Public Relations Proposal

Terrell Childs

PRPA 650

June 16, 2020

 Public Relations Proposal

PART 1: Section A

Client Organization Overview

United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) is an organization that was
established in 1974 in Washington, DC meant to give hope, improve lives, and care for the

vulnerable people in the society. As a non-profit organization, it mainly focused on critical

aspects like human health, education, food care, homelessness, and financial stability. Apart from

Washington, DC, the organization targets other jurisdictions and counties of; District Columbia,

Virginia, Maryland, and Montenegro (Brilliant, 1990). Therefore United Way NCA partners with

overt 500 non-profit entities to bring positive social change through corporate responsibility in

the national capital area. 

The organization has played a critical role in increasing corporates social responsibility.

Today many of the Americans working in a large organization feel that their organizations should

play a role in addressing the various issues in society. United Way NCA continues to play a

critical role in helping people meet their basic needs of good health, financial stability, and low-

income families' access to quality education (Paarlberg et al., 2017). Through it’s voluntary and

fundraising partnership with other organizations, the organization has greatly changed people's

lives. Many of the big employer's organizations pay their corporate social responsibility through

the channeling of the contributions to the United Way NCA. 

For us to compressively understand United Way NCA, it's important to review the

organization's missions and vision. The mission statement of the organization indicates that the

organization aims to improve the lives of the underserved civilians within the national capital

area. At the same time, it focuses on community resources to create a long-lasting impact on
society. The long term vision of the organization is to be acknowledged for creating of charitable

impact within and outside the national capital. In the organization's vision, the organization

visions to uphold the principles of accountability, integrity, and honesty (Curtis et al., 2010).

These principles are key to ensuring good public relations with partner organizations and

volunteers in improving the lives of people living in the nation's capital.

Public relations issue at United Way NCA

A good public image is always key to maintaining a good partnership between an

organization and its stakeholders. The reputation of organizations' public relations shapes the
images of the organizations. United Way NCA is a charity organization that aims to improve the

lives of vulnerable people in the nation's capital and counties in nearby jurisdictions like

Maryland and Virginia states. To fund its charity programs, the organization's partners with the

largest employees and other volunteers, which makes its public relations critical for the

organization programs and campaigns (Broom et al., 2009). However, in recent years the

organization has experienced numerous public relations issues affecting its relationships with

different partner organizations. Many people started to question the actual amount that goes to

charity despite the lump sum amounts donated by a different partner, in which many of the

organization broke up their corporate responsibility deals. 

Small et al. (2013) published a Washington Post article, "United Way of the National

Capital Area gambles on new giving models,” that addressed the struggles United Way of the

National Capital Area in creating new giving moved since it the organization's scandal.

According to the news article, the organization has not been able to erase the scandal images

from the mind the community members after the 2001 scandal, over 21 non-profit partners

dropped their partnership with United Way of the National Capital Area. Also, many donors

began to hesitate in sending their contributions. Why fund a fraudster charity? This was one of

the main questions asked by the community and the donor corporations. After 2002, the

organization began becoming more focused on strategizing and tightening the criteria of other

non-profit organizations partnering with them. The giving habits of the community have
gradually continued to change and the online philanthropy platforms increasing significantly.

The client company durably believes that organizing campaigns of corporate’s social

responsibility is the best model.

In 2002, former CEO of United Way NCA, Mr. Oral Suer, was charged for defrauding the

organization over $1.5 million and later pleaded guilty of the crimes. Also, other officials were

charged with defrauding the organization hundreds of thousands of dollars during their serving

period. The accounts audit reports also revealed questionable expenditures and inflated

expenditures different on programs carried by the organization. The occurrence of fraudulent

activity in the organization also happened in 2018, where the I.T. vice presidents are alleged to

have stolen over $6 million using wired fraud. The presence of fraud claims has increased the

tension between the donors and the organization (Connolly et al., 2017). Non-profit

organizations play a wide-reaching role in serving the community. Today, United Way NCA

continues to struggle to clean its marred legacy and win public trust again. The organization

should work on good public relations and gaining public trust that the donations are used for the

intended purpose. Since becoming the CEO of United Way NCA, Rosie Allen-Herring has been

preoccupied with creating a new identity for the charity organization. That would increase the

donations made. 

Issues Impact or Organizations Mission

United Way NCA’s mission states, "United Way improves lives of underserved

individuals in the national capital area by focusing community resources on creating a

measurable and lasting impact." As a non-profit organization, it is responsible for asking for

charity funding from people and organizations, identifying deserving groups in the community,

and supporting them. In 2001, United Way NCA received a donation of up to $90 million, while

in 2002, they received an $11 donations. This gap indicates the influence of poor public relations

on the ability of the organization to achieve its mission. Although non-profit organizations have
little incentive to protect their reputation, loss of trust by the donor greatly impacts their ability to

fund their programs. Poor internal systems of the organizations can expensively cost the

organization's ability to supports its programs due to lack of enough donations (Candid, 2004).

United Way NCA should greatly focus on the importance of a good reputation towards achieving

their missions. As evidenced in their previous scandals, a bad reputation can greatly be

devastating. The issues relevant to the organization include promoting of financial stability of the

nation's capital communities, ensuring good health, and access to educations. Lack of enough

supports from the stakeholders will limit the charity organization's ability to combat these
issues. 

The series of embezzlement activities makes the donor reluctant to donate to charity and

many people to volunteers in the organization's programs. After the scandal, many of the non-

profit affiliate partners concealed their partnerships with the organizations. Broken partnerships

pose a great threat to achieving the mission of the organizations.

Stakeholders

The stakeholders play a critical role in the success and failure of any profit organization.

