United Way of Central Oklahoma

THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IS A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION WITH A VISION TO BUILD A STRONGER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY VETTING CONVENING AND FUNDING QUALIFIED HEALTH, YOUTH, AND HUMAN SERVICE CHARITIES WHO SERVE THE LOCAL NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES WITHIN SEVEN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA COUNTIES. SINCE 1923, UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HAS PARTNERED WITH NONPROFIT AGENCIES TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE, SUPPORT, AND SOLUTIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF LOCAL CITIZENS. WE FUND PROGRAMS OF PARTNER AGENCIES WITH DONATIONS COLLECTED FROM THE PUBLIC IN AN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN HELD IN THE FALL. THE DONATED FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO PARTNER AGENCIES THROUGH AN ALLOCATION PROCESS CALLED COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. TO SUPPORT OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, ALLOCATION DECISIONS ARE MADE BY MORE THAN 200 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR DONOR BASE WHO INVEST OVER 4,000 HOURS EACH YEAR IN THIS PROCESS, AS WELL AS DONOR DETERMINED DESIGNATIONS, WHICH ARE APPROVED BY UNITED WAY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN MANY COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND MATCHING BOARD MEMBERS WITH NONPROFIT AGENCIES; OFFERING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORPORATIONS TO SUPPORT SERVICE AGENCIES; AND PUBLISHING RESEARCH TO PROVIDE CIVIC LEADERS AND CITIZENS INFORMATION TO RAISE AWARENESS OF CURRENT COMMUNITY NEEDS AS A PART OF THE ANNUAL CAMPAIGN INITIATIVE. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ALSO MANAGES STATE AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGNS. AS SINGLE MEMBER LLCS, UNITED WAY OF LOGAN COUNTY, LLC AND UNITED WAY OF CANADIAN COUNTY, LLC, COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC THROUGH AN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN HELD IN THE FALL AND THEN DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO PARTNER AGENCIES THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN LOGAN AND CANADIAN COUNTY, RESPECTIVELY. THE GRANT ALLOCATIONS ARE APPROVED BY THE UNITED WAY OF LOGAN COUNTY, LLC'S AND UNITED WAY OF CANADIAN COUNTY, LLC'S ADVISORY BOARDS AND THEN BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. WAYFINDER INNOVATION GRANTS THE WAYFINDER INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM IS A NEW APPROACH TO SOLVING OUR COMMUNITY'S TOUGHEST CHALLENGES. LOCAL NONPROFITS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT INNOVATIVE AND NEW CREATIVE IDEAS THAT ADDRESS PROBLEMS WITHIN UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA'S FIVE FOCUS AREAS: STRONG FAMILIES, SUCCESSFUL KIDS, HEALTHY CITIZENS, INDEPENDENT LIVING AND COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS; that are not currently available in the community. FINALISTS ARE INVITED TO PITCH THE IDEA IN A SHARK TANK APPROACH TO A PANEL OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, WHO SELECT THE MOST PROMISING AND VIABLE IDEAS TO RECEIVE ONE-TIME FUNDING. EMBRACEOKC UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WORKS TO ADDRESS VARIOUS SOCIAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR RESEARCH BY CONVENING STAKEHOLDERS AND COLLABORATING ON SOLUTIONS. AS TRENDS EMERGE, NEW COMMUNITY INITIATIVES ARE CREATED TO RESPOND TO COMMUNITY NEEDS. CURRENTLY, THE UNITED WAY IS ACTIVE IN NEARLY 30 COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, AND IN 2022, WE PARTNERED WITH THE OKC PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPACT ON ITS COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, EMBRACEOKC. EMBRACEOKC IS A DISTRICT-WIDE INITIATIVE TO EMBRACE MENTAL HEALTH AS PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE, TO PROTECT CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH FOR LIFE, TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND TO HOLD THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY AS A PLACE OF SAFETY AND SUPPORT. THE INITIATIVE IS A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES INCLUDING AWARENESS, PREVENTION, EARLY INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT. UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA'S ROLE IS TO ASSIST IN RAISING FUNDS, OVERSEE THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS AND REPORT BACK TO STAKEHOLDERS ON THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM. BOARD SERVE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IMPROVES NONPROFIT BOARDS BY RECRUITING, TRAINING, AND MATCHING BOARD MEMBERS WITH NONPROFIT AGENCIES IN THE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AREA. THE BOARD SERVE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2013 FOR BOARD MEMBER CANDIDATES TO ATTEND SEVEN MONTHLY EXPERT-LED SESSIONS COVERING NONPROFIT BOARD GOVERANCE, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, NONPROFIT LAW, FUNDRAISING AND OTHER SKILLS REQUIRED TO SERVE ON A NONPROFIT BOARD. CANDIDATES MAKE APPLICATION TO THE PROGRAM AND UPON ACCEPTANCE, EACH CANDIDATE PAYS A FEE TO ATTEND THE BOARD SERVE PROGRAM SESSIONS. A FORMAL GRADUATION AND AGENCY BOARD PLACEMENT CEREMONY IS CONDUCTED IN SEPTEMBER. IN 2017, IT WAS DETERMINED TO CONDUCT THE BOARD SERVE PROGRAM SESSIONS EVERY OTHER YEAR. TO DATE, THE BOARD SERVE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PROGRAM HAS GRADUATED 183 CANDIDATES AND FACILITATED OVER 200 PLACEMENTS TO AREA NONPROFIT BOARDS.