After years of campaigning solely in Hutchinson, we are facing a steep learning curve as we branch out into towns that have their own history of community-giving in Winsted, Lester Prairie and Glencoe etc. We shouldn’t be surprised when we approach someone from another community for the first time about partnering with United Way, that we get a quizzical look in return. We became the United Way of McLeod County in March 2007. We fully expect that it’s going to take several years of informing folks about our partner agents and our own programs, before a majority of people know what we are about. 

Getting buy-in for our campaign and programs from individuals and businesses throughout the county that have until recently never been approached by United Way is an obstacle. Attracting a new generation of donors and volunteers is a hurdle that we are working to get over as well. One of the first steps we are taking is to bring a number of the local “community chests” under one umbrella. 

In the summer of 2008 the UWMC board reached out to the Glencoe Area United Fund to see if a partnership was feasible. After several meetings, the two boards came to the conclusion that they were in fact funding many of the same agencies and that it made little sense to run two separate fundraising campaigns just miles from each other. From those meetings emerged a new UWMC that campaigned in Glencoe and Hutchinson for the first time in 2009. The merger was viewed as a prime example of organizations coming together for the greater good of an area. We have spent a lot of time in Glencoe this fall talking to the small business owners and corporations to let them know we are now campaigning as one entity and hoping to get continued buy-in from them as we move forward. 

Another step we are taking this fall is forming a partnership with the Lester Prairie Community Chest. After nearly 40 years of volunteers going door-to-door in that community, they have asked us to help them with their efforts this year. Due to the shortened timeframe, we will be sending out a direct mailing piece to Lester Prairie residents in December. 

Of the 42 agencies/programs we are supporting financially in 2009, none are exclusive to Hutchinson residents and all have a McLeod County scope in clientele. In looking at the numbers our agencies have provided us over the years we see a pretty even split between those from Hutchinson who are receiving services, and clients from the other seven zip codes in McLeod County. Historically, a majority of the money to fund all of these county-wide programs has come from the companies, small businesses and residents of Hutchinson. We feel that this is an opportune time to reach out to folks in the other towns and ask them for assistance in funding these programs that help so many in every McLeod County community. 

Getting the word out about United Way is the biggest hurdle we face as an organization, as we continue to grow as a county-wide entity. It really comes down to us doing a better job of informing and educating folks as to what we are about as we re-introduce ourselves to Hutchinson and build new relationships in the region.

(This article was written by UWMC Executive Director Paul Thompson for local newspapers)

Soon after merging with the Glencoe Area United Fund in the summer of 2008, our board of directors began to look into what other United Ways were doing in regards to changing the way their communities viewed them. In talking to other UW boards and staffs, we realized that we needed to tweak our business model to retain our corporate partners and attract a new generation of donors. When most people think of the United Way, their sole vision is that of the workplace campaign. That is still the core of what we do and the foundation of any success we might have. However, we feel the need to try to create long-lasting community change by addressing underlying causes of the most significant local issues.

In recent years many United Ways have expanded their focus from solely fundraising to providing a proactive component called Community Impact. This approach deals with the root causes of the most serious problems and allows them to be part of the solution. The thought is to gather individuals from across community – government, business, schools, faith, non-profits and ordinary citizens – to form “Community Impact Coalitions” to address the most critical needs identified by the community. This is a task that we are carefully and thoughtfully wading into.

 We realize that a number of fantastic organizations have been working on addressing community problems in the area for years. We are not looking to latch-on or take credit for anyone’s longtime work. We just want to make sure that we are always making a concerted effort as an organization to be at the table and willing to listen and offer our resources. The Community Impact model is not just about messaging or a new allocation process. It calls for comprehensive change in our organization’s aspirations, operations, and relationships with the community.

 We understand that it is not enough to simply run a fall campaign and distribute checks to our 42 partner agencies twice a year. While we are effecting change by allocating thousands of donor dollars to help run outstanding programs, we feel the need to be even more hands on. We are in a unique position in that we have relationships with so many non-profits and business partners. We need to take the responsibility to help children and youth achieve their potential, promote financial stability and independence and improve people’s health.

 We feel that we are continuing to take the steps needed to fulfill our duties and are excited about our most recent initiatives. For example, this summer we launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library throughout McLeod County. Additionally, we have partnered with the Greater Twin Cities United Way to bring the 2-1-1 community help line to the area. We also have begun to do more events with our partner agencies, including working with Aveyron Homes for our first Day of Caring this fall.

(This article was written by UWMC Executive Director Paul Thompson for local newspapers)

United Way of McLeod County Board President Jennifer Grimsley announced today that the regional non-profit has partnered with GiveMN.org to promote on-line philanthropy in the area. GiveMN allows contributors access to every charitable non-profit in Minnesota, while giving those organizations equal access to on-line contributors. 

Minnesotans lead the nation in charitable giving – individuals in this state gave more than $4 billion to charity last year. The United Way of McLeod County, together with GiveMN.org – a first-of-its-kind giving web site for nonprofits in Minnesota – is working to change the way Minnesotans experience giving and help create a stronger nonprofit community in the state. 

GiveMN allows donors to find and support organizations in McLeod County, like UWMC, that match their philanthropic goals and easily keep track of their donations in a single online location. GiveMN is the first giving-site focused specifically on nonprofits in a single state.

 By giving online with GiveMN, community residents have the opportunity to make a difference. GiveMN was created by Minnesota donors and nonprofits for Minnesota donors and nonprofits, to help support and sustain the local nonprofit organizations that matter to each individual.

Benefits to Donors