Q. What does the United Way of the Brazos Valley Do?
A. United Way's mission is to mobilize people in the community to care for one another. Regularly, we research human needs and assets, suggest strategies for improving results, and then invite others to give their time and money to help us meet those goals. We believe the best and most effective way to improve our communities is by combining our efforts and our resources. There is no other organization like us, whether in terms of the number of people and organizations involved.
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Q. Who makes decisions for United Way?
A. The United Way of the Brazos Valley is a volunteer-driven organization. Our Board of Directors are knowledgeable community leaders. The board establishes policy and allocates resources to assure the United Way of the Brazos Valley is properly managed.
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Q. Who decides how much money goes to each program or service?
A. People just like you! Trained volunteers work on year-round committees, making recommendations, setting priorities, and forming collaborative partnerships to develop successful outcomes. United Way's Board of Directors make all final funding decisions.
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Q. Is United Way of the Brazos Valley different from United Way of America?
A. Yes, United Way of America is a trade association of 1,400 independent United Ways throughout the country. It has it's own board and volunteers and it makes no policies for United Way of the Brazos Valley. It does set standards of excellence for local United Ways. We have a local board of directors and local volunteers. We plan and carry out community-building and fund raising activities for health and human care solutions where we live and work.
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Q. I don't like feeling pressured to give.
A. United Way's board of directors have taken a formal position that does not condone coercion. A decision about whether to give or how much to give, should remain a personal decision.
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Q. Will my money be used for handouts to people who won't help themselves?
A. People who seek United Way supported-services do so because they want to help themselves. United Way funds programs that enable people to take on increasing degrees of responsibility for themselves. This is very often a complex process with no one-shot answers. By supporting programs and services such as homelessness prevention, hunger, substance abuse, job readiness and problems of the aging, you'll be helping create a stronger, healthier community through United Way.
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Q. I want my gift to go to (insert agency name). Why should I go through United Way to do that?
A. United Way is the only way your giving can impact the entire community. So, while supporting a single organization is certainly a choice, a gift designated to United Way of the Brazos Valley is combined with others to support a network of 19 agencies and more than 60 human service programs. Another benefit to you is convenience. Giving through United Way payroll deduction enables you to schedule your giving creating a less noticeable impact upon day-to-day spending.
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Q. There's still talk about the national United Way scandal. I wonder about giving to such an organization.
A. No local staff or volunteers here in the Brazos Valley had anything to do with the wrongdoing at the national trade organization for United Ways nearly a decade ago. United Way of the Brazos Valley is a separate, local organization. United Way of the Brazos Valley has one of the best records of any charity for spending contributions efficiently.
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Q. What is the United Way of the Brazos Valley position regarding the Boy Scouts?
A. National issues affecting Boy Scouts of America or negotiations between other United Ways and their local Boy Scout councils have no bearing on our local funding decisions.
Our board and the Allocations Committee continue funding local programs provided by the Boy Scouts because we believe their programs provide substantial benefit to local youth. We evaluate every funded program on the quality of service provided and the ability to address community needs. Using those standards, we find that thousands of local boys - including many hard-to-reach, low-income, at-risk youth - benefit from Scouting's proven ability to deliver safe, structured programs that foster self-esteem, character and personal responsibility.
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Q. Does United Way of the Brazos Valley support abortion or fund Planned Parenthood?
A. No. United Way does not take sides in the Pro-Life/Pro-Choice debate. United Way does not make funding decisions based on matters of personal values or choice. United Way's mission is to identify community needs and channel resources to build a better community.
United Way believes that a full range of community services need to exist to address this problem. United Way funds preventative programs such as: healthy baby programs, parenting classes and other related services.
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Q. Why do United Way member agencies conduct their own fund-raising campaigns too?
A. Strong nonprofits diversify their funding so they don't have to rely on just one source. United Way agencies are no exception. Another factor is that funds raised through United Way are only used to support specific programs, which means that the full costs of running an agency must be covered in other ways. Finally, though people in the Brazos Valley are very generous, United Way's campaign has never raised enough to address all human care needs in the Brazos Valley.
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Q. Why isn't my favorite agency a member of United Way of the Brazos Valley?
A. Nonprofit organizations that want to become a United Way member agency must apply for certification and go through a formal review process. Some choose not to apply for any number of reasons. Some may not want the level of scrutiny by community volunteers that is required; others may not want the fund-raising restrictions required. There are many worthwhile agencies that help people with specific needs. But when you give your time or money through United Way you become part of a caring force to strengthen our community that is unduplicated by any other nonprofit organization.
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