United Way NCA stakeholders include the beneficiaries, corporate donors, partner non-profit

organizations, local community, management, and involved government entities. According to

United Way NCA, its partners offer more than just money in addressing the complex challenges

facing society. They offer ideas and in-kind support that is crucial to achieving the organization's

goals. Some of the partner's corporates include Starbucks, Nest, National Football League,

Chicago bears, et al. The issues of fraud significantly impact the attitude of the stakeholder's

towards the organizations. 

One of the greatest hits on United Way NCA after the 2002 fraud case was the loss of

some partner's organization and reduced funding to the non-profit entity. Embezzlement schemes

saw most corporates partners lose their faith in the organization in delivering the charity
donations. The perception of the stakeholders in a non-profit organization is established on the

bases of trust and accountability. The organizations continue to experience donor decline as

influenced by stakeholder willingness and economic situations. According to the recent statistics,

the donor percentages have increasingly gone low across America. Since the 2002 scandal, the

management of United Way NCA has been tasked to retain the highest levels of integrity and

setting of new standards that must be met by the non-profits organization that wishes to partner

with the organizations. The stakeholders also demand higher levels of transparency from the

organization. 
Statement of the Problem

United Way NCA wants to reach out as many people as possible, offering charity on

issues on education, financial stability, and improvement of the overall health of the community.

When a large non-profit organization is linked to a history of inappropriate spending and

mismanagement of charity money, it poses a great threat to the future public relations of the

organizations. Despite the installation of a new management system, one of the hardest tasks is

regaining of stakeholder trust and commitment to fund and take parts in the organization's

programs. Although today, United Way NCA helps over 2 million people in the nation's capital

society, it struggles to help many deserving people in the community due to insufficient funds.

The organizations have been launching different campaigns to increase the numbers of partners,

donors, and volunteers. The issue of organizations' embezzlement schemes limits the ability of

the organization by providing help to more than 238,542 people who are impacted by issues of

financial stability, access to education, and good health (Connolly et al., 2017). The stained

legacy limits the organization's ability to have more donations inputs that would enable the

organization to reach out to more people. The brand image held by the public amount a charity

organization important for charity organizations. The public relations proposal should focus on

the improvement of the organization's public image. 

Section B

Analysis of media coverage

 After google searching, there is an article published that discusses the issues of fraudulent

activities within non-profit organizations. The issue of fraud and how it affects the delivery of

charity care is extensively discussed on various news articles and blogs. The issue of the United

Way NCA scandal has been covered by Washington Post media, which is trusted as among the

most credible news sources in Washington, DC. Its articles named "United Way leader's fraud

scandal marred charitable legacy" was published in 2007 and had a significant influence on the

reputation of the organizations as a charity organization. The article reviews the fraud history

that has surrounded leaders of United Way NCA since the 1970s. William Aramony was the
leader of the organization from 1970 to 1992. He was jailed on 23 charges of felony, false tax

returns, conspiracy, and fraud. The leadership of a charity is critical in ensuring its future success

and achieving its mission. The article not only implicates the historical lack of accountability and

transparency, but also changes the perception of the community towards the organization. The

leadership foundation created by non-profits is critical in achieving long term's success. Lack of

incentives like profits business entities makes them vulnerable to mismanagement and lack of

accountability and little concern from the stakeholders. The current regulations play a critacal

role in helping the non-profit entities in maintaining their good reputations. 

United Way of America CEO in 2011, Brian Gallagher, participated in World Economic

charitable contributors Forum in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the increasingly competitive and

changing environment for the operations of charity organizations. Transparency is one of the

important concerns within the organization. Since 2000, the issues of corporate responsibility

and accountability are among the most consistent. Therefore since 2001, Brian Gallagher was

struggling to restrain the organization's legacy of supporting various programs in the society. The

organizations embraced new guidelines that would enhance the accountability of the

organization.

The non-profit time's article (2019), "Indictment In $6.7 Million IT Fraud at Charity," is

one of the latest trending articles published addressing the transparency in non-profits

organizations. This published revolved around the recent allegations where the former ICT vice-
president is accused of defrauding the organization more than $6.7 million. Such allegations not

only affect the public willingness to take part in ion the charity programs made by the

organization but also may affect the relationship between the donor and the organization. Among

the recent trends, it's corporates dropping the funding for big charity organizations. This is due to

cases of embezzlement within those organizations and philosophical differences.

Gallagher (2018) discussed the new approached that have been implemented by the client

organization to enable it to raise enough charity money to supports its progress. In most cases,

fundraising activities are vulnerable, too, experiencing accountability issues. Despite the
accountability concerns, the organizations are responsible for raising enough by asking from the

donor. The different corporates responsibility programs that have been insisted are meant to

encourage more organizations to take part in corporates social responsibilities. Creating a direct

relationship with its donors has increased the trust levels.

According to Iuchs (2018), public relations are the hearts of the abilities of charity

organizations' progress. Good open relationship allows the organizations to cut through and

attract many donors as possible. Creating trust between the charity organizations and the donor

attracts more donations and volunteers. Therefore, maintaining clean public relations is key to

the organization's success. Creating possible public images can be achieved through the accurate

performance of the organizations. The success of the organizations to be able to attract more

companies to take part in the company's social responsibility, the company must have a good

reputation. The positive relationship between the donor and charity organization encourages

them to be more focused on their social responsibility

Small et al. (2013) published a Washington Post article, "United Way of the National

Capital Area gambles on new giving models," that addressed the struggles United Way of the

National Capital Area in creating new giving moved since it the organization's scandal.

According to the news article, the organization has not been able to erase the scandal images

from the mind the community members after the 2001 scandal and over 21 non-profit partners
dropped their partnership with United Way of the National Capital Area. Also, many donors

began to hesitate to send their contributions. Why fund a fraudster charity? This was one of the

main questions asked by the community and the donor corporations. After 2002, the organization

began becoming more focused on strategizing and tightening the criteria of other non-profit

organizations partnering with them. The giving habits of the community have gradually

continued to changes, and the online philanthropy platforms increasing significantly. The client

company durably believes that organizing campaigns of corporates social responsibility is the

best model.

