United Way moves Agenda forward

Over the past three years, United Way for Southeastern Michigan has been changing the way it does business to meet the changing needs of this region. As the economy has changed, issues facing families have become greater in number and more acute. To tackle these issues, we developed the Agenda for Change, which is based on community input and research and focuses on making lasting progress in three areas: education, income and basic needs.

On June 5, 2008, the board of directors reached a critical milestone on the road to the Agenda for Change by approving the selection of United Way’s new nonprofit partners and affiliates for the 2008-2011 funding cycle.

During the grant application process, 191 agencies and 91 collaboratives submitted 361 proposals to United Way with a total funding request of more than $92 million. With $59 million raised in the last campaign, we had a responsibility to our donors and the community to select the very best partners and programs to advance the Agenda for Change.

To do this, we enlisted the help of 130 volunteers from the nonprofit, business, labor, faith-based, civic, government and education communities who served on 23 teams to carefully review each proposal. When making decisions, volunteers considered five principles: the potential for maximum impact; strategic focus of the program; measurability of results; whether the program narrows disparities; and its potential for collaboration or other linkages.

These funding changes and considerations reflect a fundamental shift in United Way’s purpose, moving from acting simply as a fundraiser to becoming an organization focused on solving complex social problems in our community. We have had to be courageous in our decisions, but we believe these are the right decisions to achieve measurable and lasting impact in our three focus areas.

The new funding model will be implemented July 1. Historical United Way partners that did not move forward in the new model are able to apply for transitional funding and those agencies that remain in good standing with us are eligible to receive designations, regardless of the outcomes of the funding decisions.

Before these decisions, United Way had already been moving toward the Agenda for Change and several initiatives are already underway, including Operation ABC, which aims to help children read by third grade, and the Earned Income Tax Credit Initiative. This initiative is the work of the Regional Asset Building Coalition, a collaborative made up of United Way and other partners to help families become more financially stable.

To learn more about the Agenda for Change, log on to www.uwsem.org/agendaforchange.

WI announces new chair

We are pleased to announce the new chair of the Women's Initiative, Rhonda Saunders, senior vice president, Fifth Third Bank. Saunders has been an active member of the WI Steering Committee since its inception. She was also integral in facilitating Fifth Third Bank's match in 2006, which provided an incentive for women who were considering joining the Women's Initiative through the fast-track membership option.

Saunders is working with United Way staff and the outgoing chair, Chris Cortez, to transition into her new role. Cortez will continue to be involved in the steering committee.

Please join us in welcoming our new chair and we look forward to a smooth transition and an exciting year ahead!

Volunteer Spotlight
Reflections on the Women’s Initiative funding process
By Donna Lackie, MSW, ACSW Regional Consultant for Early Education

On June 2, the Women's Initiative completed its review of grant proposals for the new funding cycle 2008-2011. The team of volunteers did a fabulous job in reviewing proposals and deliberating funding decisions. The team consisted of Women's Initiative members, experts, and United Way staff. The team reviewed and scored proposals and held two meetings to make funding recommendations.

The Women's Initiative review team worked on the same timeline as the entire grant funding process United Way recently underwent to align its resources to the Agenda for Change. We also used the same process and scoring tool to ensure consistency and that the new partners would align with United Way's mission and direction.

To score each proposal, each reviewer ranked the proposals individually and then as a group we reviewed and compiled the data to attain a group score. We then developed a program summary for each proposal that detailed program components, geographic scope, and target populations so that United Way staff and the review team could adequately assess the program's potential impact.

We had to follow up with a few agencies to ensure we had all the necessary information to make our decisions, but after much deliberation, the team was able to narrow the group down to five final proposals that are moving forward as Women's Initiative partners. This group includes three previous partners and two new partners. The entire region is represented, with two grants being awarded in both Wayne and Oakland counties, and one grant being awarded in Macomb County.

All proposals were notifed of their status with letters sent out on June 2. Overall, the process went very smoothly and it was great to have continuity from Women's Initiative volunteers and also the content expertise and experience of University evaluators when making our decisions. I believe all participants would agree it was a valuable experience that helped them understand United Way's funding process and rationale.

