United Way of Benton & Lincoln Counties

What it reported doing in 2019

Investment strategies: united way runs a competitive application process to support high quality programs serving individuals and families in our geographic footprint. Those selected for funding align precisely with our areas of focus, present evidence-based models for service delivery, and demonstrate effectiveness with data-rich results.before it receives united way support, a program must undergo a rigorous evaluation to ensure sound strategies and measurable results. We hold our programs to the highest standards, so donations have the greatest impact. Because we value building long-term, population-level change, but not at the expense of protecting emergency response, investments are made through a two-track funding model:- an intervention/crisis-based funding cycle--meeting basic needs-to support emergency and/or transitional services.- a prevention-based funding cycle--breaking the cycle--to support collaborations aligned with our overall goal of breaking the cycle of childhood poverty.meeting basic needs (bn): united way supports intervention as well as crisis-based services. We define basic needs as the most fundamental necessities of life which, when absent or threatened, would create an emergency, (e.g. Food and shelter). Funding is prioritized for both emergency and transitional service. Emergency services provide immediate or short-term assistance to meet basic human needs when they are absent, while transitional services provide people with a short-term or defined period of assistance to sustain basic human needs in a transition to self-sufficiency. Under contract to the city of corvallis, united way manages the allocation process for the city's social service fund (ssf), as part of the basic needs cycle. Social service fund funds support service to corvallis residents; united way funds support services to residents of broader benton county.breaking the cycle of childhood poverty (bccp): this work supports prevention-based services that align with one or more of the following identified goals:- increasing availability and access to affordable, quality childcare so families can work.- providing educational supports for youth, especially at transition points (grade school to middle school, middle to high, and high school to college or on to "real life").- delivering life and job skills training for youth and young adults so they can succeed.- teaching financial literacy so more people can make smart choices about their opportunities and challenges.bccp goals and targets resulted from several years of research, community conversations and informed discussion by vision councils in benton county and by community conversations and assessment surveys in lincoln county. Final recommendations were crafted by the united way community impact committee, which retains oversight of both the bccp and bn funding mechanisms.south benton advisory group: united way received a 15-year bequest from the margaret e. Hull fund of the Oregon community foundation to support united way's mission in service to rural benton county residents. To ensure the work conducted through this bequest meets the needs and desires of the bequest and community members, united way conducted a needs assessment in the rural south county communities of monroe, alpine, bellfountain, glenbrook, ingram island, and irish bend. This established new relationships between united way and rural benton county residents and expanded united way's knowledge base about the needs and assets of the assessed communities, and where funding will have the greatest sustainable impact.as a result of the relationships established through the needs assessment united way formed the south benton advisory group (sbag). Members of sbag aim to create long-lasting, sustainable impact within the south benton county communities. To perform united way mission work and to address the priority issues highlighted in the needs assessment, sbag works under the auspices of united way's community im

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 77.3%; rating input score 77
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.26 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 41.4%; rating input score 41; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -37.2%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.6%; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -3.5% per year; rating input score 0; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -3.7% per year; rating input score 0; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -13% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings