For more than 22 years, your local United Way has provided a
valuable service in San Benito County by raising funds through
payroll deduction campaigns and special events, and by distributing
those funds to the many local nonprofit that address the basic
needs of our residents.
By the San Benito County Board of Directors
For more than 22 years, your local United Way has provided a valuable service in San Benito County by raising funds through payroll deduction campaigns and special events, and by distributing those funds to the many local nonprofit that address the basic needs of our residents. In so doing, San Benito County United Way (SBCUW) upheld the mission of United Way of America (UWA), which was recognized for decades as the nation’s premier fundraiser and distributor.
In recent years, Brian Gallagher, president and CEO of United Way of America, has been effecting a profound transformation in the mission of United Way. UWA has redirected its focus away from its grassroots history to enter the global environment in an effort to produce direct, measurable and lasting impacts on the root problems facing the world today. As described by Gallagher in May 2006 at the United Way Community Leaders Conference: “Our greatest strength has been that we are a local, geographically-based movement. It dove the structure of the United way system since its inception. Local fundraising. Local donors. Local distribution. That was yesterday’s reality.”
Few of the smaller, all-volunteer United Way organizations committed to local fundraising, local donors and local distribution – like San Benito County United Way – have the resources to meet the new Standards of Excellence designed to meet the new global-based mission of UWA. In “Answering the Wake-Up Call Change is Necessary for Americans Nonprofits,” Gallagher reports” “…,over the last three years, there have been more than 50 United Ways that could not meet one or more of our stringent standards and have been disaffiliated.”
We, the board of directors of San Benito County United Way, regretfully announce that we have recently been added to the growing number of smaller, disaffiliated United Way member organizations. Since the onset of the increased reporting and accountability requirements, we recognized that we simply did not have the time or resources to effect the systemwide change now mandated by United Way of America. Recognizing our limitations as an all-volunteer organization, we began to pursue avenues to link with one of two of our larger neighboring United Way organizations for sharing of resources – especially in the area of compliance reporting, which had become an increasing burden under the new guidelines.
Our efforts to obtain guidance and pool resources did not move as quickly as we had hoped and we missed a filing deadline in the summer of 2007. As a result, we were directed by UWA to contact United Way Silicon Valley (UWSV) to pursue a merger, which we did. We were given 60 days as a United Way Affiliate to work with UWSV to achieve a plan for transitioning the primary responsibility for delivery of United Way services in San Benito County of United Way of Silicon Valley.
Though the San Benito County Way board and key staff of United Way of silicon Valley have worked diligently together during the last 60 days toward developing a plan of transition, we have run out of time. We are no longer licensed to serve San Benito county as a United Way entity.
On March 10, 2008, the board met with Gary Byrne of the Community Foundation of San Benito County (CFFSBC) regarding the pending dissolution of the San Benito County United Way. With Gary’s help, the outgoing board of directors will be working closely with the Community Foundation for San Benito County to allocate the remaining SBCUW funds to our local nonprofits to serve the needs of San Benito County residents.
The board elected the Community Foundation for San Benito county as the entity to make this final round of allocations not only for its knowledge of our local nonprofits, but also because of CFFSBC has recently teamed up with Silicon Valley Community Foundation to pool resources for a greater impact on the community. More details will soon be forthcoming on the specifics of applying for these 2008 community funds.
Since United Way Silicon Valley is now charged with serving San Benito County, it is our hope that the CFFSBC/Silicon Valley Community Foundation model will be a resource to our neighbor to the north in the design and implementation of future United Way services in our county.
Meanwhile, we the board of directors of the San Benito County United Way, wish to thank all of the volunteers, past board members and fundraiser attendees who have participated in United Way activities over the last 22 years. It has been an honor to serve you.
