United Way Retirees Association
Organizational Review

UWRA Background:

·        Founded: 1990 

·        Mission: To improve the quality of life for communities served by United Way and UWRA members. 

·        Public Charity Status: 501 (c) (3) obtained: April, 2001 

·        Staff: 3 part-time - total of 50 hours per week 

·        Board Composition: 24 members maximum.  

·        Membership: approximately 550.  Annual dues are $12.00. Over 65% of the UWRA membership give above the $12 level with approximately 26% giving at the leadership level ($100 plus). Membership is open to individuals who have retired from United Way or any of its predecessor organizations and individuals age 50 plus with significant career experience with United Way.  An Associate Member category is available for those who support the work of UWRA. 

·        Prospective Members – UWRA is continuously seeking additional members.  Recruitment techniques include outreach to United Way Human Resources departments, exhibits at state and regional United Way meetings, and “word of mouth”. 

·        Membership Outreach – The organization engages in ongoing efforts to reach out to members in order to keep databases updated, members informed, evaluate current service offerings and solicit ideas for future services to the United Way field and UWRA members.

 UWRA Budget:

·        2005 Budget: $165,495.  In addition to United Way of America, financial support comes from membership dues and contributions, local and state United Ways, and Mutual of America. 

Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of UWRA Campaign leaders and helpers, and the generosity of the UWRA membership and Supporting Organization (local and state United Way Contributors) UWRA reached the 2005 Campaign goal of $100,000 (not including UWA and Mutual of America support). The 2005 Campaign ($100,869) exhibited an overall 8% increase from 2004 figures ($93,223).  With the exception of the Leadership campaign, which suffered a slight decrease (down 2%) in 2005; the other campaign sectors exhibited an increase – Supporting Organizations (13%) and Membership Renewal (4%).  The approximate $530 decline in the Leadership Campaign was mainly due to deceased members and a couple of individuals cutting back on their gift. 

Following is a seven year history of the major sources of income:

    
UWRA Services: 

·        UWRA has two primary goals: service to the United Way field and to its members.  

Service to the United Way Field

UWRA provides the opportunity for retired UW professionals, who helped make UW what it is today, stay involved in the UW mission.  As partners in advancing this mission, UWRA retirees have provided experienced professional services, at no or little cost, to communities in 2005 in the following ways: 

• Crisis Response - After the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina UWA reached out to UWRA for potential assistance in helping UW impacted communities. UWRA was asked to compile a volunteer base to help with on-site immediate response and support operations as well as long term recovery efforts.  Two emails, sent to the UWRA membership requesting their help, elicited a strong response.  Twenty-eight UWRA members were willing to go on-site and provide assistance; and another eight people, although unable to travel, indicated they would help in any way they could from their home. As result of this effort UWRA placed Jim Settle (who used to be the CEO in Gulfport, MS) in Natchez, MS helping a new UW CEO. UWRA has not, as of yet, matched any other retirees with UWs in the hurricane affected areas.  Given that this is a long term recovery effort, UWRA plans to keep in close communication with UWA and maintain the database of those ready to help, in the event that we are needed.

• Mentoring - Nine United Way Executive Directors have been matched with UWRA Service Corps members who serve as mentors for a period of one year. This effort, geared to providing materials, guidance, counsel and support as needed to new United Way CPO’s is paid for in its entirety by UWRA. 

• Planned Giving - UWRA members have facilitated informational programs on the basics of Planned Giving for United Ways100 United Ways and over 225 staff, board members, and community guests have participated.interested in this aspect of long-term program development. Since the program’s inception, 100 United Ways and over 225 staff, board members, and community guests have participated. 

•  UW Staff Consultation - UWRA retirees are participating in ongoing phone/email consultation with United Way staff that have questions on administration, resource development, fund distribution, communications, and other facets of non-profit management. 

• UW Networking - UWRA members have arranged opportunities for smaller United Ways to network with other United Ways in order to share information on community impact approaches and other key aspects related to running a United Way. 

• UWRA Endowment – UWRA has established an Endowment Fund honoring United Way professionals in memory of UWRA founder Gordon Berg.  The first phase of the nationwide UWRA Endowment kick-off began November 1, 2005. Prior to this nationwide kick-off lead gift commitments from UWRA Board and Endowment Committee members and the United Way of the Central Carolinas and the Foundation for the Carolinas totaled approximately $175,000 with 58% ($100,848) in cash.  Endowment monies will aid in funding targeted priorities such as expansion of services to small and medium United Ways, piloting additional programs to meet the needs of United Way retirees, and support for professional leadership development for local United Ways.  UWRA members were surveyed to assist in setting these priorities.
  

