FY 2012-14 Investment Strategies

Listed below are United Way of Greater Cleveland’s six Investment Committees. Below each committee name you will find the consumer populations served by the programs within each area. Click on the consumer group name to learn about the expected outcomes and investment strategies for each population. Determine which consumer population your program will serve and which strategy your proposal will address before proceeding to the RFP form on eCImpact. (All reports are in PDF format)

Self-Sufficiency and Basic Needs

• The working poor:  Individuals/families with little education, dropped out of high school, on public assistance, are unemployed and/or earn under 200 percent of poverty.
  
• Persons or families at risk of homelessness:  Families/Individuals that are living on the street, in shelters, transitional housing, other temporary housing situations (relatives/friends) or at risk of becoming homeless due to eviction or foreclosure
  
• Persons and households without adequate food:  Families or individuals that cannot afford to buy food or are hungry at least some time during the year because they cannot afford to buy enough food.
• Persons with legal problems:  Individuals 18+ who are in need of legal services to settle a civil dispute.
• Persons who were formerly incarcerated:  Adult men or women released from prison under straight release, parole supervision or a halfway house.
  
• Families and individuals in financial distress:  Families or individuals with debt service payments higher than 40 percent of income due to job loss, catastrophic illness, lack of health insurance or being underinsured, significant credit card debt , loss of additional income due to divorce or death of a spouse or other major life crises.

• Persons with educational disadvantages, K-6:  Children and youth in kindergarten through grade six residing in Cleveland and inner-ring suburban school districts. Kindergartners who are not “kindergarten ready” (solid oral language skills, ability to listen and play well with others, desire to be independent, strong fine motor skills, basic letter and number recognition). Elementary students who have not passed either the Math or English proficiency tests at any grade level.
• Children requiring early care and early education:  Children who are younger than compulsory school age, who need educational enrichment and/or supplemental parental care that stimulates intellectual, social, emotional and motor skills development.
• Children and youths in need of developmental opportunities:  Children and youth ages 8-15 years growing up in low-income neighborhoods/ communities.
• Families who need support with child rearing:  Families caring for minor children whose coping and parenting skill and resources are outmatched by the stressors they experience (internal and/or external), resulting in a need for assistance.
  

• Persons with physically disabling conditions: Individuals with physically disabling conditions are those who are limited in physical activity and condition as a result of congenital circumstances or injury.
• Persons who are chronically ill: Individuals diagnosed with a physical disease, impairment, or condition lasting three or more months.
• Persons who are terminally ill: Individuals afflicted with an incurable, irreversible condition leading to death.

• People at risk or who have mental illness:  Persons with mental illness have a diagnosable mental health disorder. (The disorders vary widely in severity, duration, and type of symptoms.) Persons at risk of mental illness may have a mental health problem with signs and symptoms of insufficient intensity or duration to meet the criteria for any mental disorder.
• Families and individuals experiencing violence and abuse:  This consumer group consists of all persons who may be experiencing violence or abuse, including families, children and the elderly.
• People at risk of chemical dependency, including those with dual diagnosis:   Consumers who exhibit a compulsive use of chemicals or substances (drugs or alcohol) and an inability to discontinue usage.

• Seniors and older adults remaining independent:   An older adult is defined as an individual who is sixty years of age and older. The consumer population focus is particularly on older adults that are low income and/or impaired.
• Disaster victims:   The consumer group consists of persons of all ages who are victims of disaster.
• Refugees, immigrants and repatriated people:   The consumer group consists of persons of all ages who are immigrants, refugees, or repatriated.

• Volunteer Development:  Individuals in the community who are interested in doing volunteer work with a nonprofit organization as well as nonprofit organizations that need volunteers. 
• Public Policy Advocacy:  Local and state level lawmakers/legislators, elected and appointed officials, media, business and nonprofit sector leaders, and indirectly, the population of Cuyahoga County.