Initiatives and Collaboratives

Community Initiatives & Collaboratives

211 Call Center and HandsOn Battle Creek

•	United Way has invested approximately $515,000 for operations of the 211 Call Center between 2002 and 2008 as a founding partner with HandsOn Battle Creek.
•	By dialing 211, residents get immediate access to trained call-takers who let them know where and how to get the health and human services they need. In 2008, 211 answered 39,619 calls, 5,000 more than 2007.
•	HandsOn Battle Creek provides joint coordination of the Days of Caring activities which annually engages more than 2,500 volunteers and last year expanded to include 260 youth during the first ever Youth Day of Caring.

Community Literacy Collaborative (CLC)

•	The CLC is a partnership with the Battle Creek Area Educators’ Task Force to ensure that more people can read in Calhoun County. In 2008, United Way accepted a more direct leadership role for operational support/oversight by making CLC a direct community initiative. Since 2004, United Way has invested $157,000.

Regional Health Alliance

•	United Way worked closely with Regional Health Alliance in developing Health as one of United Way’s new community investment focus areas.
•	Partner and financial supporter of program operations under the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Partnership (TP3).

Dentists’ Partnership

•	In spring 2007, United Way invested $30,000 in the Community Dental Access Initiative to allow increased access to dental care for the uninsured through the Dentists’ Partnership, administered by Community HealthCare Connections.

Calhoun County Tax Coalition (VITA/EITC)

•	United Way, along with partners Community Action, Inspire CDCU and the IRS, led the move to create a new Calhoun County Tax Coalition in 2008.
•	United Way approved a grant of over $39,000 to Community Action to develop and staff the positions of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Coordinator and VITA Assistant Coordinator.
•	2008 Tax Season resulted in 7 available VITA sites throughout Calhoun County with preliminary tax season statistics indicating the following estimated results: 1,617 tax returns filed at VITA sites in Calhoun County, returning $823,199 refund dollars to clients. 295 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) returns completed at VITA sites returning $260,632 refund dollars.

Inspire Community Development Federal Credit Union (CDCU)

•	United Way is an ongoing community partner in the planning and development of CDCU, a community credit union developed to help individuals who have not typically utilized the services of traditional financial institutions.
•	CDCU estimates that it will be operational in the summer of 2009, at which time United Way will commence with the investment of $150,000 over five years to support operations.

Homeless Coalition

•	United Way continues to partner with the Homeless Coalition and supports the execution of structured activities related to advancing the Community 10-yr. Plan to End Homelessness. Including providing a 3-yr. investment of $90,000 to support the staffing of leadership, coordinating service planning and community engagement, and operational functions for advancing the 10-yr. plan.
•	12-month, $60,000 investment to support the work of an interagency Support Team to provide case management services for 45 homeless individuals in the community.

Community Basic Needs Service Providers Coalition

•	United Way initiated quarterly meetings in 2008 with community service providers, referral sources, representatives from area businesses and local funders to discuss the growing needs, capacities, challenges and collaborative strategies around community basic needs services.
•	United Way budgeted $300,000 in the 2008-’09 Fiscal Year for Basic Needs/Emergency funding support.
•	Conversations with the Coalition group led to leveraging additional community resources, totaling $800,000 in local financial support ($500,000 from Kellogg Company; $300,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation) to increase access to basic need services for the growing numbers of residents in need of assistance.

Resources for Youth Project Fund (formerly known as Youth Violence Task Force)

•	Direct partner in the planning and distribution of funding to support alternative activities for community youth at-risk and susceptible to violence through prevention, intervention and/or suppression services.
•	Contributed financial investment of $25,000 in 2008 to support community projects focused on supporting the end of youth violence.

The Coordinating Council

•	United Way invested $5,000 to support the printing of the 2008 Community Report Card, a valuable resource of indicators and outcomes of the state of health in Calhoun County.
•	United Way provided data and statistics from Partner Agency reports for input into the Community Report Card. In addition, staff participated in TCC Collaborative Meetings and ad hoc work teams.

U.S. Congressional FEMA – Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

•	Annually, United Way manages the process of facilitating communication of EFSP funds available and allocation of funding throughout Calhoun County to support service delivery to homeless, low-income, disabled, veteran, and unemployed in the areas of food, shelter, rent/mortgage, utilities, etc. totaling $126,289 in ’08-’09.
•	Calhoun County received an additional $58,051 in allocable EFSP funds as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and the Federal Stimulus Package.

Capacity Building Pooled Fund Grant Committee (CBPF)

•	United Way invested $50,000 in partnership with other local funders in 2008 to support the availability of the Pooled Fund, managed by the Nonprofit Alliance. United Way also participates on the Pooled Fund Review and Allocation Committee with representatives from other financial partners.

United Legacy Endowment

•	In spring 2007, United Way and the Battle Creek Community Foundation unveiled a groundbreaking partnership to build an endowment fund for United Way, helping to provide long-term financial stability and allowing flexibility to continue addressing needs and issues in creative and innovative ways.

Great Start Collaborative/Early Childhood Task Force

•	In 2008, United Way received a 3-year grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation in the amount of $400,000 to establish and facilitate community-based, grass-roots grant making efforts within our community’s low-income neighborhoods. Grants would support innovative, resident-led Early Childhood Development and Education project and engagement opportunities.
•	United Way has also assumed a leadership role, along with Calhoun ISD in working with other local partners to develop & implement a county-wide collaborative and networked system approach to early development, education and care for young children. With an emphasis on appreciative inquiry, full community/resident engagement, and participatory research.