Published July 2003

Community to benefit from result-oriented United Way

For years, United Way has focused on raising money for local community groups, then distributing it. And, for years, people naturally have asked after every fund-raising campaign: “How much did you raise this year?”

That’s going to change. Brent Stewart, president of United Way of Snohomish County, told several hundred people at the organization’s annual meeting in June that there is a more important focus: results.

From now on, he hopes people won’t just ask United Way about the dollars but rather, “How much progress did you make this year?”

He’s obviously not saying the money isn’t important. Without it, there’s no progress. The most recent campaign that ended in February raised $10.2 million. That’s important. The more money, the more progress. Stewart is simply saying that “show me the money” isn’t as important as “show me the results.”

It’s a rebirth for United Way, a fresh way to look at its campaigns and its contributions. Grants will now stretch over three years instead of one, so that more actual progress can be made. The new community agenda has been set by “vision councils” under the leadership of Judi Drake of the Boeing Co., Sharon Wellman of Everett Community College and Dick Cinkovich of M-2 Job Therapy.

The new priorities are more focused, with new labels: Kids Matter, Family Matters and Community Matters.

Besides money, of course, progress takes people, which is why United Way honored several people at its annual meeting who have contributed greatly to the organization’s success:

• The Reeves/Sievers Founders Award to Tim Nowlis of the Boeing Co., who spent two years leading United Way campaigns with County Executive Bob Drewel.
• The Spirit of Snohomish County — Youth Award to Benji Travis, a youth advocate working with AmeriCorps at the Marysville YMCA.
• The Spirit of Labor Award to Chris Glenn, a Boeing employee and member of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace.
• The Spirit of Snohomish County — Individual Award to Tom Hartwell of Boeing, a volunteer with Sherwood Community Services.
• The Spirit of Snohomish County — Company Award to Boeing, which made $783,000 in corporate contributions last year and provided more than $3.8 million through its Employees Community Fund.
• A special recognition award for Nancy Weis of Everett, the first woman to be a United Way president in Washington state, for her 40 years of volunteer service.

Yes, the dollars and the people will still be important to United Way, but the new focus will be on the progress made in solving community challenges.

United Way’s thoughtful shift in focus is also a good measure of its own progress.

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