Local Capacity Building

Generate and implement tools and analysis to uncover equity gaps. Some examples include:

Uplift and amplify community partners and businesses that are demonstrating their commitment to equity. Capture examples and best practices that are relevant to your local context and share with organizations that could use further guidance.

Build the capacity of grantees and partner organizations. Support them in creating equity action plans to address existing disparities in hiring, promotions, retention, operations, and programming. Directly provide or invest in training for grantee organizations’ leadership and staff.

Use partnerships and leverage brand and vision for a Modern United Way to advocate with partners for equity investments.
This could include influencing business developers or local decision-makers to fund markets or invest in policies that mitigate disparities and joining coalitions that are committed to moving the equity conversation forward toward action. Develop and disseminate tools to support local partners and businesses to better embody equity.

Demonstrate commitment by engaging high-level leadership to communicate and reinforce an organizational commitment to equity. Create and deliver the return on investment for equity work. Model how prioritizing equity has created new opportunities and moved forward United Way impacts and return on investment.