enhancing the success of its mission statement. We are now truly mobilizing the caring power of the NP and IV people to improve everyone’s lives.

Affirmative Comments:

• Days of Caring may fit under this.
• Great concept. I’ll help with this (Shushma Patel)
• Like this idea as a center, not just a system. Like an actual physical space.
• Could the Health Foundation donate space in their new building?

Aspirational Statement #4 Communication:

The communications of the NPUW focus on the compelling stories of the agencies and volunteers who serve the HHS needs of the people of the NP and IV area. These stories encourage an inclusive atmosphere of collaboration that has a broad appeal across a variety of demographics. We enjoy and continually seek to enhance our relationships with the media, local businesses, our agencies and the community as a whole. This delivers ongoing awareness, understanding and engagement in the UW’s goal and objectives. Underlying all communications is an emphasis on maintaining the integrity of the NPUW brand that fosters resource development and volunteer engagement and, ultimately, positive change.

Affirmative Comments:

• Seek alternative forms of communications to reach a wider audience.
• Perfect! Love it!
• Whoo Hoo! Yeah!
• Need to change the name of the North Penn United Way to “IV/NP UW”

Aspirational Statement #5 Student Engagement:

The Untied Way has an active Student Advisory Board representative of the schools in the NPUW service area. The President and Vice President of the Student Advisory Board are also members of the NPUW Board of Directors. We inform students, involve students and address student issues. Student Advisory representatives lead a UW club in their school ensuring continuity and communication.

Affirmative Comments:

• I would like to be involved with this Aspiration (Joann Barnak).
• Could this be a segment of Expanded Volunteer Resources (Aspiration #3)
• Student Engagement is a great idea! (Louisa A-B)
• Must engage the students with their interest in webcast, internet, IPod, facebook, myspace, etc.
• Montgomery County Community College?
• Advisory Board—excellent idea.
• Love to see a Student Summit.

Aspirational Statement #6 United Way as Convener:

NPUW is committed to brokering all the available resources in our community to most effectively meet the needs of all our participating partners.

On a regular basis NPUW shared resources website provides a system of notification matching incoming requests and opportunities with community needs and available resources.

Organizations with a common interest, such as faith-based groups, youth groups, schools, collaborative, and others are linked to facilitate their collective work through the NPUW.

Affirmative Comments:

• As an online broker we need technology infrastructure to connect volunteers and agencies with giving and getting.
• We should look at Montgomery County Foundation web-based resource directory.
• Could this be combined with “Creating Community Networks? (Aspiration statement #8).
• 211 and some shared purchasing networks exist. Some infrastructure exists already.
• Love web-based ideas.
• Could #6, 8, and 3 be combined and a staff person be hired to coordinate?

Aspirational Statement #7 Public Policy Advocacy

Advocates for the needs in the greater North Penn community. That advocacy is to local, county, state, federal officials. When appropriate United Way joins with other organizations advocating for similar public policy change.

United Way also provides real life impact on education on public policy.

The advocacy committee of the NPUW investigates all concerns submitted. Once reviewed and approved communications are directed to appropriate governmental body.

The collaborations of NPUW needs assessment resulted in loca/state help for an additional route of transportation needs to NP Hospital to VNA.

Affirmative Comments:

• I would like to be involved (Michelle Nicole Noonan)
• I would caution against investigating “consumer complaints.” Advocacy should be issued based. Consumer concerns should be used to identify advocacy issues.
• Change the name to the “Greater North Penn and Indian Valley United Way” GNIUW
• Advocacy committee: Good Idea!
• I would like to be involved (John Strader)

Aspirational Statement #8 Creating Community Networks:

United Way is the organization that creates the relationships, linking community needs with community resources via a collaborative approach that uses best practices to meet our diverse community needs.

This collaboration makes the most efficient use of all available resources and fosters a mind-set of common goals which provide the maximum value for the community.

Affirmative Comments:

• I am willing to work on this in my sector (meeting needs of Seniros)—Robin Burstein.
• Combine #6 and #8 (United Way as a Convener)

Aspirational Statement #9 Community Investment Strategies and Research Assessment/Best Practices Perspective

The NPUW determines its investment strategies based on the needs of the community determined through research and analysis. NPUW invests in agencies and community impact projects based on goals identified through formal and informal community assessments, ongoing data collection and volunteer allocation process.

Affirmative Comments:

• Restructure allocations committee into topic-based groups with topic-based experts.
• Recruit new people with different expertise and community knowledge and involvement.
• Use “rolling” information to qualify agencies and identify their allocations.
• Love it! Definitely need to formalize our decision-ing based on data and research.
• Data collection—some software will help.
• NPUW should consider purchasing the ETO software package (Enterprise Version) for all funded agencies to track outcome or goal achievement.
• More intentional research with agencies for the allocation process.
• Outcomes Based!

Aspirational Statement #10 Diversity Perspective

Our community is very diverse and the community is continuing to grow. We value diversity of people and ideas, and nurture and support people in being who and what they are. We are intentional about how we maximize the strength of diversity and inclusion in all that we do-every part of our organization- Board, volunteers, staff.

We foster the ideal of inclusion throughout the community through leadership, education, and advocacy. United Way is fearlessly committed to these ideals.

Affirmative Comments:

• Well stated
• Is this overlaid over all other buckets?
• Diversity: Outstanding statement. “Intentional Practice” (Louisa AB)
• Resource if need (Ella Roush)
• Will help here (Gloria Echols)