Student United Ways:

Telling our United Way Story

Participants

Neil Parekh

Director of Network Communications

United Way Worldwide (Alexandria, Virginia)

@neilparekh_uww

Eric Glaser

Director of US Network Impact

United Way Worldwide (Alexandria, Virginia)

Reminder / Encouragement

By sharing with others the information we have learned,

we retain 95% of that information.

• Share with a classmate or friend (at your Student United

Way or another United Way)

• Tweet about it

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

Objectives

• Learn the value of focusing on results in telling our story.

• Learn how to best make sense of your Student United Way’s impact story.

• Learn the “better” way of telling your Student United Way’s story.

• Learn about the United Way Message Framework and how you might adapt it to tell your Student United Way’s story.

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

The narrative is bigger

than us

Being part of United

Way is about being part

of something greater.

We’re a community of

people working together

to achieve common

goals.

Our future is connected

– and we’re making a

difference here.

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

And it includes more than one story

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

How we tell our story

• We are fixing problems

• Support our community

• Create connections

• Talk about successes

• Community conditions

• Common sense

• Be part of something greater

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

“You’re improving my community…”

Talking about the results we’re achieving and

solutions we're driving makes people want to

get more involved.

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

9

CREATE STRONGER COMMUNITIES

0 - 8

Children are prepared for success in school.

9 - 24

Youth graduate high school ready for college,

work, and life.

25+

Families and adults are financially stable.

65+

Older Adults age well, are supported and

engaged.

EDUCATION

FINANCIAL STABILITY

HEALTH

EXECUTE & SCALE SOLUTIONS

IMPROVE LIVES

THE “WHAT” – UNITED WAY IMPACT AREAS

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

THE “HOW” – United Way’s Impact Excellence Continuum

Incre

ase I

mp

act

Diversify and Grow Revenue

Community

SolutionsBroad-based, multi-

sector efforts to

improve underlying

community

conditionsImpact

Initiatives Aligned set of

programs and

services to

increase

efficiency and

effectivenessProgram

SolutionsDirect services for

individuals and families

that are measurable

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

Program Solutions

Definition - Direct services for

individuals and families that are

measured

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

Impact Initiatives

Definition – Partnerships aimed at

aligning a set of programs and

services to increase efficiency and

effectiveness

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

Community Solutions

Definition - Broad-based, multi-

sector efforts to improve underlying

community conditions

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

PORTRAY ROLE, DONT JUST SAY IT

We invite you to join us. You

can give, you can advocate and you can volunteer.

That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED.

GOALS

Our focus is on education,

income and health—the

building blocks for a good quality of life.

BRAND POSITION

United Way advances the

common good by creating

opportunities for a better life for all.

ROLE

United Way recruits people

and organizations who bring the passion, expertise and

resources needed to get things done.

United Way

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

INVITATION You’re part of the success. You can give, you can advocate and you can volunteer.

That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED.

Leaders have a responsibility to lead. Here’s how to make a difference…

RESULTS/SOLUTIONSUnited Way is about lasting solutions, not short-term charity, which requires a focus

on education, income and health—the building blocks for quality of life.

Together, we’re making progress on X issue (example) … but there’s more to do

to do, such as…

CONNECTEDNESSUnited Way advances the common

good.Real change requires a

comprehensive, big picture view, not a single issue focus.

HOW IT HAPPENSUnited Way recruits people and

organizations who bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get

things done.It’s common sense – X solution

addresses Y problem (connect the dots).

STORY ELEMENTS:BRAND, ISSUE

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

INVITATION You’re part of the success. You can give, you can advocate and you can volunteer.

That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED.

You can help by donating, mentoring, and spreading the word.

RESULTS/SOLUTIONSUnited Way is about lasting solutions, not short-term charity, focusing on education,

income and health—the building blocks for quality of life.

82% gained academically, which will lead to success in school, work & life. We need to

expand the solution…

CONNECTEDNESSUnited Way advances the common

good.We all win when students succeed.

HOW IT HAPPENSUnited Way recruits people and

organizations who bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get

things done.Stopping the “summer slide” with

continued development, works. United Way got this done by…

Summer Learning

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR

Questions

@neilparekh_uww

#SUWLR