Situation
As do United Ways all across the country, United Way of the Wabash Valley has for decades conducted an annual fundraising campaign to help support the needs of the local community through its member agencies and programs. In this manner United Way has played a significant role in creating and supporting community-wide initiatives and has provided the people of the community with an effective and efficient means of directing their charitable contributions where they are needed the most. These contributions benefit the entire community through more than 100 health and human service programs in six counties.

Problem
In the past, United Way of the Wabash Valley has marketed the annual campaign through a campaign video, print ads, billboards and campaign collateral created locally and supplemented by national United Way marketing through television and radio commercials. One cost-efficient means of reaching a large number of potential donors has not been available to United Way of the Wabash Valley in the past, because it has not had a locally sponsored web site.

Solution
United Way came to MillerWhite, LLC to design an easy-to-navigate, interactive web site to be used by potential donors, campaign fundraisers, volunteers, member agencies and the public in general. The resulting site (www.uwwv.com), which incorporates graphics from United Way’s new branding identity and photographs that were taken locally, was launched in conjunction with the United Way’s Pilot Campaign Kick-Off in August.

The 200-page site not only tells the local United Way story, but also includes information on volunteering, lists member agencies and their specific needs, explains how funds are allocated, and details the Compass II community needs assessment. A section devoted to the current campaign includes information on ways to give, special events and an online pledge form. It also provides downloadable training materials for persons involved in promoting the campaign and soliciting donations.

“We analyzed many other United Way web sites,” said Jill Coleman, manager of MillerWhite’s Interactive Media service line. “One weakness we recognized was that they were very static. United Way of the Wabash Valley’s site definitely needed to more accessible and interactive.”

Results
Linda Edwards, United Way Resource Development Officer and web site project coordinator, said the new site supports many of United Way’s goals and objectives. She has received feedback about the site’s design and ease of use. In addition to promoting fundraising, Edwards expects great demand from grant writers and community members for the COMPASS II information, which includes survey, interview and focus group data and assessments on social, economic and environmental factors in the community.

Mark Johnson, Fund Distribution/Planning Director, expects the site to help with future fund distribution. “Each year we staff our funding review panels with 120 community volunteers,” he said. “These panels review the work of our member agencies and recommend funding by agency programs. Many volunteers come back to help us from the preceding year, but every year we need to recruit new panel members. We expect the web site to be very helpful in that recruiting.”

Johnson said the web site should be instrumental in communicating community events and happenings to the entire Wabash Valley through the News & Events column.

Jim Bertoli, campaign director who is also United Way’s new executive director, is pleased with the site’s interactive features. He said, “It’s a wonderful tool for use during the campaign. When our volunteers are out giving presentations they can refer people to the site for more information, and we have it listed on all our campaign material. People have been coming to the site for information about the individual agencies and about how the funds are distributed.”

One more way the site supports United Way’s goals and objectives is as a training tool for the future. Current campaign volunteers were already trained when the web site went on-line, but next year Bertoli expects this to be a tremendous resource in the campaign process. “All campaign materials and support information is on the site in downloadable format,” he explained. “Volunteers who miss our training sessions can access the information they need on the site, and it will save us significantly in administration costs for printing.”

Bertoli said it’s too early to gauge the effect of the site on actual campaign receipts. “We expect to see more of an effect with the 2005 campaign as community members learn about the site and even go on-line to make their donations.”

Edwards said, “I was impressed with how well done this project was. MillerWhite’s staff was very organized and efficient and supported us every step of the way. It was a very positive project.”