The recent government
decision to cancel production of the one cent coin offers a perfect analogy for
the challenges United Way KW has experienced in terms of raising money in
traditional ways. Long story short, even change needs to change.
Jokes and puns about
the penny abound, and many folks have taken a stance on the matter.
I’m not interested
in arguing both sides of the coin (sorry, couldn’t resist). It costs more to
make pennies than the coins are worth, so cancelling production was a solid
decision that time had come.
When cost exceeds
benefit, or when existing conditions are no longer advantageous, change needs
to happen.
This is precisely
the situation that United Way KW has faced in recent years. Placing all
emphasis on fall workplace campaigns limited our ability to reach certain
members of the community and grow our revenue to meet rising needs.
Diversification is
critical not only for success, but sometimes even survival, as we’re
increasingly witnessing in the not-for-profit and social services sectors. We
all need to look for ways to be resilient in an ever-changing environment.
For this reason,
we’re branching out with additional revenue sources like sponsorships, business
and funding partnerships, grants, special events, direct mail campaigns and
social media campaigns. Such efforts will help ensure that United Way KW
continues to thrive - and hence our community too.
Vice President, Resource Mobilization
United Way KW
