The
United Way of Bay County is leading a transformative approach to community support through its collective impact funding model, focusing on essential areas like education, health and income stability.
While this funding approach isn’t brand new to the United Way, it recognizes that service organizations are better together than operating on their own.
Earlier this month, the agency announced its funding partners.
The United Way makes a two-year commitment to its partner organizations, recognizing the expertise of each non-profit and connecting needs and services. This collective impact model unites local partners, allowing them to share resources and coordinate services to address critical needs more effectively.
“We recognize that everything is intertwined and we can’t/shouldn’t operate separately,” said Nicole Luczak, President of United Way of Bay County. “It’s (the funding model) is based on the idea that someone who’s hungry can’t focus on learning in a literacy program. We make the connections to provide food to alleviate the barriers to success.”
This approach is designed to tackle significant community challenges, such as improving school readiness, increasing access to mental health resources, and supporting families in achieving financial stability.
These align with United Way’s three pillars of focus: health, education, and financial stability for every person in the community.
“There’s greater impact in identifying an organization’s area of expertise and filling in the gaps with the expertise of other groups,” says Luczak. “This way each organization can focus on providing the services they’re expert in.”
The collective impact effort has helped change the perception of the United Way.
When Luczak started at United Way of Bay County in 2019, she says people saw them as a pass-through fundraising organization.
“People now see the wide scope of what we do,” says Luczak. “We’re not just a pass-through offering a band-aid. We’re having a greater impact long-term.”
In a county where approximately 35% of families are struggling to meet everyday needs, including 21% within the
ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold, and where a majority of young children lack access to preschool, the United Way's efforts are crucial.
By addressing these gaps, the organization aims to uplift the community, ensuring that more residents have the support they need to thrive.
In its most recent round of funding, the United Way is supporting 19 local organizations, funding 24 programs. The two-year funding cycle runs July 1 to June 30, from 2024 to 2026.
Selection of those receiving funding is based on a community assessment using data from local service groups, government entities, and information from the ALICE report. Recipients are thoroughly vetted and outcomes are closely measured to ensure donations are moving the needle in Bay County.
We spoke to a couple of the organizations receiving funding this year from the United Way’s $500,000 grants for services and programs about the significance of support and the importance of the critical impact funding model.
YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region – Women’s Economic Empowerment Program
Since its founding in 1891, the YWCA has been a lot of things to a lot of women.
YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region is dedicated to empowering women and families by offering programs and services that promote economic self-sufficiency.
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Graphic courtesy of the YWCA Great Lakes Bay RegionA key initiative in fulfilling this mission is the Women's Economic Empowerment Program (WEEP), which includes Pathways to Progress, Moving Ahead, Staying Ahead, and Young Women Choosing Action. Through WEEP, women can enhance their stability by engaging in targeted programming, receiving both short- and long-term support, and fostering connections within the community.
“We know women in our region are struggling with financial instability in our community,” says Moira Branigan, Executive Director of YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region. “Our support helps women move forward, focusing on what their new life looks like and creating a plan to get there.”
YWCA provides education and resources to assist women get ahead through WEEP. The six-week program includes courses aimed at arming participants with knowledge they can apply immediately in their lives to increase stability.
Classes include Pathways to Progress, Moving Ahead, Staying Ahead, and Young Women Choosing Action. Sessions are offered in-person, hybrid and online. WEEP reaches approximately 125 women regionally. In Bay County, 35 women participated last year.
“Getting ahead is like steps on a ladder,” says Branigan. “There are so many steps to getting ahead from where you are. We have a long-game view to improvement by focusing on empowerment.”
Post-program surveys in 2024 (for regional program) shows the significant impact of YWCA’s WEEP:
- 90% of graduates improved in levels of hope on the adult hope scale, including in goal-directed energy and planning to accomplish goals
- 74% of graduates reported increased confidence in financial decision making
- 78% reported increased access to or awareness of resources
- 81% reported an increased positive outlook
- 78% reported an increase in knowledge of credit basics, including reviewing, understanding, and improving credit and credit score
- 74% reported that they re-evaluated or changed their financial goals after completing this class
Learning about loans was a significant takeaway for a recent WEEP participant.
"I have never really understood about loans and now feel confident to go get a loan on my own and understand the basics of the different types,” said Ashley, WEEP graduate.
“Budgeting is important. It gives you a view of what you have to work on to be financially secure in your future and live your life without financial stress about how you will pay your bills or even how you will be able to eat day to day."
