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Nonprofit linked to for-profits’ efficiency
Fort Collins Coloradoan
July 19, 2003
Columns
At United Way, we have a great interest in for-profit businesses.
This may sound strange, considering that we’re a non-profit charity primarily concerned with raising and distributing funds to the social service needs of our community. But the economic viability of our community is as important to us as it is to the Chamber of Commerce. If businesses are successful, this translates to more jobs and wages for people, a greater tax base for the city and the money to provide a charitable infrastructure for those who need help.
"From my perspective, the stronger the local economy, the more resources available in the community to help in other aspects, especially social services," said David May, the Executive Director of Fort Collins’ Chamber of Commerce. "People with disposable income are more inclined to help others in need."
One of the things we focus on at United Way is assisting people with needs such as job training, self-sufficiency or childcare. But this is useless if there are no jobs open. Another focus is approaching businesses to ask them for donations that we can channel to health and human services, from care for the elderly to resources for disabled people and everything in between.
Consequently, we have partnered up with the Chamber of Commerce to identify ways we can synergistically improve the local economic environment. The Chamber is a membership organization dedicated to creating a climate in which businesses can succeed by improving the economic well-being and quality of life in Fort Collins. It has a number of roles including political advocacy, economic development, small business assistance, community betterment (through leadership training), membership networking opportunities and general business communication.
Well being and quality of life go hand in hand, and May acknowledges that as the Chamber focuses on the former and United Way on the latter, a union is mutually beneficial.
"We’re working together in a way that allows us to recognize the strengths and missions of the two different organizations," he said.
There are several ways we’re joining forces. We’ve linked the Chamber website with the Compass project, a web-based information resource highlighting a wide variety of data on important social issues in Larimer County. This linkage allows new businesses to better understand the state of our community. Amongst other things, we’ve worked together on finances, image, support for United Way campaigns and getting non-profit agencies involved in leadership training and networking.
"We have a working relationship with United Way," May said, "because United Way provides a great vehicle to direct resources to organizations that assist people with genuine needs. It’s done with oversight, assurance of the funds being used properly and directed to where they’re needed most."
A symbiotic partnership with the Chamber of Commerce is an essential ingredient in making this community the kind of place where we all want to live and thrive. For more information on the Chamber, visit www.fortcollinschamber.com or call (970) 482-3746. For more information on United Way, check out the new website at www.uwaylc.org.
- By Meg Brown a.k.a.: Sophie Waghorn
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