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Live United by Erin Haag

This week, community members gathered around the table. We ate dinner, learned about each other, and listened to presentations given by area nonprofits applying for the Community Impact Grants. Some of the community members have served on our Community Investment Committee before. For others, it was a new experience. I walked into these presentations with my own questions and concerns about the programs. I walk a fine line during these presentations, working to support the nonprofit to be successful, but ensuring that I’m not inadvertently introducing bias to the committee. I’ll assist by asking clarifying questions that I know the answer to, but realize that the committee might not understand what is being described. Other times, my questions are designed to jumpstart the committee to asking their own questions.

The format is one that’s developed over the past few years and seems to work well. We allow 15-minute presentations — but to be honest we’re a little flexible. We aim to give enough time for questions to be answered, and find an organic wrap-up point. Then the group discusses initial impressions. A notetaker will capture relevant points. We’ve found that by doing this, memories are fresh, and it’s less likely that we mix up who said what. There’s no more than four presentations in an evening. We then discuss everything at the end again, highlighting areas of concern, questions we have and developing next steps. We call them panel presentations, but it’s not nearly as stuffy or formal as it sounds. I do my best to explain what to expect, to help presenters feel more at ease. They can bring PowerPoints and handouts or props if they want, but we encourage them not to re-cap their entire grant presentation. Instead, we’re looking for a conversation.

This year, I feel like we really captured the spirit of what these evenings are supposed to be about. I saw more active participation from committee members than I’ve seen before, and they were asking thoughtful questions that showcased each application’s strengths and weaknesses. But beyond that, committee members shared with the presenters ideas for their programs, gave feedback about their own personal experiences with the programs and more.

One presenter mentioned a challenge in finding the right product. A committee member shared what they use at her company and offered to email over the information. Another complimented a children’s program, remarking on the improvements made in the last year that she’d noticed as her grandchildren are program participants. Twice, a committee member offered their own professional expertise in helping the committee understand some context around the presentation. Another committee member talked about the broad impact a program had in our community. To see that executive director’s face light up, to see them say, “yes!” was fantastic to see. I truly believe that this interactive process enabled applicants to feel supported and appreciated for the work they’re doing. After all, funding decisions do not reflect the value of the program to our community. There are many factors that go into funding decisions. There’s not a single program that applied for funding that doesn’t bring value to our community.

Beyond the time spent with the applicants themselves, it was also about the discussions that happened after the presenters left. Again, committee members shared their professional expertise and their personal experiences. There were discussions about equity, and when the math wasn’t mathing, a committee member walked through the inconsistencies between a written answer and the budget. There were conversations about the patterns we saw from one application to the next, highlighting some areas where nonprofits might need support and discussions about how United Way could potentially provide that support in the future. An experienced grant writer shared that she enjoyed the success stories requested in each application, as those showcased the heart and soul of what the programs are about.

Next week, we’ll meet for our final presentation and the wrap-up discussions. We’re not going to be able to fully fund everyone this year. I know some committee members felt discouraged by that, wondering how they could decide where the funding should go. I remind them that while it’s great to fund everyone, it’s also not a bad thing to foster a competitive grant cycle. We don’t want nonprofits to work so hard that there’s not enough of a return on investment, but we also want to hold them accountable, hold them to a higher standard. A returning committee member and I both agreed that we saw improvement from an application from the last time.

After the wrap-up meeting, the recommendations will be going before the board of directors. Once that happens, things will move fairly quickly. With rare exceptions, the grant is a reimbursement grant, and depending on how the grant was written, it should be a matter of submitting invoices. More than one program has their invoices ready to go. In many cases, the invoice is also the grant report, reporting out on the numbers that they outlined in their grant application.

It’s not perfect. Some organizations don’t do well with the reimbursement grant format, saying that they need to know if they got the award before they can spend the money, and the timing of our grant didn’t line up with their own fiscal year or budget cycle. I understand that, and it’s not for everyone. For others, it’s a fantastic thing, because it allows them to submit for unexpected expenses, and brings in a little cash flow during the tightest part of the year. Like anything, you can’t make everyone happy. I know that sometimes board of directors and executive directors can get annoyed, and feel like we’re asking too much of them. Much of our grant is designed to support and develop their grant writing skills.

All in all, I’m very happy with how the committee executed their duty. I’m looking forward to next week’s final meeting, to hear what they have to say after they’ve had a few days to think more about it and review notes. There were three separate groups, and they’re all coming together, so I’m interested to hear what they have to say to each other. This is the fun part of my job, the fascinating and invigorating part — the exchange of ideas and communication, united in a common goal. After the last meeting, a board member told me that she likes how my brain works. Stay tuned for the results in a few weeks. In the meantime, if you’d like to invest in the Community Impact Fund, donate at unitedwayfc.org or by mailing your contribution to PO Box 686, Albert Lea, MN 56007.

Erin Haag is the executive director of the United Way of Freeborn County.