United Way of Pitt County is improving the way it invests donor dollars
to achieve maximum impact.

Building on the research in the “Pitt County Voices” Community Needs Assessment, United Way worked with local partners and community representatives to develop a Community Action Plan, which identifies our community's most urgent needs and calls for collective community action around those needs in order to improve the community in a measurable way.

The Community Action Plan will be used as a strategic investment guide for the United Way and other organizations in making wise and meaningful charitable giving decisions based on results and impact relating to the issues that matter most to our community.

In developing this plan, United Way involved a diverse and comprehensive representation of our community. Over 100 individuals were involved in the development of the plan. These individuals provided input in the community assessment to help identify the most urgent needs, served on focus groups and/or served on one of the various committees assisting in the identification of issues and development of strategies. These individuals represent a cross-section of neighborhoods throughout the county, United Way donors, health and human service agency representatives, agency service recipients, key community leaders, as well as representatives from the business community.

The Community Action Plan was implemented over a three-year period in order to provide appropriate time for careful and strategic system changes. This transition began in January 2007 and in April 2009, United Way began investing 100% of allocable dollars in the Community Action Plan. For a complete list of 2009-2011 Program Investments, please click here.

What Is Changing?

UWPC, like many other United Ways across the nation, is taking a new approach to how it operates and invests in the community. Through an evolving Community Action Plan, the United Way works with community leaders, volunteers and representatives to identify the most urgent needs in the community, develop and implement strategies for positive change and provide accountability through measuring results.

The focus of the United Way is to ask first "what does the community need" and then work with partners and agencies to address those most urgent needs.

Why Change?

As our community is continually changing with increasing needs and limited resources, the UWPC must be able to align itself in a way that effectively and efficiently meets the changing needs of the community. The Community Action Plan builds on the history and strengths of our United Way, coupling those with focused systems for increasing its effectiveness and ability to work with partners to deliver results.

What is a Community Action Plan?

Building on the research in the "Pitt County Voices" Community Needs Assessment, United Way worked with local partners and community representatives to develop a Community Action Plan, which identifies our community's most urgent needs and calls for collective community action around those needs in order to improve the community in a measurable way.

The Community Action Plan will be used as a strategic investment guide for the United Way and other organizations in making wise and meaningful charitable giving decisions based on results and impact relating to the issues that matter most to our community.

In developing this plan, United Way involved a diverse and comprehensive representation of our community. Over 100 individuals were involved in the development of the plan. These individuals provided input in the community assessment to help identify the most urgent needs, served on focus groups and/or served on one of the various committees assisting in the identification of issues and development of strategies. These individuals represent a cross-section of neighborhoods throughout the county, United Way donors, health and human service agency representatives, agency service recipients, key community leaders, as well as representatives from the business community.

The Community Action Plan was implemented over a three-year period in order to provide appropriate time for careful and strategic system changes. This transition began in January 2007 and in April 2009, United Way began investing 100% of allocable dollars in the Community Action Plan. For a complete list of 2009-2011 Program Investments, please click here.

What Is Not Changing?

Key foundational elements of our United Way will not change. United Way will continue to fund programs that collaboratively work to create lasting change in community conditions.