EVEN CHANGE NEEDS TO CHANGE

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.

  

Nancy Bird

Vice President, Resource Mobilization

United Way KW