CLEVELAND, Ohio — United Way of Greater Cleveland needs to change how it raises money, enhance its presence in the community, and bring together groups to focus on solutions to major social issues such as infant mortality and lead exposure, the head of the agency said.
President and CEO August Napoli, speaking to a group of business and civic leaders at the City Club of Cleveland on Friday, said the way in which United Way “conducts philanthropy” hasn’t changed much since the early days of the organization. Given the needs, he said, change is needed now.
“Today, roughly a century after our founders created an innovative new model of collaborative philanthropy, we are ready to pioneer a new, 21st century philanthropy — one that begins to get at the root causes of poverty in addition to responding to their effects,” Napoli said.
He has lead United Way since June, 2016, replacing Bill Kitson who resigned. Napoli has been deputy director and chief advancement officer at the Cleveland Museum of Art and has worked in Cleveland institutions for most of the past 40 years, including at Cleveland State University, the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation and the Cleveland Clinic.
He said the agency’s fund-raising efforts need updating.
“For 103 years, the United Way has been known for the workplace campaign. For 103 years, bosses have encouraged, and even strongly encouraged their employees to participate in the annual campaign,” Napoli said.
But Cleveland’s corporate landscape has changed, he said. “There just aren’t that many 1,000-plus employee companies here anymore.”
He said the agency needs to expand beyond the workplace campaign and recognize that people who donate are much more savvy than in the past.
“Donor choice, donor designation, donor empowerment is not on the horizon,” he said. “It is here and a reality that seems to have eluded us to date.”
In the past few years, the United Way has streamlined its mission and partnered with businesses and social service agencies to put a laser sharp focus on improving education, income and health in the community.
The agency has a representative in 25 Cleveland Metropolitan School District Schools to “wade through the complexities of being poor” and get kids and families the help they need, said the United Way website.
Its 2-1-1 Help Center, with information and referral specialists, provides free and confidential 24-hour access to people who need food, shelter and heat, along with non-emergency assistance such as tax preparation. Napoli said the service connects upwards of 300,000 a year.
“As wonderful an organization as United Way is, I didn’t come here to do business as usual, or simply continue what’s been done before,” Napoli said. “My goal is to take the best of what’s been done before and meld it with a clear sense of what needs to be done.”
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