United Way funds a portion of WEEP, helping sustain the program and build in more layers of support for women to develop skills they’re lacking. Branigan says the collective impact model has been a positive change.
“It’s a collaborative opportunity,” says Branigan. “It’s not just about what we’re doing but about how we can share among nonprofits working together to better achieve our collective goals.”
Women interested in the Women's Economic Empowerment Program (WEEP) can reach out to YWCA at
989-894-9055 or
info@ywcaglbr.org. Placement in the program is ongoing.
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Photo courtesy of The Rock Center for Youth DevelopmentKids enrolled in programs at The Rock Center for Youth Development learn life skills.The Rock Center for Youth Development – Discover You Program
The Rock Center for Youth Development has been reaching junior high and high school kids in Bay County since the grassroots organization started in 2001.
Through its after-school program, offering sixth-12th graders a safe place to gather, The Rock identified specific needs and gaps in services for these kids. Discover You was designed to fill in these gaps, teaching skills to help develop a growth mindset to navigate life challenges.
While first implemented in the after-school program, Discover You has expanded its reach. This fall, the program will be delivered in 40 classes at junior high and high schools throughout the area.
“There’s a lot of information out there identifying what kids need but not a lot on how to address the needs and how to develop the life skills necessary,” says Beverlee Wenzel, president and CEO of The Rock Center for Youth Development. “We’ve created content focused on a growth mindset, helping kids to look toward the future. And Discover You teaches them how to get there.”
The program covers effective communication, developing trust in relationships, integrity and gratitude, among other essential life skills. This type of content falls through the cracks in learning and development.
“We explicitly address these areas, helping kids learn how to ‘struggle well’ through challenges,” says Sarah Weisbarth, director of the Discover You Program. “It provides other methods to manage anxiety. Instead of turning to vaping, kids have other tools to turn to when things get stressful.”
The series of workshops is tailored to meet the needs of students at different stages of their educational journey. These workshops build critical skills such as resilience, independence, and the ability to bounce back from failures.
Discover You aims to equip students with the tools to navigate their personal and academic lives, making positive choices that lead to success.
For younger students in grades six to eight, the program provides opportunities to develop higher-level thinking and build personal and social skills.
As students progressed to grades nine through 12, Discover You focuses on self-management, personal strengths, and a deeper understanding of relationships.
Those in the early stages of post-secondary education are supported in developing specific skills that help in completing their education successfully.
Discover You’s impact is significant and far-reaching. In one year alone, the program engaged more than 2,600 students across 25 schools in Michigan, offering more than 650 hours of transformative content.
Students reported improvements in self-control, confidence, communication skills, and overall positive outlook on life. Teachers observed enhanced student behavior, increased academic performance, and more positive peer interactions.
The program’s reach extends beyond just students. Discover You also offers specialized training and workshops for educators and youth-serving professionals, ensuring that those who work closely with young people are equipped with the skills and knowledge to foster growth and resilience in their students.
This dual approach of supporting both students and adults has led to the creation of supportive team cultures in schools and organizations across Michigan, helping to revitalize at-risk youth and improve overall academic outcomes.
“We’re planting seeds in people who are passionate about positively impacting kids,” says Weisbarth. “The adults that go through the training find the content transformative. They tell us they feel personally helped by learning it, too.”
Discover You is built on evidence-informed methodologies, integrating elements of applied positive psychology, developmental assets, and social and emotional learning into every aspect of its programming. These approaches are proven to help youth thrive and develop the resilience needed to face life’s challenges effectively.
The program’s influence has been influential in the Great Lakes Bay Region and throughout the state and country. The reach continues to grow. Every adult trained has the capacity to reach more than 100 kids. More than 400 educators have participated in Discover You training so far this year.
United Way’s collective impact funding aligns well with Discover You. The program depends on partnerships with other organizations.
“We operate on a shared approach to moving the needle,” says Weisbarth. “The entire program is done through partnerships, capitalizing on each organization’s resources.”
The other agencies receiving 2024-26 funding include:
- Hidden Harvest
- Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region
- Catholic Family Service of the Diocese of Saginaw
- CAN Council of the Great Lakes Bay Region
- Literacy Council of Bay County
- The LEgacy Center for Success
- Do-All Inc.
- Studio 23/The Arts Center
- Rescue Mission of MidMichigan/Good Samaritan
- Bay County Child and Senior Citizens Inc.
- Dow Bay Area Family Y
- Habitat for Humanity
- Boys & Girls Clubs
- 211 NE Michigan
- Bay Area Women's Center
- New Dimensions