Our Work

United Way Capital Area is working to advance the common good by focusing on education, financial stability and health. These are the building blocks of a good life-a quality education, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health. By bringing together people and resources to address these issues, and by attacking their underlying causes, we hope to make lasting, fundamental change---for everyone.

In keeping our work as effective as possible, in 2004 we partnered with community leaders to reassess our role in improving community conditions. What we discovered gave us pause:

• 15.2% of travis county residents live below the federal poverty level.
• 40% of our children enter kindergarten 12-18 months behind their peers developmentally.
• 1 out of 4 students entering the 9th grade do not graduate from high school.

While many in our community are doing well, far too many aren’t. More and more of our friends and neighbors are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Despite our efforts in the community, and the work of thousands of other nonprofit agencies, things are getting worse, not better. After conducting hundreds of conversations about these issues and commissioning the Community Agenda Project –

a wide-ranging survey of Central Texas community needs and resources by the Ray Marshall Center at The University of Texas at Austin – it became apparent a change in our approach was not only a good idea but a necessary one.

Enter the Community Impact Model. We are no longer satisfied with the old definitions of success. Moving forward, we will measure ourselves not just by the amount of money raised for the community, but also by the impact we and our community partners have on changing community conditions. The Community Impact Model comprises six key elements:

1. addressing the underlying causes of community problems
2. engaging central texas residents year-round, in new and innovative ways
3. concentrating on long-term community successes, and investing in programs that help move community conditions in measurable, significant ways
4. finding new ways to collaborate with all nonprofit, public, and private organizations that are willing to help tackle the issues
5. taking our work and impact region-wide
6. adopting three focus areas to guide our work, fundraising efforts, and community impact grants to nonprofit organizations

Of course, we have just transformed to this new model and our work will continue over the course of the following years. But we believe aligning our work around the Community Impact Model will help fulfill our shared vision of Central Texas. We are a caring community. Together — united — we can do anything

That's where the Focus Areas—education, health, and financial stability-come from. It's also why we are developing new initiatives and collaborations to achieve our collective goals.

Because together, united, we can achieve anything.