Each year, United Way of the Coastal Empire engages dozens of citizens from across its four-county service area of Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties to serve as Investment Volunteers. These dedicated advocates assist United Way in the strategic investment of the United Way Community Fund which is the largest single source of local grant funding for health and human service programs in our area.
The investment of the United Way Community Fund is an annual process to ensure the most effective use of funds to address specific, local health and human service needs within United Way’s priority focus areas: Academic Success, Youth Development, Crisis Intervention, Economic Opportunity, Health & Safety and Living Independence. Investment Volunteers work in teams, known as Investment Panels and which are aligned to one of these six priorities, to review and evaluate funding requests (grant applications) for nonprofit-led programs and services.
The Investment Volunteer’s job starts with training to learn how to evaluate nonprofits (which United Way refers to as its “Agencies”) and their individual programs, for effectiveness and accountability. Volunteers then attend Agency site visits to see programs and services ‘in action’ and read funding applications for each program to which they are assigned. This is followed by a series of meetings, as an Investment Panel, with Agency representatives to discuss individual funding requests. Volunteers independently complete an evaluation form for each program, then meet one last time as an Investment Panel to develop funding and programmatic recommendations to be presented to United Way’s Board of Directors for approval.
Investment Volunteers and Panels are assisted throughout the process by United Way’s Community Investments staff, who provide training, support and guidance, as well as technical assistance for e-C Impact, the online grant management software system through which all funding applications and evaluation materials are accessible to volunteers. Following is a more detailed list of the activities of an Investment Volunteer; all meetings, with the exception of site visits, are held at United Way of the Coastal Empire, 428 Bull Street, Savannah. For a complete schedule for 2018-2019 Investment Volunteers contact communityinvestments@uwce.org. *While Investment Volunteers are encouraged to attend all site visits and application review meetings, United Way understands this may not be possible due to work or personal obligations.
- Investment Volunteer Orientation (NOVEMBER - approx. 1.5 hours) – prospective volunteers learn about the United Way, its goals and objectives and investment process; returning volunteers need not attend orientation
- Investment Volunteer Training (NOVEMBER - approx. 2.0 hours) – all volunteers attend a training session as an investment panel to review their assigned programs, current funding application and program evaluation forms, discuss performance measurements and process expectations, and use of the online software system, e-C Impact
- Agency Site Visits* (DECEMBER - approx. 3.0 hours per ‘set’) – over a multi-week period, volunteers travel to organizations to learn about programs and hear directly from beneficiaries of services; time commitment is at discretion/availability of the volunteer
- Independent Application Review (DECEMBER - JANUARY - approx. 1.0 hour per program) – volunteers work independently to read funding requests (applications) and all supporting documents (990s, audit reports, financial statements, performance measurement plans), prior to attending the program’s Application Review Meeting
- Investment Panel Application Review Meetings* (JANUARY - 3.0 hours per meeting; 3-4 meetings per panel) – panel members meet with program and organization representatives to review funding requests; each panel meets on a specific day and time of the week (to support volunteer participation from our outlying counties – Bryan, Effingham and Liberty – the in-person attendance at Application Review Meetings, while encouraged, will not be mandatory for volunteers traveling from outside of Chatham County; remote attendance at Application Review Meetings via call-in conferencing will be made available, upon request).
- Independent Evaluation (JANUARY - approx. 30 minutes per program) – volunteers work independently to complete and submit evaluation forms; all forms must be submitted (online)
- Investment Panel Deliberation (FEBRUARY - approx. 3.0 hours per panel) – panels meet to discuss and determine each program’s programmatic and funding recommendation
REQUIREMENTS
- A commitment to United Way’s mission of leading the community to improve lives;
- A dedication to the effective and efficient investment of United Way Community Fund resources;
- An interest in human services;
- A commitment to working with organizations, volunteers, staff, and board membership who broadly reflect the diversity of the community, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, military and veteran status, disability, sex, age, or sexual orientation;
- The ability to make decisions in an objective manner based on community need and program performance;
- The ability to work cooperatively within a team and arrive at consensus;
- The ability to make the necessary time commitments;
- Transparency about conflict of interest with any organization applying for program funding. NOTE: where a conflict exists, the volunteer will recuse themselves from that organization’s review, it does not disqualify the volunteer from participating, entirely;
- A commitment to uphold United Way’s confidentiality policy which ensures that sensitive information with regard to finances, client identities, etc., is kept in strict confidence and will not be shared;
- The ability to utilize the e-C Impact online software system.
BENEFITS
- Acquire in-depth understanding of the health and human service needs and services available across the Coastal Empire community;
- Exercise critical thinking skills;
- Gain valuable collaborative decision-making experience;
- Engage with a broad and diverse network of community members;
- Advocate for those in need and the organizations that help.
Contact communityinvestments@uwce.org to register for an orientation session on either November 7 3:30-5PM, or November 14 8:30-10:00AM at United Way of the Coastal Empire, 428 Bull Street, Savannah, GA 31401.
