Community Investment Reviewer Training United Way of Greater New Haven March 2010

2 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers United Way’s Mission United Way of Greater New Haven brings together the caring power of people to create change in our region and to improve lives.

3 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers United Way Values Maximizing Community Impact Transparent, Deliberate, and Ethical Decision-Making Processes Volunteer Involvement and Leadership

4 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers United Way Agenda for Change Education IncomeHealth Basic Needs Community Leadership

5 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers 2010 RFP Process Education Success By 6 Income Economic Opportunity Housing

6 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Volunteer Involvement and Leadership The review process includes a wide range of volunteers representing the community. Review committees will make recommendations to the Community Impact Cabinet. They will look at the “big picture” across all of the investment areas and make a final recommendation to the UWGNH Board. The UWGNH Board will make the final decision regarding funding decisions.

7 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Applications A competitive RFP process open to: Incorporated 501(c)3 organizations or have contracted with a fiduciary Serve residents in our twelve-town service area Can demonstrate their program’s alignment with the UWGNH desired results and strategies in Success By 6 and Income and how people they serve will be better off No preference for current grantees

8 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Community Investment Process Roles Reviewers SB6 Community Invest Review Team (volunteers and staff) Income Community Investment Review Team (volunteers and staff) Tier 1 Tier 2 United Way Staff Facilitator

9 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Reviewer COI and Confidentiality All reviewers will complete a conflict of interest form to indicate organizations with which they have an affiliation or relationship that would pose a conflict of interest.  Reviewers will be assigned to an investment area in which they do not have a conflict. Reviewers agree to maintain the confidentiality of the applications, the group discussions, and the funding recommendations.

10 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers SB6 Reviewer Tasks Score approximately 6 applications Complete a scoring sheet for each application Schedule and conduct a site visit for 2 to 3 applications. Participate in the SB6 deliberation meeting  May 12, 12:00-4:00 p.m., Graustein Memorial Fund, Hamden

11 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Income Reviewer Tasks Tier 1 Reviewers: 1.Score approximately 6 applications 2. Complete a scoring sheet for each application –Based on the reviewers’ scores, applications that fall below a natural break in scoring will not advance in the review process.

12 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Income Review Process Tier Two Reviewers: 1.Score approximately 6 applications 2. Complete a scoring sheet for each application –Based on the reviewers’ scores, applications that fall below a natural break in scoring will not advance in the review process. 3. Schedule and conduct a site visit for 2 to 3 applications 4. Participate in the Income deliberation meeting –May 11, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Regional Water Authority, New Haven

13 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Reviewing the applications Read the assigned applications on eCImpact. You will be assigned up to 6 applications to score. All applications within your team will be available for you to review.  The eCFund User’s Manual will be provided We strive for consistent scoring  Provide scores based on the information you have at the time.  Use the guiding questions on the review form to help you analyze and score the information presented in the application.

14 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Group Deliberations Income and Success By 6 will meet separately to review the applications and make funding recommendations. Reviewers’ scores will form the basis for the initial discussion about the applications. Be prepared to answer questions/provide information during the meeting about the applications you scored. We’ll use alignment with United Way strategies and capacity to achieve results to make funding decisions. We anticipate having to make hard choices about how to use United Way funding to have the greatest impact in the community.

15 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Site Visits Teams of 2 reviewers conduct 2-3 site visits Reviewers coordinate with program staff Opportunity to build knowledge Focus on questions, concerns in application Update scoring form with feedback from visit Bring what you learn to the deliberations

16 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers New! Results Based Accountability All investments must have a plan for evaluating and communicating their impact  Formerly Used the Logic Model (inputs, activities, indicators, outcomes) Adopted Results Based Accountability (RBA) –Helps United Way assess program effectiveness and larger community change –Helps programs focus on measuring success and using data –Helps reviewers determine which applications are best designed to achieve change for clients

17 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers RBA In the Application Focus on programs making a difference in clients’ lives. –Desired results for Greater New Haven are identified by UW –Specific strategies to reach those results are identified by UW –Applicants select the result(s) and strategy(ies) their program supports –Applicants explain their theory of change for the people they serve –Applicants make the case that clients will be better off as a result of their program

18 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers RBA in the Application Applicants provide a compelling theory of change that drives the program 1.Describe how their clients are doing against the UW result 2.Identify the factors promoting and challenging success 3.Describe what they will do to positively impact their clients

19 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers RBA: Theory of Change SB6 Result: Children enter school developmentally ready to learn Indicator: % of children entering kindergarten with a pre-school experience % New Haven

20 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers RBA: Turn the Curve SB6 Result: Children enter school developmentally on track Indicator: % of New Haven children entering kindergarten with a pre-school experience % Theory of change to impact clients served

21 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers RBA In the Application Three types of Performance Measures: 1. How much = the quantity of services (output) 2. How well = the quality of services 3. Better off = client impact/outcomes

22 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers RBA In the Application Focus on programs that can demonstrate clients are better off Better off performance measures tell us how a program will know that they are making a difference for clients Better off means changes in: behaviors, attitudes/opinions, circumstance, knowledge, skills United Way invests in programs designed to create client impacts/outcomes

23 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers Reviewing and Scoring Applications 1.Application review 2. Score sheet review 3. Scoring simulation

24 Orientation for Community Investment Reviewers On behalf of UWGNH, thank you for taking on this important role of leadership and service to the community.