Part 2:

Primary qualitative data.

In order to provide enough qualitative data, we used interview approaches from the different

stakeholders of the non-profits organization. The primary data collected targeted to evaluate the

existing impact of the use of embezzlement reputation on the success of the organization in

achieving the organization's mission and vision. The primary data collection approach upheld the

required ethics and interviewee privacy is greatly upheld towards the achievement of the

organizational goals. The target interview members included an official from a corporate

organization that makes its donation through United Way NCA, the beneficiary of United Way,

and a society member who takes part in the donations. The interview templates use differed from

one group to another. Here is a summary of an interview with the key stakeholders in the

organizations.

The first interview involved communication with volunteers who takes part in charity

fundraising by a large organization. The interviewee works for a big organization in the nation's

capital and feels that his organizations have the responsibility of giving back to society.

However, the doubts if all the money donated to the charity serves his community and the

intended purpose. Despite the willingness of many people to charity organizations, they still feel

that big organizations take advantage of their status. The scandal news that has sounded big
corporations discourages people from donating to charity. However, several reviews have been

done by people who take part in charity fundraising.

However, the interviewee explained why he is reluctant to take part in big cooperation

fundraising. One of the posed questions was the lack of transparency in big charity cooperation

and fraud allegations. The history of an organization greatly affects the willingness of the

community to take part in the organization's charity fundraiser. When asked about why he

stopped contributing to a charity fundraiser, he said that he feels that most of the money to the

charity helps the undeserving people and part of the money embezzled by the organizations.
However, he feels that there is increased transparency in the performance of United Way NCA to

demonstrate transparency. However, he is not assured that all the resources are accurately spent

by the organizations.

2nd interview

The second interview involved an official from one of the corporates organizations that

makes their donations through United Way NCA. These interviews aimed to identify the criteria

that are used by cooperates organization in choosing a charity organization to channel their

contributions. The interview has extensive experience in the management of profit entities and is

currently working in management at one of the corporates that partners with United Way NCA.

This interview will provide insight on how associations of a charity organization with

embezzlement schemes may affect the success of the organization.

Many corporate organizations acknowledge the importance of social responsibility and

how it contributes to their public relations. However, to preserves their accountability and

integrity, they focus on partners with charity organizations that have good public relations and

that can help in promoting the company brand images. When choosing a charity company to

partner with, corporate organizations chose their partners based on the levels of transparency and

ones that promote the same philosophy as ther organizations. Profits based organizations

acknowledge the impacts of public relations on the success of the organizations. Many profit

organizations aim to contribute to their social responsibility through partnering with the
organizations. These partnerships are key to reflecting on the companies philosophies.

After the 2001 United Way NCA scandal, most of the organizations dropped their

partnerships with United Way NCA. Today, United Way NCA has over 700 partner corporations

that make their donations through the organization. The interviewee feels that the organization

has regained its trustworthy status since the appointment of Rosie Allen-Herring as the new CEO

of the non-profits entity. However, a profit entity that provides donations to the organization is

eligible for demanding transparency from the organization.

Interview 3
For us to understand the issues of public relations between United Way NCA caused by

its history of involving embezzlement activities, it is important to collect primary data that is

presented by the beneficiaries of the organization's program. The organizations target the

vulnerable populations in the society that compromise of the poor populations. The organization

believes in communities joining hands together and solving many challenges that face the

community. This interview was meant to ascertain the attitude of United Way NCA beneficiaries

towards the organization's fraud history. The interviewee of this interview is a nation's capital

resident who has been homeless in the last six years due to the inability to afford a home.

Many beneficiaries of the United Way NCA charity acknowledged the influence of the

organization in transforming society. However, the interviewee believed that the organization

was unable to reach as many deserving people, and only a few lucky people manage to get help.

The beneficiary also cited the commitment of the organization to creating an equitable

community. Despite the struggles of United Way NCA to cleanse its embezzlement schemes,

most beneficiaries still believe in the commitments of the organization in delivering charity to

the nation's capital community.

From the qualitative data collected through the interviews, it is evident that non-profit

organizations rely on good public relations on delivering charity services to the community.

Maintaining good public image, non-profit organizations should focus on accountability and

transparency. The marketing of non-profits organizations relies on reputations and the

philosophies that they promote in society. The reputation of organizations is the key to the

success of non-profit entities.

United Way NCA Public Relations Strategy

Terrell Childs

PRPA 650

UMGC

June 30, 2020

United Way NCA Public Relations Strategy

The United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA) plays a critical role in

Washington, DC through the care of vulnerable people in the society and improvement of lives.

The main focus of the organization is to promote fundamental human dignity through the

provision of food care, education financial stability and human health (Paarlberg& Moulick

2017). This is mainly achieved through corporate social responsibility to ensure the less fortunate

receive much-needed help. As indicated by United way NCA's vision and mission, the
organization seeks to improve the lives of the less fortunate in the capital while upholding core

principles of integrity, honesty and accountability (Smedley, 2014). The organization seeks to

partner with various stakeholders in achieving its vision and mission in Washington, DC. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has had disastrous consequences in the American Society. With

the current remedy being sanitization and social distancing, it prompted the closure of many

businesses majorly in the hotelier industry. This has led to significant losses of jobs, closure of

education facilities including higher education institutions and more people operating from

home. It has resulted in the downfall of the economy initiating a recession that will ultimately
affect a whole generation. With the poverty level aimed to reach 30% due to the pandemic, an

estimated 15.4% of the population would slip into poverty. This has made it difficult for people

to obtain basic needs and access to medical facilities. The government has stepped in through the

release of economic stimuli packages which are meant to shield businesses from the adverse

effects of the pandemic. Despite these strategic steps, the economy is still experiencing

challenges as the workforce stays home in fear of the Coronavirus (Curtis et al., 2010). This is

where the United Way of the National Capital Area steps in to address the immediate problems

that the government cannot reach.  

