2013 Program Investment Overview

UWCO works with community partners through a variety of approaches to achieve its nine community results and bold goals in the four impact areas of education, income, health and home. These approaches include program investment, initiative investment, outreach and engagement, advocacy, public policy, collaborations and volunteerism.

Through its program investment process, UWCO provides funding to high quality human service programs that are aligned with priorities linked to the community results and bold goals.

In 2012, UWCO will conduct program investment activities only for the two community results in its education impact area:

• Young children enter kindergarten physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively prepared to succeed.
• Youth graduate from high school well-prepared for additional learning and productive careers.

The program investment decisions resulting from the 2012 review process will be in effect for the three-year period from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2015.

In 2013, UWCO will conduct program investment activities for the seven community results in the income, health and home impact areas. The funding cycles for programs funded during this review process will be the three-year period from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2016.

The  program investment review in 2012  will include the following features:

• UWCO will continue to invest in programs, rather than provide general operating support for agencies;
• Community results, program investment priorities and performance measures will serve as the framework for all program funding;
• Applications may be submitted for programs that are currently operating and for concepts for new programs;
• The process will include a Letter of Intent (LOI) phase and a full proposal phase;
• All submissions will be made through UWCO's Community TechKnowledge (CTK) online data system;
• UWCO will continue its partnership with the Columbus Foundation to access agency/program data from the PowerPhilanthropy system; all applicants must create and maintain a portrait in the PowerPhilanthropy system;
• Funding decisions will be based on consistent investment criteria;
• The funding cycle will be three calendar years; funding for years two and three of the cycle will be dependent upon satisfactory performance, compliance with accountability expectations and campaign performance; UWCO will establish contingencies and monitor progress/responses for any programs about which specific concerns are identified;
• UWCO will not guarantee future funding or any specific amount of funding to currently funded programs;
• Integration and collaboration among programs, organizations and systems will be encouraged;
• The process will reflect UWCO's commitment to diversity and inclusion and commitment to cultural competence;
• UWCO will continue to focus on accountability to donors and the broader community for funds invested in local programs;
• Funded programs and agencies will be expected to meet UWCO accountability expectations;
• Current member agencies must complete the cultural competency standards assessment before the submission of any Letters of Intent; and
• The amount of funding available to invest in each community result will be determined through decisions by the Community Impact Cabinet and Education Impact Council.

Eligibility

The process will be open to a broad group of not-for-profit organizations which meet specific eligibility requirements, including the following:

• Supports UWCO's mission, values and strategic direction;
• Offers programs that support and respond directly to UWCO community results, program investment priorities and performance measures in the education impact area;
• Has a current, complete PowerPhilanthropy portrait established with the Columbus Foundation.
• Qualifies as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
• Can verify three years of organizational history through written documentation of 501(c)(3) status for a minimum of three years;
• Certifies adequate insurance coverage;
• Has current certification of compliance with all applicable licensing, accreditation and other applicable legal requirements;
• Has current certification of Patriot Act compliance and completion of verification form; and
• Completes the UWCO Statement of Non-Discrimination for each program for which funding is requested.

All proposals must focus on services or program activities that take place in Franklin County. As a condition of program funding, agencies must agree to comply with UWCO reporting and accountability requirements and other eligibility criteria specified in the UWCO Partnership Agreement.

Framework for Investment

UWCO's strategic framework with four areas of community impact and nine specific community results and bold goals is the foundation for all program investment. During 2012, the program investment activity efforts will focus only on the kindergarten readiness and high school graduation community results.

UWCO volunteers and staff have developed a set of program investment priorities, performance measures and measurement tools. All programs submitted in 2012 for funding consideration must align with a community result, program investment priority and performance measure and demonstrate a contribution to the achievement of a community result. In addition, programs must agree to track and measure results using a specified measurement tool in accordance with UWCO standards and timelines.

Volunteer and Staff Roles

UWCO volunteers and staff will have key and complementary roles in reviewing proposals and developing program investment recommendations.

Volunteers will:

• Provide input and oversight in the development of program investment priorities;
• Provide input in the creation of program investment criteria;
• Review and approve all letter of intent recommendations;
• Participate in the review of full proposals; and
• Review and approve the total package of funding recommendations.

