United Way of Greater Charlottesville

School readiness: recognizing the crucial role of education in building economic independence to break the cycle of poverty, envision focuses on strengthening school readiness among economically-disadvantaged children to prepare for a life of academic success. As such, this initiative builds systems at the community level to ensure every child and family has access to high-quality early childhood education. The organization's five-year strategic goal is to increase the number of kindergarteners from economically-disadvantaged families who pass developmental benchmarks by 10% by 2027, and increase the number of black kindergarteners who pass the benchmarks by 20% within this time period.strategies and programs include:1. Grantmaking and funding opportunities to partners focused on decreasing the opportunity gap for at-risk children under age five.2. Early education: expands access and high-quality services for all children ages zero to five. The United Way, in partnership with the Virginia early childhood foundation as the designated lead agency for ready regions blue ridge, administers grants for the following programs: mixed delivery, Virginia quality birth-to-five (vqb5), and coordinated enrollment.3. Early learners scholarship program: supports families who are working toward financial stability by eliminating the barrier of the cost of early education and care and places children in high-quality settings to minimize the impact of poverty and other determinants that impact a child's ability to arrive at school ready to learn.

Financial stability: the United Way helps families achieve financial independence by providing: innovative services that leverage the organization's strengths as a collaborator, access to a network of partner nonprofits with complimentary services, and grant opportunities for small business owners. The organization's five-year strategic goal is to help lift 1,800 families - including at least 630 black families - out of poverty in the thomas jefferson planning district (tjpd) by 2027. Strategies and programs include:1. Family investment program: a family-centered investment model that supports families who are working toward financial stability by eliminating specific barriers to success.2. Driving lives forward: connects economically-disadvantaged individuals and families with reliable motor vehicles, downpayment assistance, and affordable auto loan financing.3. Uw2work fleet: United Way formed uw2work, llc to hold a fleet of loaner vehicles in partnership with piedmont Virginia community college's network2work program. The program offers used vehicles to clients for a six-month period, with the option to purchase, based on meeting eligibility criteria. Vehicles are temporarily titled to United Way until ownership transfers to the client.4. Financial resiliency: the task force (frtf), comprising nine area agencies, seeks to identify and implement strategies to remove barriers impacting the financial stability of families from under-resourced and marginalized communities living in or near poverty. United Way acts as the backbone and service provider through collaboration and coordination of partner services. The frtf approach focuses on target populations via financial resiliency metrics, shared data between partners and three-year client commitment, and personalized goals and support for families.5. Grant-making for small business: targeted grantmaking to promote entrepreneurship and alternative forms of employment/wealth-building among economically-disadvantaged and marginalized populations with historically limited access to capital.

Connected community: the United Way provides access to relationships and networks that can help families scale economically, and creates opportunities for community members to experience impact and connection through volunteerism, media, and storytelling. The organization's five-year strategic goal is to build a more connected community through a deepened understanding of race and equity. Strategies and programs include:1. Day of caring: a day of community service in september that promotes volunteerism by connecting local businesses, civic groups, and area citizens to nonprofit organizations and schools.2. Volunteer center: connects potential volunteers with nonprofit agencies and schools.3. Diversity, equity and inclusion: implements and manages the inclusive excellence framework to support an organizational culture of equity and to provide equity grants to community agencies.4. Social equity initiatives: envision radio/podcast, envision forum, black business guide, and leveraging partnerships to amplify community voices that support the envision initiative.

Administrative partners: provides services and support, including but not limited to, operations, financial, marketing, fund disbursement, and programmatic.1. Santa fund for schoolkids: provides clothing, shoes, medicine, eyeglasses, and other essentials for low-income school children in Charlottesville and the counties of albemarle, buckingham, fluvanna, greene, louisa, madison, nelson, and orange.2. Women United in philanthropy: maximizes women's leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership, increasing charitable contributions, and strengthening the community through the impact of collective giving to support human services.3. Pathways: in 2020, program services were expanded to address the effect of the covid-19 pandemic. In partnership with the city of Charlottesville and albemarle county, United Way provides families with emergency rent, mortgage, and utility assistance through the pathways community resource helpline.