Community Investments | Tulsa Area United Way

Community Investments Process:

The community investments process is the hallmark of Tulsa Area United Way. Funds collected by TAUW are used to provide funding for human service programs in the Tulsa, Creek, Wagoner, Okmulgee, Rogers, and Osage Counties. TAUW uses a comprehensive community-based decision making process to determine how funds will be invested in the community. Each year, approximately 150 Panel Member Volunteers, the Audit Review Committee (ARC), and Community Investments Cabinet (CI Cabinet) complete this process.

This year, over 275 trained volunteers invested more than 8,000 hours analyzing the needs of the community and studying the effectiveness of local programs; all to ensure that your contributions have the greatest possible impact. This process of reviewing program plans, visiting agencies and analyzing budgets keeps our United Way firmly connected and responsive to our community's most pressing needs. As human service needs grow and change over time, this process allows us to direct our resources where they will do the most good.

Allocations for our partner agencies have included new and enhanced funding for many programs, such as:

  • Success By 6 Initiative to enhance the quality of early childhood care and education provided by family daycare homes and both partner and non-partner agency childcare centers  
  • Case management support for mentor matches between adults and children primarily from one-parent families
  • Services to help homeless individuals and families increase their self-sufficiency  
  • Programs to increase the employment opportunities of developmentally disabled individuals, such as the successful welfare-to-work TulsaWORKS program 
  • Counseling and information and referral for families in divorce court through the successful Caring Connections for Kids program  
  • Hospice care services for terminally ill individuals without insurance coverage and their families through the successful Live Alone program 

To see a sample list of CI Panel Member Tasks, click here.  

Following is a brief timeline of panel member activities:

January (approx. 1.5  hours) - Panel Member Orientation/Training

January/February (approx. 4 hours) - Panel Member Discussions on Agencies' Funding Requests

February/March/April (average 1.5 hours per agency) - Site Visits (normally 3 - 6 site visits)

April/May (approx. 4 - 6 hours) - Panel Recommendation Meeting (& Agency Conference Meeting(s) if necessary)   

To VOLUNTEER as a Panel Member for the next year's CI Process, click here.


Requests for Funding:

The allocation process occurs from January to June each year. Funds are allocated to education, health/ safety and financial stability in six services divisions, Venture Grants, Community Coalition Initiatives and Capacity Building. The six divisions include:

  1. Children and Youth;
  2. Family Living Services;
  3. High Risk Services;
  4. Health and Disability Services;
  5. Health Education, Homeless and Community Development
  6. Basic Needs and Green Country

NEW Agency Funding:

FIRST YEAR: New agencies submit funding applications (SEPTEMBER).
Sample forms can be found here.
New submissions approved by CI Cabinet (OCTOBER).      
    
FOLLOWING YEAR: New agencies are assigned to a panel and are
subject to the same review process as returning "partner"
agencies (JANUARY-JUNE).
NEXT FOLLOWING YEAR: 12-month funding begins (JANUARY-DECEMBER).

PARTNER Agency Funding:

FIRST YEAR: Returning agencies submit funding applications (JANUARY). 
Sample forms can be found here. 
Agencies are assigned to a panel for review (JANUARY-JUNE).

FOLLOWING YEAR: 12-month funding begins (JANUARY-DECEMBER).

Partner agencies may view the TAUW Executive Director's Manual, login to the
PAEDA message board, and submit annual funding applications online here.

VENTURE GRANT Funding:

The purpose of the Venture Grants program is to fund a new, innovative approach
to an existing or emerging need in the community. 

Venture Grant funding is not available for capital purchases.

Grants are 18-month (JULY-DEC, JAN-DEC) and awarded on a one time only basis.     

APPLICATIONS: Deadline for local 501(c)3 nonprofit human service  
organizations is typically the first week in August.   

Click Here for more information.

If you have additional questions, Click Here to submit your
question to Bobbie Cremer (918-295-6615), CI Department at Tulsa Area United Way. 


New Voices Board Internship Program:

Leadership Tulsa and the Tulsa Area United Way are launching a new board internship program called "New Voices."  This initiative is designed to increase the diversity on Tulsa United Way Agency boards.  

Click Here for more information.


NTech Collaborative

NTech Collaborative is a technology assistance program funded through the Tulsa Area United Way. Its basic mission is to assist TAUW member agencies in meeting, maintaining and surpassing best practices for technology utilization.

NTech Collaborative's in-depth consultation and advocacy services achieve this by providing direct and indirect technology  expertise and consultation; enabling better access to current technology and quality technology providers; brokering no or low cost IT related products and services to non-profits while promoting high quality standards, and establishing regionally specific, Best Practices and Standards for Technology guidelines to bring clarity to the massive amount of technology related information.

Ntech Collaborative also offers our partner agencies a variety of pertinent nonprofit centered technology articles and online resources. 
Click here to enter: www.ntechonline.org

 NTech Collaborative:

 Helping Tulsa Area United Way agencies make the most of technology.

John Cory   NTech Collaborative Manager   (918) 295-6626

 

Community Investment Reports by City or County

Click Here

TULSA AREA UNITED WAY   |   1430 S. BOULDER, TULSA, OK 74119   |   918.583.7171   | TAUW@TULSAUNITEDWAY.ORG 
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