Navigating Nonprofit Funding: United Way of Greater Toledo’s Approach

Giving money to nonprofit organizations is really important for making our community better, but it can be tricky. At United Way of Greater Toledo, we not only serve as funders, but we also work closely with our partners to enhance services and create alignment between similar programs, so that we can maximize every dollar that we raise. We work hard to balance the opportunities and the challenges that come with deciding who gets funding. We listen carefully to community volunteers who have experience and knowledge about local needs, use data to make informed choices, and work with partners to have the biggest impact. 

Listening to Community Insights 

We rely on volunteers with personal and professional lived experiences from our community navigating social systems and community agencies to enhance impact. Their stories  and insights help us understand what helps people the most. For example, someone who has been homeless can tell us how housing programs and job training made a big difference in their lives. 

Using Data to Make Smart Choices 

We look at trends in our community, like where needs exist and where there are gaps in services. This helps us decide where our dollars can make the most impact. We utilize meaningful data collected from organizations to help us achieve the goals outlined in the Live United Plan. Data plays an essential role in our decision-making process; it helps us learn what’s working, what’s not, and where gaps exist. 

Working Together for Big Impact 

United Way centers collaboration in everything we do, which is why we implemented The Collective Impact Strategy and measure using Results-Based Accountability (RBA). This methodology asks these questions: 

1. How much did we do? 
2. How well did we do it? 
3. Is anyone better off? 

Collective Impact represents the “what” we’re doing with your investments, and Results-Based Accountability is the “how” – we’re using this to make change and build capacity in our three-county area. With the help of Lead Partners, who serve as content-matter experts and lead Collaboratives, we provide local agencies a better chance of making a big community impact through improved program performance, collaboration, and, ultimately, an improved return on investment for the resources available to us all. 

Challenges We Face 

Deciding who gets funding is tough because there are so many deserving organizations and not enough money for everyone. 

In our region, philanthropic giving has decreased, and as COVID-related benefits expire, local organizations have to compete for a shrinking pool of dollars and face higher costs to retain quality staff, and services. For organizations that weren’t chosen for funding, we still aim to support them by lending our expertise in data collection, helping identify grant opportunities, and prioritizing collaboration to maximize dollars and impact. 

Looking Forward 

We are excited to begin our second three-year grant cycle utilizing the Collective Impact Strategy and looking forward to working with 50 programs to expand education through high-quality learning experiences, grow financial stability, improve health outcomes, and enhance access to safe and affordable housing to our neighbors in Lucas, Ottawa, and Wood counties. Please join our mailing list, to receive updates on our progress and efforts!  

Information about our 2024-2027 granted partners and investments, can be found here.