Alan Ford, president,
board of trustees
United Way
of Hunterdon County
United Way of Hunterdon County is pleased to announce its portfolio of internal and external funded programs for the 2012-13 funding cycle. The response to the open Request for Proposals (RFP) was tremendous, amounting to more than $1 million in requests for funds.
In order to make inroads toward the community goal of 10,000 additional financially stable Hunterdon County residents by 2020, United Way’s Community Resource Investment and Strategic Planning (CRISP) committee and the Resource Investment panels strategically ranked programs most aligned with the objectives within the three areas of focus — Income, Health and Education. The final portfolio is made up of 32 programs and an investment of more than $600,000 back into the community. The portfolio emphasizes programs that will lead to sustained community impact.
The program selection process was extremely comprehensive and the final portfolio represents programs that will help meet the Community Impact objectives. “We would have supported a greater number of programs had the funding been available,” according to Tim Barckholtz (vice president for the CRISP committee). He said: “We are pleased with the outcomes of the review process and look forward to the collective impact that will result from this diverse and innovative selection of programs.”
Bonnie Duncan, executive director of United Way of Hunterdon County, has said: “United Way of Hunterdon County will continue to support programs that help those most in need in our community, but we also have committed to helping ‘ALICE’ (a sort of everyman or everywoman). The acronym stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed. ALICE is all around us).
”The reason United Way is making a concerted effort to offer a hand to ALICE is because we want to avoid ALICE slipping into a hopeless situation, one that puts a greater strain on individuals, on our social services and on the community . . . The programs fall within areas where ALICE is in the most need (programs that allow seniors and others to age in place and live independently, encourage workforce development, focus on financial education and income supports and provide awareness of and access to critical resources).”
United Way has always been committed to making a difference in our community by using a thorough review process to determine that all dollars raised are being used efficiently and effectively. Agencies awarded grants will continue to be evaluated by trained community volunteers through a process that involves reviewing their budgets, financial statements, and overall business plans.
Under the Community Impact model, organization effectiveness will be measured by the impact the funded programs have in the community through reviewing reported outcomes for each agency program in light of how those outcomes address the key community focus areas of Income, Health and Education. The ultimate goal of the United Way of Hunterdon County is to advance the common good and to create opportunities for a better life for all — investing in improving lives and conditions in our community.
United Way of Hunterdon County has been caring for our community for three decades. The organization works to create opportunities to improve life in our community so that everyone receives a quality Education that enables finding a stable job, earns enough income to support a family through retirement and maintains good health. Assisting 10,000 Hunterdon County residents attain financial stability by 2020 (10 by 20) is one way we LIVE UNITED.

