Community Convening

United Way is often called upon by the community to convene diverse stakeholders around our community’s toughest issues. Skilled facilitators use data-driven analytics to help the community define and understand the scope and scale of issues, reach into the community to understand local lived experience and points of view, research evidence-based best practices, identify common ground, articulate collaborative action, and hold stakeholders accountable to achieve desired change. Here are a few examples below.

Health Council

An estimated 32,000 Dane County residents lack health insurance coverage including roughly 4,700 children. Without preventative care, these individuals access care at hospital emergency rooms or go untreated.

Community and Volunteer Engagement

At United Way of Dane County, we use our leadership, vision and expansive relationships to bring the community together in multiple convening roles. We regularly engages donors, neighborhoods, people who experience specific issues, and the broader community to ensure we have our fingers on the pulse of what people are saying and thinking.

Strong Roots

In the fall of 2014, United Way convened a group of community leaders and formed the Delegation to Create Economic Stability for Young Families. The Delegations’ charge was to research and determine local approaches and strategies that we can deploy to (1) decrease the number of young families with children who are living in poverty in Dane County and (2) specifically address barriers for children and families of color in our community.

Law Enforcement and Leaders of Color Collaboration (LELCC)

In a groundbreaking collaboration between leaders of color and law enforcement leaders, the Special Community/Police Task Force issued a call to action to all law enforcement agencies in Dane County on the use of force by law enforcement.

Dane County Homeless Services Consortium

United Way of Dane County fully participates in the Homeless Services Consortium of Dane County, a partnership of agencies, funders, advocates, and formerly homeless persons committed to preventing and ending homelessness.

Immigration and Refugee Task Force

Immigration and Refugee Task Force Executive Summary of Recommendations

Immigration and Refugee Task Force Recommendations – Full Report

The Law Enforcement and Leaders of Color Collaboration (LELCC), which is led by NAACP and United Way of Dane County, formed the Immigration and Refugee Task Force. The main goal of the task force is to identify key recommendations which will build trust and establish lines of communication between law enforcement and the immigrant and refugee communities in order to reduce fear.