Lessons from the Frontlines: Local Funding in Human Services

Rick Allen, United Way of Pierce County in Tacoma, WA
Posted January 23, 2012, The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity (http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/)

We have hundreds of effective early learning programs around the nation, yet many kids start school unprepared to learn and succeed. Millions of dollars are spent on programs to end homelessness, but the scourge remains. Affordable housing groups toil across the country, yet many families struggle to put a roof over their heads.

The problem is that while individual human service programs may succeed in helping those they serve directly, as a society we are often unable to achieve collective success.

That doesn’t mean progress is impossible, and part of the solution belongs to funders. It’s time for local funders to move beyond program-level thinking to a true system-wide approach focused on communities.

As someone who has spent two decades as a local funder, it’s clear to me how far the funding community has come—and how far it still has to go.

If you work in human services, let me begin by posing these questions, using early learning as an example: what is the overall community plan in your city or county to advance the early learning effort? For those who now fund early learning efforts, how does the program you fund fit into the overall community plan? Is the work of those you fund known and supported by the larger network of early learning providers in your community?

If you are a funder, my bet is you can’t answer the above questions. If you are a provider, you probably haven’t engaged in those conversations with your service area compatriots, whether that service area is early learning, affordable housing, domestic violence prevention, improved graduation rates, or some other area of human services.

Yes, you all know each other and talk together. That doesn’t mean you’ve collectively agreed to the same priorities in a community plan to advance your particular area of service.

We are all working independently or in small collaborative efforts, often around a grant. We are funded in program silos, with little ability and few resources to leverage a broader community plan that identifies key needs in a larger service area system, or key strengths upon which to build.

We have lots of random acts of useful kindness, but few community plans to advance a collective effort in a particular service area on a larger scale.

There are undoubtedly numerous dynamics in play, some beyond anyone’s control.

Yet some of the vital areas for improvement rest squarely on the shoulders of those who fund human service efforts, including governments, foundations, United Ways, and even individuals. Until some things change at the funder level, little else will.

What could funders begin to do differently? A few ideas I’ve seen work in my area include:

• If you’ve been funding programs, give serious thought to better understanding the larger network of providers related to those programs, and what the strengths and weaknesses are in that network of services.
• When asked to fund a program component in a particular service area, ask, “How does your program fit into the overall community plan in this area of service?”
• Consider funding a series of meetings bringing together all of the players in a focused area of service, such as early learning; help to fund the development of an overall community plan to advance the collective effort. That plan might include identifying strengths and weaknesses, a common set of advocacy priorities, potential natural funding partners, and system evaluation.
• Be willing to fund priorities identified in a collective plan that you do not currently fund, or better yet, be willing to fund all of the actual plan.
• Allow your current grantees to spend some of your money to work collectively with others in their network of providers; provide more funding flexibility.

These are just a few ideas, and I’m sure there are others.

For those who say that funders will never change, just look at the last 30 years. The requirement to measure and report outcomes in human services is now widespread, yet this was not nearly as prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s and even into the 1990s.

We have moved from “How many are you serving?” to “What difference did your service make to these individuals in their lives?”—largely because funders decided to change from an “allocation” mentality to a “return on investment” mentality. The expected return includes a concrete assessment of how lives have been genuinely improved.

In this time of obvious austerity, and in what many suggest is a near-crisis in human services, it seems an opportune time to take the next step in getting smarter about our human service investments. It’s time to move from thinking exclusively about programs and to begin working to establish and strengthen true human service systems in our communities.

Economic Return on an Investment in Education

Why It Matters

Rigorous research demonstrates that children who participate in high-quality early learning programs are significantly more likely to enter school with the underlying skills needed to succeed in school and later in the workforce. These programs have been shown to increase language skills, lower the need for special education, and increase graduation rates.

Providing quality early learning is a key factor in attracting skilled workers and new business to Washington State. Unskilled workers cost the United States $319 billion annually in lost wages, productivity and taxes. Businesses spend $3.7 billion each year teaching basic skills to employees.

In addition, research shows that investments in early learning will save Washington businesses millions of dollars lost every year due to employee absenteeism because of child care problems. On average, parents miss five to nine days of work every year dealing with child care arrangements.

In Washington State, research shows that investing in quality early education creates new jobs immediately and grows the economy. In these tough economic times, businesses look at their bottom lines every day and analyze how to generate the most return for each dollar invested.

These investments pay big dividends to businesses both today and tomorrow. They strengthen communities and get children ready for school and work. These investments have a higher return than investments in all other major sectors, including manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, utilities and transportation.

Every dollar invested in early childhood programs will generate more than $2 in additional employment and spending on goods and services. Moreover, every two early education jobs created will generate enough spending to support another job.

George Le Masurier, publisher of The Peninsula Gateway wrote, “If we just provided high-quality preschools for our state’s 4-year-olds, we could save public schools 10 percent of the special education budget, about $120 million a year.”

All of this is just another way of saying that what happens before kids start school really counts.

