Dear Thought Partners,

  

It's been a while since our last Thought Partner Convening in January, but please know that we have been hard at work with FSG to bring our recommendations to our Community Impact Committee and Board.  And, we are very excited to report that both bodies approved our Blueprint for Prosperity, including the Big Goal, Vision, Outcomes Framework, Strategies and Guiding Principles.  Please see the attached Blueprint overview and the subsequent slides that provide greater detail about the framework.  As we move to breathe life into the framework , we've also highlighted the needs and gaps, the unique assets of the United Way and the Implications for United Way for each of the Strategies (4 I 's - Invest, Inspire, Inform, Initiate).  We want to thank all of you for contributing your time and sharing your knowledge and thoughts with us.  After seven fantastic meetings we feel that, together, we have developed a framework that is completely aligned with the issues we heard in our community conversations.  You should be very proud of this work!

  

Our work i s now focused on the first I - Invest.   On February 29 th  we will announce two grant opportunities aligned with our Blueprint for Prosperity : Programmatic Grants and Collaboration Grants.  Once we have approval of our Board next week, we will send the information regarding the grant opportunities out to everyone. 

  

Also, as we move forward , we don't want to lose our non-agency Thought Partners.  You helped to create this framework, so you know it just as well as we do.  We would like you to consider becoming a Reader for the grants, either our programmatic grants or our collaboration grants, or both.  We will send out a job description very soon and ask you to sign up.  We are working hard to make it as easy for you to read and rate from where ever you are.  If you are interested, please email Shelly Iles at [email protected].

  

Of course, we welcome all comments and we hope you are benefitting from the data and information we continue to share through the Poverty Information Sharing Corner.  If you have anything you would like to share, please send it to us.  Together, we can develop a greater understanding of our BIG ISSUE, POVERTY.

  

Once again, Thank YOU!!!!