UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO HAS A HISTORY OF "FIRSTS" IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY.
And, the launch of PRIDE Gives and PRIDE Council will serve as yet another “first” – the first United Way LGBT giving groups in the country.
| Year | Significant Events |
| 1986 | UWCO Statement of Values, approved as part of a long range strategic plan, specifies that no one should be denied access to services based on sexual orientation
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| 1988 – 1992 | HIV/AIDS Community Planning Committee – board and staff leadership UWCO staff present the community plan and research findings to the International AIDS Conference in Montreal in 1989 |
| 1988 – 1989 | Grant funding for CATF |
| 1990 | CATF becomes a UWCO member agency, one of the first AIDS-specific orgs admitted to any UW in the country |
| 1993 | UWCO strategic plan reaffirms UWCO values statement that includes affirmation of sexual orientation – UWCO partnership agreement requires all member agencies to formally affirm their support of these values as a condition for funding UWCO begins to actively recruit LGBT volunteers |
| 1996 | UWCO adopts partner benefits for GLBT staff |
| 2001 | UWCO facilitates conversations between leadership of the LGBT community and the Boy Scouts regarding the Scout’s position on the participation of LGBT youth and adults in Scouting UWCO provides an inaugural gift of $10,000 to the Legacy Fund |
| 2002 | UWCO begins attending the annual HRC dinner and Stonewall’s annual A Night Out |
| 2004 | UWCO recruits first openly LGBT board member, Mary Jo Hudson UWCO begins to routinely advertise job vacancies in LGBT media |
| 2004 | UWCO adopts a formal inclusion policy that requires a broadly written statement of non-discrimination for any program receiving UWCO funds. “Programs supported by UW funding must ensure that no qualified persons are denied needed or desired services, employment or the opportunity to volunteer based on race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or socio-economic status.” |
| 2005 | UWCO adopts a minority business procurement policy that includes considerations for LGBT vendors and other professionals |
| 2006 | UWCO advertising buy expanded to include Outlook Media |
| 2007 | UWCO, in partnership with CATF and Stonewall, launches the first GLBT community census project UWCO contingent marches in the annual PRIDE parade |
| 2008 | UWCO launches PRIDE Leadership, a volunteer training program for LGBT leaders interested in serving on local non-profit boards UWCO CEO Janet Jackson serves as grand marshal of the 2008 Pride parade UWCO recruits openly LGBT volunteer leaders to serve in the 2008 Campaign Cabinet UWCO launches a new program investment process open to any eligible non-profit organization in the community - Local LGBT organizations receive specific encouragement to consider applying
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| 2009 | United Way of Broward (South Florida) launches an internet census modeled after the census that UWCO completed UWCO announces that Kaleidoscope Youth Center is among those programs to receive United Way funding over the next three years |
| 2010 | UWCO launches PRIDE Gives and Pride Council, the first United Way LGBT giving groups in the country, to make an even bigger difference in our community – one that can improve the lives of all central Ohioans. |