Target Audience

The most essential part of this public relations strategy is to reach the United Way NCA

target audience effectively. The prioritized audience seeks to support the organization in

achieving the goals and include the following:

Donors

These are the primary targets as without their input, there would be a total failure of the

organization's mission and vision. It is imperative that the organization targets these audiences

for the achievements of its goals. 

Corporate Donors   

These are the principal donors for the organization to further their agenda of eradicating
poverty. Corporations give donations either in the monetary or non-monetary form to

organizations to meet their corporate social responsibility (Broom et al., 2009). The social

responsibility behavior of corporations positively impacts the attitude of the public towards the

organization. According to various surveys, corporate social responsibility positively affects not

only the relations between an organization and the public, but also the personal involvement of

individuals to nonprofits. This corporate philanthropy ensures that the welfare of the community

is catered for by nonprofit organizations. In return, the corporate raises employee interaction

while generating business value. As a result, they obtain a positive public image which improves
their relationship with consumers. Large corporations usually donate to nonprofits because they

lack the mechanisms to efficiently mobilize and engage the community in the distribution of

basic necessities. Employing the use of nonprofit organizations enables the company to deliver

its social responsibility to effective programs effectively.

The target of United Way of NCA is Washington, DC corporations since the work is

centered in the capital. It is important to note that 100% of Fortune 500 companies usually

donate are engaged in donating to nonprofit organizations. Fortune 500 companies are the top

500 public corporations that are ranked by earnings, assets, capitalization and sales. They

represent two-thirds of the American GDP with over $13.7 trillion in revenues. According to

public documents, the top 20 corporate donors generously contributed over $3.5 billion in cash.

This indicates the importance of these corporations through their donations. This makes these

essential companies targets of the campaign. There are 16 Fortune 500 companies in the

Washington, DC area marking them as valuable targets of the campaign. Some companies match

their employee donations, indicating their willingness to foster more employees to engage in

philanthropic activities. This move has made employee productivity increase by 13%, thereby

improving the revenue to as much as 20%. This revenue stream will be essential for United Way

of NCA to facilitate its work.

The Fortune 500 companies are not the only targets of the organization, but also a small

business. According to Forbes, 75% of small businesses donated to charity. One of the main
reasons is the tax relief that businesses get when involved in charitable giving. Secondly, there is

a good rapport created between the businesses and the community, which helps them to thrive

through constant community involvement. It is important to note that millennials are attracted to

companies that are involved in making donations (Pressgrove & McKeever, 2016). This makes it

more profitable for small companies or businesses to be engaged in worthy causes. This indicates

a prime area in which United Ways of NCA can lure these businesses into donating. The DC

Policy Center indicates that there are about 38,984 small businesses in the capital. The maximum

employment size for a business to be called a small business is 1,500. These businesses have a
collective workforce of 537,813 employees with an annual wage of $51 billion. These statistics

create a clear picture of the revenue streams and the importance of these companies. United Way

of NCA can develop these relationships and foster a continued relationship with the businesses. 

These organizations are the key donors. It is imperative that they fully understand the

mission and vision of the United Way of NCA. This will increase interactions with both Fortune

500 companies and small businesses to effectively accomplish the organizations set goals. The

most effective way of communicating with corporations and businesses is through appeals on

national television and sending them quarterly reports that appeal the personal help of the

organization and how the money will be utilized. 

Foundations

These are entities that give support to charitable activities through grants to various

organizations for religious, cultural, scientific or educational purposes. These private foundations

can be set by a family or individual for the purpose of donations. According to the IRS laws,

foundations have a tax-free status but are required to donate a percentage of their income

towards charitable purposes annually. This makes the foundations engage various Charities and

Nonprofits which suit their interest and invite them to submit grant proposals (Pressgrove &

McKeever, 2016). They often fund organizations that align with their missions and visions to

ensure their funding goes to the right cause. The Grantsmanship Center indicates that the top 40

private foundations in Washington DC account for over $500 million in grants. This indicates
how vital this group is in achieving the goal of the foundation. United Ways should seek

foundations that align with their mission to accomplish the set goals. 

Major Donors

These are individuals who give large sums of money either annually or during strategic

campaigns. Individual significant donors contributed to 68% of the total $428 billion charity

donations of 2018, indicating their crucial role to nonprofits. The Washington area boasts of over

16 billionaires who are potential donors. These individuals are known for their philanthropy due

to their giving to charitable endeavors (Pressgrove & McKeever, 2016). However, these
philanthropists choose to give their donations anonymously making it challenging to understand

the charitable trends of major donors. 

United Way should cultivate relationships with major donors to establish a good rapport.

These donors also require personalized newsletters on the organizations works every quarter. It

will expertly guide them on the amount they wish to donate to the organization.

Individual Donors

These are people who are prospects or have engaged in donations. These individuals can

range from company executives, to self-employed entrepreneurs and various employees. They

usually engage the organization after developing an interest in the organization's ventures

(Pressgrove & McKeever, 2016). These contributions can be payroll deductions as United Way

NCA received contributions of over 350, 000 workers. Engaging these individual donors would

yield maximum contributions for the accomplishment of United Way of the NCA. These

employees are guided majorly from online campaigns which target small donations (Broom et

al., 2009). The organization can employ social media in raising awareness on the plight of the

underserved in the Washington Area. United Way NCA can employ the use of crowdfunding

platforms such as Fundly and GoFundMe to reach out to small donors.

