Resource Development

For staff leading resource development efforts at local United Ways, listed below are equity strategies and related approaches to advance your work in childhood and youth success, economic mobility and health. 
 

Childhood and Youth Success Strategies:

STRATEGY: Increase access to high-quality early childhood educational experiences for BIPOC children to support school readiness.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in training and professional development for early childhood educators across diverse settings (e.g., family/friend/neighbor care, childcare, PreK). Trainings on implicit bias and culturally competent curriculums. Community connectedness in the ability to define their own needs and tap into grant access. Invest in early literacy programs (0-5) that provide access to books in the home and family resources that support early language development. Provide resources to parents to help them navigate early childhood systems by building awareness in quality care and PreK (demand – ensure equitable access to informational resources.

STRATEGY: Engage families, youth, schools and community partners to ensure that BIPOC children have access to K-12 high-quality, high-performing schools.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Partner with schools, community-based organizations and other funders to invest in and lead initiatives that improve high school graduation rates for students of color (e.g., United Way of Orange County’s Destination Graduation, Communities in Schools, On Track Greenville, Los Angeles Regional Coalition for Linked Learning).

STRATEGY: Organize a system of school and community-based supports for BIPOC students as they progress through elementary, middle and high school.

 

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Partner with companies, civic leaders and non-profits to provide BIPOC high school students with internships, mentorships, summer jobs, and career fairs to increase career exposure and build work experience history. Partner and invest in comprehensive initiatives to remove documented barriers to student learning (e.g., community schools, early grade reading efforts). Invest in community-based afterschool, summer and other programs that: o support effective student transitions (e.g., elementary to middle to high school); o close prevalent gaps in opportunity and exposure between groups of students (e.g., access to STEAM); o provide timely academic supports that keep students on track, through tutoring, credit recovery, mentoring, and homework assistance; and o provide literacy supports to close gaps in reading proficiency, with particular emphasis during elementary school.

STRATEGY: Partner with K-12 (middle, high schools) and higher education systems to improve post-secondary access, persistence, and attainment for BIPOC students.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in and partner with companies, civic leaders and non-profits to provide BIPOC college students with apprenticeships, internships, mentorships, summer jobs, and career fairs to increase career exposure and build work experience history.

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame investments as opportunities to close access and opportunity gaps for BIPOC in key growth sectors. This can appeal to companies that are interested in ensuring that they have access to diverse workforce and are able to attract historically underrepresented groups. For example, Apple rolled out its own $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI), part of which is designed to focus on increasing equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities. This includes launching the Propel Center, a global innovation and learning hub for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), an Apple Developer Academy to support coding, entrepreneurship, and technological education for students in Detroit.

STRATEGY: Provide BIPOC high school and college students with timely supports and services to ensure college access, persistence and completion.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in efforts and/or leverage 211 to ensure effective high school and college transitions and address “summer melt” (text-to-mobile campaigns, onboarding/summer transition programs, financial aid, application and registration deadlines, etc.). Invest in targeted mentoring efforts and peer support networks to ensure BIPOC college students have access to ongoing social and emotional supports (e.g., POSSE). Invest in efforts at technical, community, and 4-year colleges that provide enhanced advising services for BIPOC college students including coursework, major selection, career counseling, and employment assistance that support transitioning to the workplace. Provide supports to help BIPOC students complete FAFSA applications, obtain Pell Grants and scholarships, access affordable student loans, and compare college financial aid packages. Engage corporate donors by framing investments in post-secondary completion efforts for BIPOC students as a way to increase workforce readiness and ensure a diverse talent pipeline.  For example, PepsiCo plans to institute a $25 million scholarship program for Black students in community colleges and students who are moving from two-year to four-year institutions.

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Economic Mobility Strategies:

STRATEGY: BIPOC students complete advanced degrees, certifications, and/or technical training programs to secure well-paying jobs in high-growth sectors.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in job training organizations with set goals of increasing BIPOC enrollment in training programs for high-growth, high-wage employment sectors. Provide job training organizations with supplemental funding supporting transportation, childcare and educational stipends (items not always included in WIOA-funded training programs). Invest in efforts to remove barriers to post-secondary degree completion for BIPOC students, including access to emergency stipends, childcare, transportation, and grants to cover gaps in financial aid.

STRATEGY: BIPOC youth and adults advance to good jobs and careers in high-growth, high-wage sectors.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in paid apprenticeship or internship programs that allow trainees to gain work experiences that improve chances at job placement and advancement. Fund training programs in high-growth, high-wage employment sectors, including programs designed for embedded workers. Create recognition opportunities for employers who meet equity standards.

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame potential corporate investments as opportunities to close access and opportunity gaps. This can appeal to companies that are interested in ensuring that they have access to diverse workforce and are able to attract historically underrepresented groups to fill leadership positions. For example, the NBA recently announced a 10-year, $300 million commitment for grants to foster economic growth and career readiness in Black communities.

STRATEGY: BIPOC have equitable opportunities to use quality and comparable financial products and services.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Fund peer lending programs to increase BIPOC access to micro credit. Facilitate partnerships between economic mobility programs and CDFIs and Credit Unions to increase access to affordable financial products. Engage donors and establish loan funds to increase accessibility and affordability of timely consumer and small business loans.