I want to take the opportunity to thank all of the participants in the committee including Women's Initiative members Mygene Carr, Bridgit Chayt, Gail Duncan, and Mary King as well as educational experts Ty Partridge, Ph.D., of Wayne State University, and Cynthia Schellenbach, Ph.D., of Oakland University. Finally myself and Ruth Mossok Johnston served as the staff liaisons to the committee.

Upcoming Events
Leadership Giving Town Hall Meeting

Town Hall meeting to inform donors
Please join us Wednesday, August 27, for the second installment of our Town Hall series, which will focus on the Financial Stability prong of United Way's Agenda for Change.

The intent of these sessions is to create an opportunity for you to get to know us and our work a bit better. In May, 30 Leadership Givers and Women's Initiative members joined us for a tour of 2-1-1 and an opportunity to have a candid conversation with Michael Brennan, our CEO. We had such positive feedback that we've decided to continue the series.

Leadership Giving Town Hall Meeting
August 27, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
1212 Griswold, Detroit

At this session, participants will tour a site of one of our newest initiatives, the Center for Working Families, as well as enjoy a conversation with Dona Ponepinto, who leads our Financial Stability business unit. Ponepinto is also the vice president of Community Investments and Partnerships at United Way.

The town hall is open to anyone, including those who participated in the previous seminar held in July. The August session will offer different information and explore another focus area of the Agenda for Change, so it's a great way for people who attended the July session to continue learning about the impact their contribution is making in the region. For those new to the series, it's a great time to start attending!

Please RSVP by August 22 by contacting Tiffany Chaney at 313-226-9239 or via e-mail: tiffany.chaney@LiveUnitedSEM.org.

Kurt's Corner
Birth and death trends serve as a mirror of state and region’s migration and aging trends

The provisional birth and death numbers recently released by Michigan's Department of Community Health show the effects of the demographic shifts taking place across the state and in Southeast Michigan.

While there are individual exceptions to each trend, the overall pattern that leads to a decrease in births is made up of three factors: out-migration of younger residents, contributing to decreasing numbers of women in their child-bearing years (15-44 years); aging of the population in general, contributing to both the loss of women and increasing numbers of deaths; and finally a move toward delaying marriage and childbirth, resulting in smaller families and often a choice of not having children at all.

Figure 1 illustrates the general trend of decreasing births (with minor exceptions) that has occurred in the state since the 1990 high of 153,080. The newly released provisional numbers for 2007 show the lowest annual birth total over the 18-year period - 123,383. This decrease of almost 50,000 births equates to a drop of 19.4 percent.

Figure 1. Births in Michigan, 1990 - 2007

The number of deaths in the state has shown a great deal more year-to-year fluctuations than have births (Figure 2). 2007's total of 86,843 represents the fifth highest total since 1990, and represents a 10.2 percent increase over 1990's total of 78,501. The general aging of the population, spurred by the baby boomer generation, whose oldest members began to hit 62 years of age in 2008, will no doubt begin to drive a pattern of increasing deaths going forward. Many counties in the state, particularly in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, have been experiencing negative natural increase, as their death numbers are exceeding their births.

Natural increase is one of the demographic factors that effect an area's population. When natural increase is positive (births exceed deaths) the population grows. When natural increase is a negative (deaths exceed births) the population declines. In 1990, Michigan's births exceeded deaths by 74,579. Provisional numbers for 2007 result in a natural increase value that has declined to just 36,900. This 50.5 percent drop in population growth due to natural increase, coupled with the recently increasing rate of out-migration, points toward continued population losses for Michigan in the next several years.

Figure 2. Deaths in Michigan, 1990 - 2007

Southeast Michigan Trends
Macomb County experienced the greatest change between 2006 and 2007, as a result of a significant decrease in births (from 10,128 to 8,546) and a slight increase in deaths. The population growth due to natural increase (births - deaths) has fallen from a high of 4,783 in 1990 to a low of 1,074 in 2007.

