United Way Meets to Consider Fund Allocations

JournalNews :: 1.28.05 — Business and community leaders who want to make sure United Way funds are spent wisely met Thursday night.

The Butler County United Way began its community investment process with an orientation at its office on North Third Street. Volunteers who work or live in Butler County in April will determine program fund allocations of nonprofit agencies. The county United Way funds programs of social service agencies in Hamilton and Fairfield, and West Chester, Ross and Morgan townships.

Pat Pendleton of Promax Automotive Inc. is a first-time volunteer who joined to see the process for herself.

“What got me interested is I want to understand how the money is distributed to agencies,” she said. “There is definitely an unbiased system to this.”

Of the 62 volunteers who will take part in the investment process, 36 are new, United Way officials said.

To help determine program funding, volunteers are divided into five groups of 10 people. Each group, led by two chairpersons, reviews an impact area that includes the following: basic needs; strengthening individuals and families; health and wellness; vital neighborhoods; and the newest one, child well-being — that focuses on children’s programs.

Volunteers also visit agencies that request funding for programs.

During the orientation, United Way officials explained the procedure and new collaborations to assist low-income children and their families.

Like most nonprofit organizations dealing with limited funding, the community investment will determine how much money will be distributed to 61 programs of social service agencies.

“Each year presents new challenges in that you can never allocate as many dollars as you would like, but each year the volunteers work hard to be as fair as possible,” said Joel Fink, Butler County United Way chairperson for the community investment division.

Tim D’Errico of Ohio Casualty Group and co-chairman of the health and wellness impact area, continues his commitment to the United Way for the third year.

“The executive committee has taken a good long hard look at the allocation process. It’s critical for us to enforce the importance of the commitment,” he said. “It’s a time-consuming process, but time well spent. There’s a common goal at the end and that is to allocate the dollars properly.”