STRATEGY: BIPOC have safe, affordable housing.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Fund down payment assistance services aimed at closing the homeownership gap. Fund Individual Development Account (IDA) programs that facilitate homeownership. Fund and coordinate shared equity homeownership programs. Fund homeownership counseling and other programs that help potential BIPOC owners access equitable mortgage rates and home equity lines of credit. Fund nonprofit home appraisal services to correct for systemic under assessment in determining collateral/purchase value and over assessment when calculating property tax obligation.

STRATEGY: Facilitate BIPOC entrepreneurs access to capital, training, and opportunities for business development and expansion.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Fund technical assistance services for BIPOC entrepreneurs. Fund collaborations with Small Business Development Centers (SDBC’s) and Women’s Business Development Centers (WBDC’s), that provide advanced business assistance services, and Community Development Corporations (CDC’s) and Community Based Organizations (CBO’s), that have direct relationships with BIPOC entrepreneurs in disadvantaged communities. Fund training programs that help BIPOC business owners secure leadership opportunities with business improvement districts (BID’s), community planning groups and local boards and commissions.

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame corporate investments as an opportunity to diversify their own business supply lines, For example, PepsiCo recently announced a $438 million, five-year commitment with plans to increase its spending on Black-owned suppliers by $350 million over five years and invest $50 million in Black-owned businesses. Similarly, Apple is providing venture capital funding for Black and Brown entrepreneurs. Engage donors and establish loan funding to increase accessibility and affordability of consumer and small business loans at competitive rates.

Access to Health Strategies:

STRATEGY: Work with community partners and residents to strengthen and build healthy, supportive, resilient communities in areas with poor health outcomes, by addressing the social determinants of health.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in mapping health services in Community Schools, community centers and other social locations where people congregate, barber shops, beauty parlors, etc. Invest in mental health services and trauma informed approaches that build community and recognize community trauma is a result of structural racism, poverty, historical disinvestment, etc. Invest in efforts that engage communities in designing green spaces and play areas. Invest in programs that work to increase the availability and awareness of healthy foods in corner stores. Invest in initiatives that promote social connectedness, programs in schools that help students strengthen social skills, networks and connections. Invest in the availability and provisioning of healthy, culturally appropriate nutritious food and emergency feeding programs. Invest in readiness and emergency preparedness that address health pandemics and/or other emergency situations disproportionately impacting BIPOC communities (COVID-19).

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame corporate investments as an opportunity for partners to collaborate with and improve health outcomes in communities where their employees live, work, and play.  For instance, the Walmart Foundation provided resources to the American Heart Association to increase access to affordable and healthy food in communities of color.

STRATEGY: Improve access to and quality of prenatal and postpartum care to women of color, with particular emphasis on Black women.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Implement and expand group prenatal care models like Centering Pregnancy that provide mental health and social support to pregnant women. Support investments in telehealth services. Invest in substance abuse and tobacco cessation programs for pregnant women. Invest in nutrition education and connect pregnant mothers to healthy, fresh and affordable food resources.

STRATEGY: Decrease infant mortality rates in BIPOC communities by supporting prenatal care and access to social needs for mothers and raising awareness of healthy infant development.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in early childhood home visiting programs. Invest in initiatives that focus on healthy infant development, i.e. bonding, breastfeeding, and safe sleep.

STRATEGY: Promote public and/or private health insurance enrollment among BIPOC.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in culturally appropriate federal, state and local enrollment campaigns targeting uninsured and underinsured households. Utilize 211 for targeted health insurance enrollment efforts. Invest in and utilize 211 for targeted health insurance enrollment efforts in Medicaid and CHIP.

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame investments to increase access to health insurance, especially for healthcare companies and insurers, as a cost reduction strategy that will ultimately strengthen their business environments by improving access to services.

 

STRATEGY: Remove barriers to access public benefits and health resources.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches: Invest in care coordination networks between 211, health care, and social service providers that address the social needs of the patient, (i.e., transportation, food access, etc.) Fund programs that integrate benefit screenings and enrollment with emergency food provisions and other basic needs.

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame investments to increase access to benefits and social needs, especially for healthcare companies and insurers, as a cost reduction strategy that will ultimately strengthen their business environments by improving client access to services that improve health outcomes.

STRATEGY: Support and expand health services in under-resourced communities.

Image Resource Allocation and Grantmaking Approaches:   Utilize system navigators and community health workers to provide culturally sensitive assistance and care coordination to assist patients through available supports and resources. Increase the availability of culturally and linguistically competent mental and behavioral health services. Invest in health literacy interventions that incorporate patients’ culture, language, or literacy levels into understanding of care. Partner with state agencies and counseling services to connect people to virtual/telehealth mental health care using 211. Support school based health clinics to increase access to care for students. Invest in pediatric oral health initiatives that encourage healthy dental habits and increase access to care.

Image Fundraising Approaches: Frame investments to increase access to culturally appropriate healthcare, especially for healthcare companies and insurers, as a cost reduction strategy that will ultimately strengthen their business environments by improving client utilization of services that improve health outcomes.