Volunteers

Volunteers are the most essential personnel that ensure the delivery and achievements of

the goals of the organization. They come from all walks of life and utilize their time for the
service delivery of the organization's objectives. They fill critical roles in the running of the

organizations such as handling day-to-day tasks, raising funds and engaging the community on

behalf of the organization (Pressgrove & McKeever, 2016). They have a wide array of talents

and are estimated to have saved an annual amount of $239 billion in the year 2000. There is a

60% of college graduates enrolling in volunteer programs compared to their high school graduate

counterparts (Smedley, 2014). Most nonprofit organizations employ volunteers who align with

their mission statements. This is essential as the volunteers should portray the company's values

and priorities.
The United Way of the NCA should ensure they target this niche and ensure they get the

right volunteers. The right volunteers mean the eventual success of the organization's activities.

The organization has engaged a total of over 1,800 volunteers to help the people access various

fundamental needs (Paarlberg& Moulick 2017). An individual can volunteer through the filling

of a request form, and this can be done through corporate volunteering or individually. The

organization can make its appeal to volunteers through social networks such as Facebook,

Twitter and Instagram to reach a large pool of volunteers (Curtis et al., 2010). These platforms

provide an extensive reach therefore establishing a movement for volunteers. The organization

can also engage social media influencers to push their agenda thereby creating public awareness.

Government

The government plays a vital role in its relationship with nonprofit organizations.

Through government funding nonprofits through their contracting to execute various tasks such

as service delivery. This is a complex and dynamic relationship that involves the exchange of

various resources such as financial as well as regulatory activities. As a result, urgent public

problems are resolved, and successful collaboration is established (Pressgrove & McKeever,

2016). The contracting based financing by the federal government ensures the achievement of

key strategic goals by the nonprofit organizations. The United Way NCA should effectively

target the government to receive the prerequisite funding in the achievement of its core

objectives. Since nonprofits do not seek political affiliations rather than government support, the
United Way NCA are in a unique position to gain aid. The relationship with the government

should be amicable and supportive for the achievement of the organization's goals (Austin &

Pinkleton 2015). The organization will produce newsletters to various government offices to

improve their relations (Carboni & Maxwell, 2015). United Way NCA can also bid on contracts

presented by the government to provide key services.

Objectives

• United Way of the National Capital Area intends to help the residents of the area achieve

financial Freedom through financial empowerment programs targeting a 53% goal.

• The organization seeks to eliminate homelessness and change the mindset of the

community towards homelessness by about 61%

• Through the engagement with various health providers, the organization intends to

integrate health with wellness for both adults and children to live a holistic life full of

good habits.

• The organization seeks to assist over 12,000 low-income middle school students in

moving to high school.

Outlining of Strategies for Achieving Each Objective

United Way of the National Capital Area intends to help the residents of the area achieve

financial Freedom through financial empowerment programs targeting a 53% goal.

There is a significant number of people who are unbanked in the excellent Capital Area

with a statistic of over 260,000 residents. The more heartbreaking situation is the grave level of

homelessness with 12,000 residents not having a home. It has created a situation where residents

are taken advantage by unfair and predatory money lenders who charge enormous amounts of

money for transaction fees. The United Way NCA seeks to eradicate these financial barriers

through investing in social programs and initiatives that will assist families and individuals in

achieving financial freedoms, thereby having a foundation for the future. 

The organization intends to open up various financial empowerment centers in the

Capital Area. These centers will be utilized to uplift families and individuals and guide them
towards stability. In the empowerment centers, they will receive housing and credit counselling,

access to low or free banking services, asset-building resources and most importantly, money

management counselling.

The organization seeks to eliminate homelessness and change the mindset of the community

towards homelessness by about 61%.

As aforementioned, the number of homeless residents in the capital area is staggering

over 12,000 individuals. The objective is to change the community mindset of homelessness as it

takes just one event to make an individual homeless. This can be achieved through personal
connection and experience with the provision of essential resources such as clothing and

shelters. 

With the help of Project Homeless Connect, United Way NCA seeks to eradicate

homelessness in the Washington, DC Area.

Through the engagement with various health providers, the organization intends to integrate

health with wellness for both adults and children to live a holistic life full of good habits.

Health is one of the critical indicators of success in today's society. Access to resources

and care is a critical element to the wellbeing of a community. It is also essential for people to

understand and know how to take care of themselves. A healthier individual is an indicator of a

better quality of life. The United Way NCA seeks to combat for better healthcare and access to

resources for the Washington Area community. The organization is implementing robust and

strategic investments to worthy initiatives that offer children and adults access to various

healthcare resources. It is essential for people to develop proper nutrition and health as it is

associated with a performance both academically and in the achievement of financial robustness.

The United Way NCA seeks to lobby for programs and public policies that contribute to the

wellness and health of the Washington Area. This will ensure the growth of the community and

reduced poverty levels as more people will be working and better performance in schools.

The organization seeks to assist over 12,000 low-income middle school students in moving to

high school.
 One of the surest ways to claw out of poverty is through access to education. It is

alarming the level at which students are dropping out of school across the Washington Area. The

underserved children are faced with low parent involvement in their education, lack of academic

support, limited medical care and majorly hunger. These barriers stand in the way of their

academic support making it difficult to achieve their ambitions and dreams. The United Way

NCA will focus on middle school to target students who are about to begin their 9th grade. It is

essential to note that students who begin their 9th grade on time, with prerequisite math skills

and reading prowess are three times more likely to graduate high school than their counterparts
who don't. The organization seeks to place students from low-income families at the centre of

attention. Through various partnerships with affiliate programs, the targeted students will be

prepared for the transition of middle school into high school.

Tactics to Execute Each Strategy

The achievement of financial empowerments as aforementioned will employ the creation

of Financial Empowerment centres which will enable the community to achieve financial

stability. The United Way NCA seeks to partner with various colleges for the opening of these

financial empowerment centres (Rim et al., 2016). These centres will be opened at various

locations in the Washington area, thereby improving the flow of finances and their management.

