Model Community meets quarterly to increase knowledge and collaboration among members, explore emerging topics through workgroups, provide participatory learning opportunities, and gather feedback for evaluation. United Way for Greater Austin advances our mission — bringing our community together to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all — using four strategies. One of those is coalitions. United Way envisions a Central Texas where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. And 2024 marks an important milestone for us: 100 years serving the community! As we reflect on a century of change and a legacy of impact, our new strategic plan harnesses the power of a collaborative community for lasting change for our next 100 years. Our new strategic plan reflects the urgency of addressing economic disparity. We focus on increasing the availability of high-quality early care and education and equitable access to pivotal resources to dismantle economic barriers in Central Texas. Our united front includes dedicated staff, donors, civic and private partners, and an engaged community. Together, we leverage our strategies of data, coalitions, services and support, and advocacy to transform Central Texas, responding to urgent needs with impactful solutions. Inspired by leadership and energy in our community, our grassroots coalitions ignite collective impact with community members and nonprofit partners. These alliances are the heartbeat of our mission, amplifying our efforts to confront economic challenges with unity and strength. Here are some of our impactful coalitions: Success By 6 Coalition: Creates opportunities for infants, toddlers, and young children to receive high-quality […]
Read MoreOur New Strategic Framework: Advocacy and its profound community impact
United Way for Greater Austin advances our mission — bringing our community together to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all — using four strategies. One of those is advocacy. United Way envisions a Central Texas where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. And 2024 marks an important milestone for us: 100 years serving the community! As we reflect on a century of change and a legacy of impact, our new strategic plan lays a strong foundation for our next 100 years. Our new strategic plan galvanizes our promise to realize a future where every child is set up for success with high-quality early care and education – in a community where everyone is connected to the essential resources they need, when they need them. Through this plan, four key strategies emerged. One of them is advocacy. Together with our coalition partners, United Way coordinates efforts to influence public policy at the district, city, county, and state level. We leverage the voices of our community to drive lasting change that will lay the foundation for 100 more years of impact. One example of our advocacy culminated in a meaningful win for local child care centers in November 2023. The Austin/Travis County Success By 6 Coalition and Early Matters Greater Austin, both convened by United Way, worked in coordination with service providers and business leaders to advocate in support of Proposition (Prop) 2, a measure that would provide a property tax waiver for child care centers who serve a certain […]
Read MoreProven Program: Parenting Students Project
Parenting students work hard every day to pursue their goals, juggling caregiving, course work, and sometimes multiple jobs to build a better life for their families. Because of the obstacles they face, parenting students are nearly twice as likely to leave school for preventable reasons: lack of child care, conflicting course and work schedules, and even convenient transportation. Removing the barriers parenting students face helps them continue on education pathways to living wage employment, which changes their lives as well as their children’s lives. In fact, a $3,000 difference in parents’ income while a child is young leads to a 17% increase in that child’s future earnings. That’s why United Way for Greater Austin partners with Austin Community College to provide parenting students, ages 18-29, with incentives to accelerate their post-secondary education. Students in our program receive: $500 monthly stipend Peer networking/engagement Leadership and advocacy opportunities Academic counseling Child care scholarships Other wrap-around services “This program has been extremely helpful for my family and I. It allows me to focus all of my attention on nursing school and make sure I stay on track and graduate.” – Deja, program participant Our impact: From Fall 2021- Fall 2023 Supported families. The Parenting Students Project supported 76 students and 103 children. Academic success. 38% of students have earned a degree or certification as of the end of Spring 2023, with an additional 38% intending to continue in the program. Financial stability. The Parenting Students Project awarded each student an average of $2,038 […]
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