UWCO staff will:

• Review letters of intent and full proposals;
• Coordinate follow-up and conduct site visits during the review of full proposals;
• Facilitate and incorporate volunteer input into the process;
• Coordinate the final set of recommendations for approval by the UWCO Board of Trustees.

Letter of Intent (LOI) and Full Proposal Components of the Process

The program investment process will include two phases: letter of intent and full proposal.

Letter of Intent

Through the submission of brief letters of intent, agencies will share their strongest ideas about ways to assist in achieving specific community results. All LOI submissions will be made on the CTK online system. Access to the CTK online forms will be made available in January, 2012. The deadline for LOI submission is February 9, 2012.

Programs that are currently funded in the kindergarten readiness and high school graduation areas may submit abbreviated LOIs because some of the information requested will have previously been submitted to UWCO through the CTK system.

All LOIs will be reviewed using consistent investment criteria. Scores from the review process will be used to evaluate proposals against UWCO expectations and as a base of comparison among LOIs. UWCO will not establish a minimum score or "cut-off point" in the review process (e.g., proposals that receive a score of 50 or more will move to the full proposal phase.)

In the LOI review, UWCO will identify applicants that will move to the full proposal phase. These programs will be determined to have maximum potential impact on the achievement of the kindergarten readiness and high school graduation community results. The LOI process is expected to be highly competitive and some quality programs may not be invited to move forward to the full proposal phase.

For each program that moves to the full proposal phase, UWCO will identify and communicate a maximum dollar amount that the program may request in the full proposal.

Full Proposal

The full proposal will include more comprehensive programmatic and financial information. Staff and volunteers will review the proposals using consistent investment criteria which build on the criteria used in the LOI process. Forms and instructions for the full proposal phase will be shared with applicants in spring, 2012. The deadline for submitting proposals on the CTK online system will be in June, 2012, with the specific date to be announced in spring, 2012.

Site visits will be conducted for new programs and other programs, as needed. This phase will include opportunities to pose questions and conduct follow-up contacts with program representatives.

Applicants will be notified about the results of the full proposal review in fall, 2012. Program funding for successful applicants will be provided beginning January, 2013. Continuation of funding after the first year of the cycle will be based on availability of resources and achievement of agreed-upon performance measures.

All decisions in the LOI and full proposal phases will be made at the discretion of the Education Impact Council, the Kindergarten Readiness and High School Graduation Results Committees, and the UWCO Board of Trustees based on recommendations from the review process.

Qualification under the criteria and eligibility requirements for the program investment process does not entitle an organization to receive funding.

UWCO reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, in part or in whole, to negotiate with applicant(s), and to award funding to those deemed most likely to contribute to the achievement of a community result.

Note: UWCO may choose not to advance or fund any applicants with known fiscal, management, reporting, programmatic, or other problems that make it likely they would not be able to deliver effective services.

Information, Training and Technical Assistance

UWCO will assist applicants by conducting general information sessions for organizations that are not current member agencies, by offering specific orientation sessions about the LOI and full proposal submissions, by training agency staff in he use of the CTK online system, by posting responses to frequently asked questions on the website, and answering individual questions by email. Information about each of these opportunities will be posted on the website.

 

Key Dates and Activities for the 2013 Program Investment Process  Education Impact Area Only
Date	Activity
November, 2011	Program investment materials, including Letter of Intent information, posted on the UWCO website
December, 2011	General information sessions for organizations that are not current UWCO member agencies
January, 2012	Orientation sessions for the LOI process
February 9, 2012	Letter of Intent (LOI) submissions due via CTK online system
March - May, 2012	LOI review, decisions and notification of agencies
May, 2012	Orientation sessions for full proposal process (Check website in spring, 2012 for times and sign-up information)
June, 2012  (specific date TBA)	Full proposal submissions due via CTK online system
June - August, 2012	Full proposal review
September - November, 2012	Results Committee/Impact Council review and approval; final approval by UWCO Board; agency notification
January, 2013	Three-year program investment cycle begins