• United Way Impact Councils completed their first year of monitoring programs and outcomes, and bringing multiple entities to the table to address defined goals around Education, Financial Stability and Connecting People. Special thanks to our VISTA member for Community Impact, Barb Shaffer, for her support of the Councils.

• United Way of Butler County was program ready to maximize ARRA funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) through the Community Service Block Grant program, coupling United Way dollars with ARRA dollars to expand the funded Venture Grant programs listed below.

• Butler County-wide Child Care Scholarships (Butler County Children’s Center)

• At least 550 volunteers donated over 4,200 hours of service to the United Way in community planning, accountability, fundraising and hands-on projects.

• We successfully managed our first National Corporate Campaign with Westinghouse Electric Company which raised $902,604 including corporate gifts and sponsorships throughout its 30 sites in 14 states and the District of Columbia, which includes $237,652 in corporate and employee giving in Butler County alone.

• United Way of Butler County completed its Standards of Excellence Self-Assessment thanks to the leadership of VISTA member Sarah Jane Morrison.  The assessment pointed out United Way’s strengths in Community Engagement and Vision, Developing Impact Strategies, Operations, and Organizational Leadership and Governance. It also set priorities for improvement including Relationship Building and Brand Management, Measuring and Communicating Results, Public Policy, and Strategic and Back Office Solutions.

• Thanks to Westinghouse Electric Company for hosting a Board of Directors Retreat in April, a spirited planning day to review the self-assessment and explore new resource development options for Education, Financial Stability and Connecting People.

• We were pleased to present a successful Board Governance Training for non-profits, along with Dewey & Kaye, Leadership Butler County, Butler County Community Action and Butler County Human Services, and sponsors MSA and Westinghouse Electric Company. Over 70 volunteer board members and non-profit executives attended.

We conclude by thanking a very active and supportive Board of Directors who provide input and best practices for human resources, finance, public relations and outcomes management and whose support, especially for the 250K Challenge, is unmatched. We recognize a very loyal and hardworking staff, Sherry Sassone, Tammy Steighner and Kathleen Tremé.  Your extra efforts and hours are evidence of just how much you care. And finally, we thank our many partner agencies for their collaborative efforts and tremendous work in our community. We look forward to more success and Impact in the coming year!