Introducing LU

This is LU. LU is a long-time friend of United Way and is beginning a tour of Pierce County. Along the way, LU would like to show you some of his favorite spots and introduce you to his close partners. He'll share a photo and tell you a little about each one as he goes. If you can guess where LU is in Pierce County, there is a prize in it for you! Watch for LU on our Facebook page at...

http://www.facebook.com/unitedwayofpiercecounty

Partnership Makes New Eatonville MultiCare Clinic a Reality

People in rural areas have limited access to health care. For residents of southern Pierce County, like Eatonville, Ashford and Elbe, accessing health care meant driving more than 20
miles away. Residents recognized the area was underserved and could be one of the worst affected in the event of a disaster on Mount Rainier. That’s when they contacted United Way of
Pierce County. The UWPC Health Impact team brought together key partners from MultiCare/Good Samaritan and local leaders who later built a new health care facility. The new facility will serve more patients and provide x-ray and lab services, making accessing health care easier for those in outlying areas of Pierce County.

United Way of Pierce County convenes partners to make an impact on the most critical issues affecting our community, including access to healthcare.

South Sound 2-1-1: A Lifeline for Those in Need

Evidence of the recession is everywhere. At United Way of Pierce County, nothing reveals the affects of the economic downturn more than the demand on South Sound 2-1-1.

South Sound 2-1-1 is a service of United Way of Pierce County that provides callers with referrals for non-emergency resources, like shelter, food banks and utility assistance. In 2009, over 76,000 callers from Pierce, Thurston and Lewis counties reached out to 2-1-1. In 2010, that number grew to nearly 84,000 callers. They served a record number in December including, 9,062 calls for the month and 626 calls in just one day. The increase in need was obvious.

Yet, only 36 percent of the callers who contacted the agencies they were referred to actually received help. Most were turned away because the agencies simply didn’t have the resources available to serve the number of people in need.

The need has grown while funding has decreased, leaving many nonprofits trying to do more with less. South Sound 2-1-1 experienced this for themselves in 2010. State funding limitations and staff reductions made it difficult for Information and Referral Specialists at 2-1-1 to respond to every call. Nearly 9 percent of callers were not able to get through.

However, those who did get through and did contact their referrals found the vital hope they needed. Utility assistance and rent and mortgage assistance accounted for 38.3 percent of the calls to South Sound 2-1-1. Verna, an elderly woman, living alone, was one of the many who contacted South Sound 2-1-1 seeking utility assistance. Another caller sought help after her husband was injured on the job and they found themselves unable to pay their mortgage. She was referred to a number of agencies that helped her pay the bills until her husband’s injury pay came in.

Shelter and affordable housing are also frequently requested resources. Melissa was a single-mom fleeing a domestic violence situation. Thanks to referrals from South Sound 2-1-1 and United Way’s Affordable Housing Guide, she was able to find a home for her family.

South Sound 2-1-1 also helps people with food, health issues, transportation, legal counsel, clothing and household needs and holiday and seasonal assistance.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Volunteer as an Information and Referral Specialist at South Sound 2-1-1, answering phone calls and providing referrals

Advocate for funding from our state leaders for WIN 2-1-1 to help support the 2-1-1 system locally and state wide

Participate in this year’s Community Campaign and help United Way of Pierce County provide funding to more than 100 local programs struggling to serve those in need. This year all new and increased gifts will be matched, multiplying the difference your donation can make.

Cold, warm, balmy, or freezing weather … it’s always full at area shelters.

The line starts at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon for the 153 sleeping spots available at the Rescue Mission’s Downtown Tacoma Campus. Irrespective of the weather, all of the beds are filled every night. On average, 35 men are turned away because there is no room. Every day, in the cafeteria after the evening meal, the tables and chairs are moved out of the way and the 50 plus sleeping mats are laid out for the night. In January, 58 new clients were enrolled, up slightly over January 2010’s numbers.

Additional need does not translate into more staff says Frank Jackson, Rescue Mission’s Downtown Tacoma Campus Director. More people with the same number of staff create management difficulties. When staff was stretched to the limit, he reached out to volunteers and interns to fill those needs.

A warm place to stay overnight is just one component of services provided. Over the past four years, the Downtown Tacoma Campus has seen a 25 percent increase in single moms with young children coming to eat at the campus. No one is turned away at meal time.

When asked how the cold weather has affected their campus, Frank said there is a constant need for coats, hats, gloves and scarves to help protect against the elements.

Jan Sonntag, Adams Street Family Campus’ Capital Campaign Director, echoed the constant need for coats, hats and gloves.

“What is the bare minimum for you is not the same as someone on the street.” Homeless people live with the barest of minimum. For most, their lives are contained in a plastic bag. In December, over 11,000 pieces of clothing were distributed through the Rescue Mission’s Campuses.

Sonntag said the Rescue Mission works hard to meet the basic needs of its clients.

“We’re doing our best to stop the revolving door.”

Special Thanks to our funded partners who are serving those in need of shelter - Tacoma Rescue Mission and Catholic Community Services.