Of all the counties in Southeast Michigan, Macomb County has the highest median age, and share of the population 65 years and over. Thus one would expect a gradually increasing number of deaths. The Macomb County Planning Commission is making an effort to get ahead of the curve by engaging in a very innovative and much needed effort to track the aging of the population and prepare its community leaders for the housing, service and tax effects of this trend. As for births, Macomb County had managed, due to the heavy in-migration of younger families, to stem the demographic tide of decreasing births. It appears, however, that the heavy losses in the manufacturing sector have resulted in a reversal of the migration trend and births have taken a large hit.

Figure 3. Births, Deaths and Natural Increase in Macomb County, 1990 - 2007

Oakland County served as the exception to the rule as its recent trend of decreasing births was actually reversed in 2007. The number of births increased from 14,387 in 2006 to 14,968 in 2007. Nevertheless, the 2007 total was still 12 percent below the high point reached in 1990, when the county experienced 17,008 births. It is not possible to know where the birth increases are taking place until the final numbers come in from the state which delineate births and deaths by community. The 600-birth increase was offset to some degree by an increase in deaths, from 9,068 in 2006 to 9,259 in 2007. The result was a slight growth in natural increase, which was still 38.7 percent below that of 1990.

Figure 4. Births, Deaths and Natural Increase in Oakland County, 1990 - 2007

The 2007 provisional estimates released by the state only go to the county level, so Wayne County must be looked at in its entirety, rather than as two components - Detroit and Out-Wayne. Trends up through 2006 demonstrate the effect of Detroit's out-migration, coupled with decreases in teen births. 2006 births in Detroit represented their lowest level since 1990 - 13,016 vs. 24,129 - a decrease of 46 percent. While 2006 deaths showed a slight up tick from 2005, they still were 25 percent below the high that also occurred in 1990. Out-Wayne County experienced an increase in births and a decrease in deaths between 2005 and 2006. When compared with 1990 however, births were down by 13 percent while deaths were up by 2 percent.

Now let's look at the 2007 data for Wayne County as a whole. Births fell from 27,383 in 2006 to 25,611 in 2007, representing a decrease of 37 percent since 1990. While it is anticipated that Detroit will once again experience a decrease, it is unknown what share of the overall decrease that will represent. Deaths in Wayne County dropped slightly from 2006 - 2007 (18,576 and 18,486). Taken together, births and deaths resulted in a drop of 19 percent in natural increase, from 8,807 in 2006 to 7,125 in 2007. This trend, coupled with the continuing large out-migration, signals a continuing loss of population in the county.

Figure 5. Births, Deaths and Natural Increase in Wayne County, 1990 - 2007

The basis of demographic change in any area derives from the interplay of vital statistics (births and deaths) and migration/immigration patterns. In order to plan for schools, health care, housing and services, we must pay close attention to these factors.

United Way's Research Department will continue to monitor national, regional and local trends across the wide expanse of demographic, socioeconomic, economic and housing issues. Not only will this help to inform our Agenda work and track outcomes, but it will also allow United Way to assist our grantees tell their stories and further support the efforts of the region's civic and foundation communities as they strive to improve the quality of life for all residents in southeast Michigan.

Take Action Now
Win $2,500 for United Way!

United Way for Southeastern Michigan is taking part in a national United Way Facebook Cause Challenge and we need your help to win! Between now and June 27, the Facebook Cause with the most members wins $2,500 for their local United Way's young adult engagement programs. This includes implementing strategies that reach out to college students and other young adults to get them involved with United Way.

Challenge Began
June 21 12 a.m.

Challenge Ends
June 28 11:59pm

Who can participate?
Anyone with a Facebook account. The Facebook Cause is a special program that allow nonprofits to keep in touch with members of the cause as well as raise money. You can join as many causes as you like, but you can only join once per cause. If you don't have a Facebook account, it's time to get on the bandwagon! Simply log on to www.facebook.com and follow the instructions to set up a profile. In addition to keeping up with United Way and other nonprofits close to your heart, Facebook is a great way to network with friends and family, as well as your kids!

Help us win $2,500!
Join the United Way for Southeastern Michigan Cause now:
10,000 Strong for ASB Detroit 2009!