• Interim Staff Assistance - UWRA members have provided support to the United Way field when there has been a need for a seasoned professional who knows his/her way around the United Way system to provide guidance and interim assistance.  UWRA members have served in interim Executive and Campaign positions in places such as California, Louisiana, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.  In 2005 the UWRA office received several requests from LUWs for potential candidates names interested in interim on-site positions.  At this writing one UWRA member, Rene Moquin, was hired to serve as the Interim Executive Director in Huntington, WV (United Way of the River Cities) until the end of 2005.

• History of United Way – In 2004 UWRA member Dick Aft and his wife Mary Lu published a comprehensive history of the United Way; Grassroots Initiatives Shape an International Movement.  The effort was initiated and research funded by UWRA.  UWRA continues to market the book as a relevant piece in understanding the United Way movement and will be building a course curriculum around it for the UWA Center for Community Leadership.
  

Other UWRA/UWA Collaborative Activities to serve the UW Field

• CEO On-Boarding - At the November 2004 Executive Committee meeting one of the items presented by UWA Executive VP, Brook Manville, regarding potential UWA/UWRA collaboration was helping to build a new CEO “onboarding” program.  This collaboration is moving forward and encompasses several components: 

Quickstart Guide for new UW Executives - The Quickstart Guide (an update of the Executive Handbook: Guide for new CPO’s) is planned to be rolled out in 2006. In August 2005, United Way of America and UWRA entered into a contract authorizing UWRA to take the lead in compiling the Quickstart Guide. UWRA member, Alice Thacker has taken a leadership role in preparing the Quickstart Guide and is working with an editorial committee consisting of other UWRA members, and Council of States and UWA representatives. 

Mentoring - It is envisioned that the UWRA 2006 Mentoring Program will be part of the new CEO On-Boarding Program versus the current procedure of taking applications in a separate process.  In the past new CEO’s were given mentoring matches from the UW field at the UWA New President’s Forum; however, approximately 3 years ago this matching component was discontinued.  Our collaborative goal, working with UWA Talent Management, is to provide a mentor (either UWRA or UW field personnel) to each new CEO who is interested in the Mentoring Program.  Additional UWRA sponsored mentoring relationships in 2006 will be evaluated depending on volunteer availability and resources.  UWRA has also offered to help shape the program components of the Forum in terms of logistics, design, objectives, content, core UWA representation groups and UWRA involvement. 

CEO Competency Model – UWRA has been asked to serve on a committee dealing with the development of a new CEO competency model.  UWA has engaged a consultant to help with performance management and the committee will be tasked with reviewing the legitimacy of the product.

• Center for Community Leadership Training Programs.  At the November 2004 UWRA Executive Committee meeting, Brook Manville presented the possibility of UWRA members serving as developers and/or instructors of CCL training programs. UWRA is currently involved in course development for training programs on Strategic Planning and History of United Way.  It is envisioned that UWRA members will be the Facilitators for these courses.

• Pre-Retirement Planning Guide. The concept of developing a Pre-Retirement Planning Guide was borne out of UWRA’s perceived need (based on input from our membership) for a program to encourage local UWs to provide some type of retirement planning.  Keeping with UWRA’s mission to “improve the quality of life for communities served by United Way and UWRA members” the development of a Pre-Retirement Planning Guide was seen as an excellent vehicle to provide a needed service to the UW field, as well as UW pre-retirees and retirees.  The initial effort developed by UWRA will be expanded through a cooperative process with UWA to include a wider range of retirement issues. The goal is to get the finished Guide into the hands of every UW employee, distributed with our UPDATES publication, and posted on our website with links.
  

Service to UWRA Members 

In addition to opportunities for continuing service to the United Way field, UWRA provides retirees, who have given years of service to the United Way system, access to benefits that can be offered by a membership organization. 

In 2005 a Committee was tasked with reviewing present service offerings to UWRA members and reporting to the Board actions to be taken, if any. To assist in the review of current services, a survey was included in the UWRA quarterly UPDATES publication in order to obtain feedback from members on how well these offerings are meeting our members’ needs.  Based on the findings, the Committee recommended, at the November 2005 Board meeting that we continue to offer, for the present, the package of services provided through a national broker.  The Committee also recommended that we continue to explore a possible affiliation with AARP. 

Current Services offered to UWRA Members include: 

Access to insurance products at group rates:

         Cancer Insurance Plan

         Dental Plan

        Hearing Aid Benefit Discount Plan

        Identity Theft

         Legal Plan

       Long Term Care Insurance Plan

         Medicare Supplement Plan

         Travel Accident Insurance Plan

         Vision Plan

      Free discount prescription drug card.

      Social, educational, and recreational opportunities.

      UWRA Web Site: www.UWRA.org and quarterly newsletter UPDATES.

      Access to United Way Online, pending approval by UWA.