This puts individuals in charge of their future and thereby empowering them out of poverty.

Families and individuals who have had issues with accessing solutions through traditional means

will receive the much sought-after resources in the centres to assist them in their quest for

stability. The individuals will receive financial coaching, credit help, housing counselling,

financial workshop, small business coaching, free tax preparations and finally small business

workshops. 

Through skill training by the United Way NCA, people can upgrade their skill levels in

various industries, thereby improving their chances of employment. These training skills are long

term strategies to combat the poverty levels in the Washington Area effectively (Gregory, 2015).

With the involvement of various stakeholders to provide these training programs monthly to
ensure more individuals gain the prerequisite skills for job employment.

The United Way NCA is also working with policymakers to ensure financial assistance

reaches the less fortunate. Policies such as eradication of uncertified financial lenders, thereby

limiting the influence of loan sharks who seek to exploit low-income families. It will

significantly reduce the indebtedness of the people of Washington Area. 

The partnership with Project Homeless Connect will ensure the breaking of barriers by

individuals in the Washington Area. The organization will place vital amenities under one roof,

establishing the largest resource fair for the individuals facing homelessness. They bring in
various service providers such as housing assessments, medical services and employment

services to all the various participants at the fair. The organization will seek to match volunteers'

particular individuals who will assist the person in various engagements (Gregory, 2015). With

the right assistance, people can break their leases and reduce increasing charges from landlords

freeing them from a lifetime of misery and suffering. The various services offered ensures the

families and individuals who participate in the program get a full scope of the situation, thereby

leading to their independence. 

The middle school program is to achieve a higher number of transitions from middle

school into high school. This will be achieved through the provision of social, health and

academic support for more than 12,000 students from low-income families. It will ensure the

students are on track in terms of mathematical and reading capability to ensure their eventual

graduation from high school. The achievement of this objective is through the utilization of

various nonprofits who specialize in coordinated and comprehensive service delivery in specific

school regions (Austin & Pinkleton 2015). The issues addressed will be both academic and non-

academic for the purposes of a holistic approach. The activities involve tutoring, healthcare,

enrichment programs, parental activities such as counselling, and physical fitness activities. The

organization will have community school coordinators who will develop a partnership with local

organizations. Together they will form a holistic approach with focus on social and health

support, community and youth development, academic enrichment and family engagement. The
first step is to support around 13 community schools in the region, thereby improving their

chances for success.

The United Way NCA will also engage the local and federal government for increased

funding to expand the community schools in the Washington Area. This will positively impact

the work done in the region since more funds mean more accessibility. It will enable more

students to join the program and hence marking an upward trend of the students.

The organization also seeks to establish evidence-based solutions to instigate

conversations on the importance of positive relationships and character education in middle

school. United Way NCA will engage the local schools to character curriculums on how students

can create and maintain healthy relationships at various stages of the school life cycle. The

concepts learned to revolve around building healthy relationships, character development and

social-emotional learning (Bryson, 2018). It allows the students to interact in real-life scenarios,

thereby influencing the fostering of positive, impactful and meaningful friendships.

United Way NCA intends to form a partnership with the District of Columbia government

to support and build high quality out of school programs. Through youth development programs,

the children in the Washington Area will enjoy their peer groups and families constructively

(Rim et al., 2016). It will encourage positive outcomes while improving positive relations within

the youth. These programs will engage the youth on various levels such as educational,

emotional, recreational and social aspects to foster improvements in physical wellness,

behavioral and intellectual development. These programs will ensure holistic development of the

youth and provide various forms of success not only academical but in sports as well. It creates a

more significant opportunity for success in the Washington Area.

Conclusion

Through comprehensive planning, the United Way NCA are poised to achieve their

targets. With continued partnering and fostered government support the organization will

establish grassroot programs that will revolutionize the lives of families and individuals in the

Washington Area. It will lead to the eradication of poverty, reduced unemployment rate, more
students from low income families graduating, and reduction of homelessness. Through

engagement of all stakeholders, the organization will certainly experience a robust growth of

people from the lower class into the middle class. There is no cause that is too small or too great

that a willing society cannot tackle.

United Way NCA Public Relations Strategy

Terrell Childs

PRPA 650

UMGC

July 14, 2020

 United Way NCA Public Relations Strategy

There will be two phases for the project, the first establishment of fundraising for the

projects, which is an integral part and the execution of plans.

Media Relations

Media relations are the most significant element of a non-profit organization to reach out

to potential donors, the federal government, volunteers, and, most importantly, to furnish the

public with the works of United Way NCA. It is important to note that the relations between the

organization and the entities required for successful and productive partnerships differ (Carboni
& Maxwell, 2015). The engagement of stakeholders is essential to the projects' success and

should be given a higher priority. Therefore, a multifaceted approach should be initiated to

approach the various investors of United Way NCA to draw attention to the plight of the

underserved in the Capital. The strategy for each investor is different and should be initiated by

the organization. It is essential to utilize media that is relevant to each of the specific audiences.

Investor Relations

Corporate Donors, Major Donors, Foundations, Government and Small Business Donors

are the principal donors for the United Way NCA to achieve the laid-out strategies. The most

effective way United Way NCA can reach to these types of investors is through the use of

customized newsletters at quarterly levels annually emailed to the various corporations. These

newsletters should contain multiple upcoming events and their invitation to engage in these

events. The main reason for media relations is to keep the corporates informed about the

upcoming fundraising (Carboni & Maxwell, 2015). Personalized emails should be sent for the

invitation to the fundraising. This strategy can be employed for foundations, major donors, and

small businesses as they need formal correspondence from the organization. The federal

government also requires official channels of communication. This makes it a necessity for

official emails to be sent to various government departments for appraisal functions.

