Community Impact - A Faster Path to Progress

We know now, more than ever, that yesterday’s solutions are not solving today’s problems. Our challenges are becoming more complex and the resources of our generous community are experiencing some strain.

Our vision is a Portage County that is stronger than ever before. Although we don’t have all the answers, the community impact model provides a road map to get there. It’s a compass that will point us in the right direction. Moving towards community impact offers a new approach focused on the underlying causes to problems rather than effects.

In line with United Way’s fundamental mission, “mobilizing resources to create lasting change in community conditions that improve lives,” Community Impact focuses and works to rally the great resources of our community to provide sustainable cures, not just treat immediate symptoms. Beyond just the dollars and cents, we are moving towards making programs more efficient, uniting partners, collaborating with businesses, engaging faith communities, enlisting government officials, cooperating with foundations and working with neighborhood groups. It’s a big-picture approach, allowing us to help more individuals by making the community as a whole stronger.

Our role will not necessarily be to drive or manage all of these efforts. Our commitment is to make sure the jobs get done. We’re taking a longer view because the necessary changes can’t happen overnight.

Creating community impact requires new approaches involving multiple partners that influence and change critical issues. Achieving this goal requires a transformation in thinking and actions, building upon years of steady change and improvement in our approach to community investment. Our approach in identifying community needs will be cooperative and our solutions will be research-based.