1. Community Conversation May 23, 2013 United Way Southern Institute

2. Community Conversation May 23, 2013 2 Agenda Why do a Community Conversation? Pre-conversation work United Way of Blount County 2008 Community Conversation Case Study Let’s Talk

3. Community Conversation May 23, 2013 3 Why Bother? Partner Education External Perspective Community Buy-in NOT Solutions Strategic Plan

4. Community Conversation May 23, 2013 4 Setting the Stage Planning Group – Board, Staff and Community Loose idea of vision and benchmarks Board Ownership The right people at the table

5. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 5 Agenda from 2008 UWBC Community Conversation Welcome What are Community Benchmarks? Why do we need Community Benchmarks? How so we establish Community Benchmarks? Where do we go once we have Community Benchmarks? Sub-Group Work Establish the Indicator Identify the needed data Schedule next work session

6. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 6 What are Community Benchmarks? Definition: A specific, measurable outcome that indicates how a community has changed or desires to change over a period of time. Benchmarks Are: Benchmarks Are NOT: Outcomes Trackable now Non-population specific Realistic yet challenging Pie-in-the-sky thinking Focused on one demographic Numbers served For the future

7. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 7 Why do we need Community Benchmarks? Collaboration: Blount County has many resources already working toward these benchmarks. Communication: A concrete goal can be communicated more easily to the public. Accountability: We need to be able to report both our successes and challenges.

8. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 8 How do we establish Community Benchmarks? 1 st Step Determine the indicator for the benchmark Identify data sources for measuring the indicator 2 nd Step Establish a history for the indicator Create challenging yet attainable 5-year goal 3 rd Step Identify sub-categories for each benchmark Prioritize sub-categories by community need

9. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 9 Where do we go once we have Community Benchmarks? Announce Measure Report Measure Report What will United Way of Blount County do with these Community Benchmarks? The indicators and priorities determined by you, the experts of the community, will be used by United Way volunteers to focus funding on the community programs that make the greatest impact.

10. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 10 United Way of Blount County – Focus Areas and Benchmarks Education: Helping People Achieve Their Potential Creating the opportunities for a good life for all by focusing on: Self-Sufficiency: Promoting Financial Stability and Independence Health: Increasing Access to Services for All School readiness Academic achievement Productive & engaged adults Achieving greater financial stability Increasing income Financial assets for long-term stability Emergency services Access to health care Populations with special needs served

11. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 11 Health: Tentative Benchmarks HEALTH: Increasing Access to Services for All 1. Safety-net services: Blount County residents are able to access immediate safety-net services. Indicator: % of increase in use of 2-1-1 for Safety-Net services. 2. Basic health care coverage and prevention: All residents receive timely, regular, preventative health care. Indicator A: % of people who do not have health care insurance or are underinsured. Indicator B: % of uninsured/underinsured who are receiving health care services. 3. Services for at-risk populations: Individuals with special needs have access to education and/or social opportunities. Indicator: % of individuals with special needs receiving educational/social services.

12. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 12 Education: Tentative Benchmarks EDUCATION: Helping People Achieve Their Potential 1. Readiness to succeed in school: Children enter school developmentally on track in the areas of literacy and social, emotional, and intellectual skills. Indicator: % of kindergartners with school-readiness skills as indicated by current testing. 2. Academic achievement: Young people graduate from high school. Indicator: % of public high school students graduation rate (NCLB). 3. Productive and engaged adults: Adults have the skills necessary to be in the workforce. Indicator: % of unemployment rate.

13. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 13 Self-Sufficiency: Tentative Benchmarks Self-Sufficiency: Promoting Financial Stability 3. Gaining and sustaining assets: Lower-income working families build appreciating assets. 2. Increasing income: Working families increase their income. 1. Achieving greater financial stability: Lower-income working families move towards financial independence. Indicator: % of lower-income working families who spend more than 40% of their income on housing. Indicator: % of working families who are lower-income as defined by federal government standards. Indicator: % of homeownership for lower-income working families.

14. Community Conversation September 16, 2008 14 Let’s Talk Moving to Community Impact Positive Outcomes Barriers to Move Partners to Explore Next Step Biggest Impact Hardest to Do Most Affordable Easiest to Do

15. Focus Group – Self-Sufficiency September 16, 2008 15 Michelle Hankes michellehankes@gmail.com THANK YOU!