Individual Donors
 These are the lifeline of any non-profit organization and should be cultivated into a

productive relationship. Through consistent contributions by individual donors, the projects can

be kept on schedule. A consistent donor pool should be kept informed through monthly

newsletters (Austin & Pendleton, 2015). These newsletters should involve details of the progress

of the current projects and the initiation dates for future projects. Social media sites are an

integral part of the communication process with various individual donors, as most prospective

donors are online. United Way NCA can utilize social media adverts, paid influencers, and hash-

tags to reach potential young donors. These platforms can invite donors to the fundraiser, which
will see proper service delivery to non-profits.

Volunteers

These are the individuals responsible for the success of the projects. Careful

considerations should be made when reaching out for volunteers as they directly reflect the

attitude of the organization towards the community (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015). The organization

can reach out to prospective volunteers through social media platforms, print media, and

corporate correspondence. This will attract result-oriented and likeminded volunteers who align

with the mission and vision of United Way NCA. The required number of volunteers is 1500,

which will be sufficient for the achievement of the projects. The volunteers will be grouped into

400 for each project. The projects will overlap, thereby meaning that the commencement of one

project is not dependent on the previous one.

Fundraising

This will be the initial phase as it is essential for United way NCA to seek funding for the

various projects that are to be implemented. First, the organization needs to invest heavily in the

promotion of the fundraising event. The corporation will then issue out tickets to the various

donors as a way to raise money. The tickets should be sold at $10,000 for corporate tickets and

100 dollars for individual donors. This can be achieved through print media, prime advertisement

time slots, and social media (Carboni & Maxwell, 2015). The venue to be picked will have to

have the capacity to hold more than 200 guests from all spheres of the American Economy. The
fundraising should attract at least 200 guests to be useful as the goal is to raise over $10million.

The projected estimates for the amount required for effective execution of the project and

strategies to be implemented is around $8.5 million.

Financial Empowerment

 United Way NCA will actively engage other non-profits to invest in initiates and social

programs that assist individuals and families in attaining financial freedom. The organization will

open up six financial empowerment centers around the Capital Area (Gregory, 2015). The 400

volunteers will be grouped into a further 70 subdivisions, which will cover all the six centers.
United Way NCA seeks to liaise with local colleges for the space required for the empowerment

programs. The underserved will receive training on effective money management and get access

to financial services. The training will include; house counseling, financial management, free tax

preparations, and business coaching. The duration of this project is four weeks, and the tax

preparation will happen on Fridays.

Elimination of Homelessness

United way NCA also seeks to engage Project Homeless Connect, ensuring individuals

break barriers homelessness. The plan is to erect four centers, a one-stop place with all the

necessary amenities (Gregory, 2015). These resource Fairs will enable people to engage with the

homeless under one roof. The services to be provided will include medical and employment

services and housing assessments for all the participants. Volunteers will be matched with

specific individuals to assist them in their engagement. These Fairs will be open for a month to

serve the community effectively.

Health Wellness and Holistic Living

United Way NCA seeks to form a corporation with the District of Columbia to facilitate

robust out of school programs. This will initiate the development of out of school programs for

youths from underserved areas (Bryson, 2018). The youth can enjoy peer groups, which will

foster constructive relations. The programs are to engage the youth at different levels; behavioral,

physical, and intellectual development and provide other forms of success other than education.
Middle school Transition

The organization plans to support 12,000 students from low-income families to transition

seamlessly from middle-school to high-school with low dropout levels. The organization will

engage other non-profits who deal with school programs. United Way NCA will engage school

coordinators for six school regions and address academic and non-academic issues (Bryson,

2018). The activities will involve physical fitness, family counseling, tutoring, enrichment

programs, and healthcare. 

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Phone:

Email:

“Be Involved”

What next after the pandemic?

Downtown, Washington D.C - United Way of the National Capital Area will launch the

"Be Involved” program in the first week of August. The initiative presents the need for

individuals formulating partnerships with the nonprofit organization to promote the wellbeing of

society. The prosperity of the community is vital in the fight against the pandemic. The program

will entail individual enrollment, which will enable them to contribute their technical and

financial expertise in the healing and the restoration of the society amid the pandemic.

In a recent radio interview, Allen-Hering acclaimed that "change is driven by everyone's

efforts and does not depend on a single individual." The Chief Executive Officer's sentiments

present the desire of the nonprofit organization in formulating partnerships with individuals.

The main drive for the initiation of the program is the impact arising as a result of the
pandemic. Most of the small and medium enterprises that have partnered with the organization in

addressing the needs of the immediate society have closed their doors of operation. This presents

an instance of the increased unemployment rate. The rolling out of a program that provides an

opportunity where individuals can partner with the enterprise cites the organization's interest in

ensuring the wellbeing of society. The new program would be launched in the enterprise's

headquarters at Washington D.C. The program aims to ensure that it revives small and medium

enterprises that are vital to the enterprise and address the needs of the vulnerable population on

the rise based on the pandemic's effect. The drive behind the program echoes the nonprofit
organization's mission statement, citing the organization's desire to meet its goals.

United Way of the National Capital Area has been in operation for the past fifty years. It

has been a leading nonprofit organization in ensuring society's wellbeing based on its investment

in various fields. The level of community engagement is linked with the over 500 partnerships

the nonprofit organization has formulated with other enterprises. The drive to formulating

partnerships with individuals presents the extent to which the organization aims to be deeply

engaged with society. The program's launch marks one of the first steps the organization is taking

as they are more to come.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact (Name) at (Phone number) or

email (email address).

Opinion Editorial

Restoration of the Society

Date

Author, Title Credentials

The outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in an economic downturn. The number of

individuals losing their job is on the rise. This is increasing the vulnerable population in the
society. In accordance with the Pew Research Center, the number of unemployed individuals in

America rose from 6.2 million in February to 14 million in May. In conjunction with that, the

unemployment rate being witnessed as a result of the pandemic is higher than the unemployment

rate seen during the Great Recession, which lasted from 2007 to 2009. The unemployment rate

from February has risen from 3.8% to 13% in May. Other than the significant threat the

pandemic has posed to the medical and employment domain; the pandemic is impacting the

community significantly. There have been increases in cases of individuals that are homeless

based on lost revenue. Enterprises are closing shops as they cannot meet the costs of survival,
which presents a significant threat to the security status as crime rates are on the rise. However,

hope is not lost as community resilience is crucial in addressing the arising challenges.

United Way of the National Capital Area is launching the "Be Involved" program in the

first week of August. The program entails pulling together community resources to aid

communities that have been impacted significantly by the pandemic. The program encompasses

enrollment of individuals who will provide technical and financial support in the restoration of

the society. This will entail the coming up of projects that would employ individuals that have

been laid off and ensure that businesses that have closed doors reopen. With most of the efforts

focused on addressing the health reprimands arising from the pandemic, there is the need for

consideration of other issues arising as a result of the pandemic.

The wellbeing of society significantly depends on each and everyone's input. Everyone

has a responsibility to play, thus the need to be involved in society's welfare.

References
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2015). Strategic public relations management: Planning and

managing effective communication campaigns. Routledge.

Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and non-profit organizations: A guide to

strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. John Wiley & Sons.

Carboni, J. L., & Maxwell, S. P. (2015). Effective social media engagement for non-profits:

What matters?

Gregory, A. (2015). Planning and managing public relations campaigns: A strategic approach.

Kogan Page Publishers.

Appendix

References

Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2015). Strategic public relations management: Planning and

managing effective communication campaigns. Routledge.

Broom, Glen M. & Cutlip, Scott M. & Center, Allen H. & Cutlip, Scott M.  (2009).  Effective

public relations.  Upper Saddle River, N.J :  Pearson Prentice Hall,

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0822/2008028579.html

Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to

strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. John Wiley & Sons.

Carboni, J. L., & Maxwell, S. P. (2015). Effective social media engagement for nonprofits: What

matters?.

Curtis, L., Edwards, C., Fraser, K. L., Gudelsky, S., Holmquist, J., Thornton, K., & Sweetser, K.

D. (2010). Adoption of social media for public relations by non-profit

organizations. Public relations review, 36(1), 90-92.

Gregory, A. (2015). Planning and managing public relations campaigns: A strategic approach.

Kogan Page Publishers.

Paarlberg, L. E., & Ghosh Moulick, A. (2017). Captured by Partners: Interorganizational

Relationships and Fund Allocation Stability in United Way Systems. International Public

Management Journal, 20(3), 356-380.

Pressgrove, G. N., & McKeever, B. W. (2016). Nonprofit relationship management: Extending

the organization-public relationship to loyalty and behaviors. Journal of Public Relations

Research, 28(3-4), 193-211.
Rim, H., Yang, S. U., & Lee, J. (2016). Strategic partnerships with nonprofits in corporate social

responsibility (CSR): The mediating role of perceived altruism and organizational

identification. Journal of Business Research, 69(9), 3213-3219.

Smedley, T. (2014, January 7). The future of the voluntary sector: the United Way case study.

Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-

network/2014/jan/07/future-of-voluntary-sector-united-way
 Reference

Brilliant, E. L. (1990). The united way: Dilemmas of organized charity. Columbia University

Press.

Broom, Glen M. & Cutlip, Scott M. & Center, Allen H. & Cutlip, Scott M.  (2009).  Effective

public relations.  Upper Saddle River, N.J :  Pearson Prentice Hall,

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0822/2008028579.html

Candid. (2004, March 8). Former Head of D.C. United Way Pleads Guilty to Fraud. Retrieved

from https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/former-head-of-d.c.-united-way-pleads-

guilty-to-fraud

Connolly, C., & Hyndman, N. (2017). The donor–beneficiary charity accountability paradox: a

tale of two stakeholders. Public Money & Management, 37(3), 157-164.

Curtis, L., Edwards, C., Fraser, K. L., Gudelsky, S., Holmquist, J., Thornton, K., & Sweetser, K.

D. (2010). Adoption of social media for public relations by non-profit

organizations. Public relations review, 36(1), 90-92.

Gallagher, B. (2018, August 22). United Way's CEO on Completely Changing the Way the

Charity Raises Money. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/09/united-ways-ceo-on-

shifting-a-century-old-business-model

NonProfit Times. (n.d.). Indictment In $6.7 Million IT Fraud At Charity. Retrieved from

https://www.thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/indictment-in-6-7-million-it-fraud-at-
 charity/

Paarlberg, L. E., & Ghosh Moulick, A. (2017). Captured by Partners: Interorganizational

Relationships and Fund Allocation Stability in United Way Systems. International Public

Management Journal, 20(3), 356-380.

Small, V., & Halzack, S. (2013, January 13). United Way of the National Capital Area gambles

on new giving models. Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/united-way-of-the-national-

capital-area-gambles-on-new-giving-models/2013/01/13/81adaf3e-5aa9-11e2-88d0-
c4cf65c3ad15_story.html

Smedley, T. (2014, January 7). The future of the voluntary sector: the United Way case study.

Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-

network/2014/jan/07/future-of-voluntary-sector-united-way
 Appendixes

Interview questions

• How would you go about recruiting and maintaining volunteers?

• How do you feel about the organizations reputation.?

• Are you comfortable with donating to charity organizations?

• Tell me about a previous fundraising campaign?

• What do you think are the greatest challenges facing non-profits today?

• What do you think are the greatest challenges facing [our cause] today?

• What was your turnover rate among volunteers?

• What was the typical demographic of your volunteers?

• Is there any demographic you are uncomfortable working with?

• How would you say your experiences have prepared you to work with a non-

profit?

• What do you think of our current fundraising strategy?