2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
United Way is working to ensure that the dollars invested by our donors strategically address critical
community needs. As an organization, we have made changes to accomplish this commitment. The
identification of the current priority needs and community outcomes was guided by a team of community
stakeholders and informed by a Needs Assessment Report (the full United Way Needs Assessment Report
is available on the website at the link below). We are moving from supporting agencies to supporting
outcomes delivered by high-performing programs. As a result, the allocation process for the United Way
Impact Fund is transitioning from providing annual support for a select group of partner agencies to a
competitive application process (request for proposal (RFP) to meet a specific priority need) which is
open to all current United Way partner agencies and other providers who meet the eligibility criteria
below. Providers interested in partnering with United Way must demonstrate that their programs have
impact in addressing these critical community needs and that their agencies are well-managed. In
addition, United Way distributes dollars that have been restricted by donors for special initiatives or pilot
projects related to these community needs through separate RFPs to support Community Initiatives and
Partnerships.
The United Way priority outcomes are:
 Helping Teens and Young Adults Succeed and Reducing Risk Factors for Younger
Children
 Assisting Vulnerable Seniors and Adults with Disabilities
 Addressing Financial Struggles of Adults and Families Achieve Long Term Self
Sufficiency
For additional background information: the full United Way Needs Assessment Report is available on the
United Way web site at:
http://www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org/uploadedFiles/Find_Help/NeedsAssess06-07.pdf
This Request for Proposals (RFP) is directed to community priorities identified in the Needs Assessment
Report for: Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families Achieve Long Term Self
Sufficiency.
Proposal Process
United Way is seeking to meet a vital community need by ensuring that financially struggling adults and
families achieve long term self sufficiency by increasing their income and access to resources and
increasing the their ability to preserve and build assets (such as homes, automobiles, and education and
training). Another long-term priority outcome is to increase the capacity of Allegheny County to
effectively and efficiently respond to disasters.
United Way Impact Funding through the 2009 and 2010 RFPs in this area is currently supporting sixteen
high-performing organizations. While the program models vary, their intent is to provide prevention and
intervention services which effectively assist financially struggling adults and families to achieve their
self sufficiency goals. A brief description of these programs can be found at this link:
http://www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org/images/Docs/initiatives/IF2010struggling%20families.pdf
www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
This 2011 Request for Proposals (RFP) is directed to the United Way community priority for
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families Achieve Long Term Self Sufficiency. United
Way is seeking nonprofit health and human service organizations that have the capacity and high-quality
programs to address this critical need and serve as community outcome partners. United Way seeks to
invest its funds strategically for the strongest impact. Proposals chosen for funding will focus on
providing a comprehensive plan to achieve outcomes which are outlined in the attached Statement of
Need.
While agencies are not limited in the amount of support they may request from United Way for the
proposed project, the total expected to be available to invest in this RFP will be up to $1,400,000. United
Way will use the average agency allocation of $150,000 as its benchmark when making awards.
Funding awards will be announced in July 2011 to be effective for the one year period of October 1,
2011 through September 30, 2012 contingent upon sufficient availability of funds from the annual
campaign.
The United Way anticipates funding between 8-10 organizations or collaborations in this funding cycle.
Even agencies that ultimately are not selected for funding support, however, may benefit from
participation in this RFP process. The completion of an organizational eligibility tool (in the initial
process) and agency self-assessment (at a later stage) can provide insight into an agency’s capacity as
well as its level of compliance with public regulations and adoption of best practices. The completion of a
Logic Model and Evaluation Plan can strengthen the case for a service and provide a basis for monitoring
program success and supporting program improvements. In addition, United Way provides training and
technical assistance to applicants in the use of these tools.
Eligibility
Applications may be submitted by a single agency, but partnerships and collaborations of multiple
agencies are encouraged—the agency/lead agency must meet the following criteria:
 501(c)(3) organization located and providing a health or human service in Allegheny County
(NOTE: arts, cultural, religious, recreational, political programs, government agencies and
institutions providing formal education are not eligible)
 In full compliance with all federal, state, county and local requirements and laws pertaining to
non-profits, including the USA Patriot Act and other counterterrorism laws
 Meets the requirements of the Solicitations of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act passed by the
Pennsylvania General Assembly in December, 1990
 Is able to provide all documentation as noted in Step 1 and Step 2
Proposal Process- How to Apply
2010
December 13
RFP forms and information available on United Way web site
2011
January 11 and 13
Information and training sessions for potential applicants (contact
communityimpact@uwac.org to register)
www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
February 1
Step 1: Proposal Summary and related documents due by 5 p.m.
February 28
Invitations to submit full proposals issued
March 7 and 8
Step 2: Training for Agencies – Evaluation Plans & Data Gathering
March 18
Step 2: Full proposals and related documents due by 5 p.m.
April 22
Candidates for site visits notified
April 28 – May 6
Site visits completed
May 24
Funding recommendations made by review teams to Impact Cabinet
June
Funding approved by Board
October 1
Funding available to agencies
Funding Priorities
Statement of Need
Addressing the needs of financially struggling adults and families is important to the United Way and to
the community safety net. This area was identified as a critical need in the 2007 United Way Community
Needs Assessment report. Key indicators of the need include:
 An increase of 26% since 1999 in the number of households for whom housing costs exceeded
the commonly accepted rate of affordability (that the percentage of a person’s income devoted to
mortgage, rent, utilities and maintenance should not exceed 30%). (Source: American
Community Survey 2005-07)
 The number of Pennsylvanians accessing supplemental nutrition assistance (food stamps)
increased from 698,678 in October 2009 to 795,554 in October 2010. During the same time
period in Allegheny County the number of people accessing food stamps increased by 17,000 to
153,681.
 The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank reports an increase of 2,500 new households
requesting their assistance every month since August 2008.
 Mortgage foreclosure filings increased from 1,142 per year in 1995 to 4,464 in 2008 – a 290%
increase. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Allegheny County Prothonotary)
 Utility terminations quadrupled between 2000 and 2005. According to the Pennsylvania Utility
Law Project electric utility terminations increased by 26% from 2007 to 2008 and gas
terminations increased by 10%. United Way HelpLine received more than 2,280 calls in 2010
from individuals seeking help with their household gas bills – up from 910 calls in 2008.
 Overall poverty in Allegheny County was 11.6% in 2007, and for African Americans that rate
was nearly 35%.
 26.8% of families headed by women experienced poverty in 2007. That figure is 53.6% for
families headed by women when there were children in the home under the age of five. (Source:
American Community Survey 2005-2007)
 Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region reached 8.1% in September 2009, the highest rate in 23
years. (Source: PA Department of Labor and Industry)
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
Call volume was up 46% in 2009 at United Way HelpLine, a professionally staffed information and
referral line that handles in excess of 2,100 calls per month from individuals with needs ranging from
food and shelter to advice on how to help an elderly parent or neighbor.
 Requests for rental assistance increased by 273%;
 Requests for assistance in covering utility costs went up 195%;
 Requests for families and individuals seeking emergency shelter went up 83%;
 Requests for food pantry referrals went up 58%; and
 Requests from individuals seeking assistance in obtaining employment are up 313%.
It is estimated that as many as one third of calls over the past year came from individuals and families
seeking assistance for the first time.
The national poverty rate for a family of four in 2010 is $22,050. A person working full time at
minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) in Pennsylvania earns just over $15,000 per year. Two out of
every three Pennsylvania families living below the poverty line are also working families and
26% of households in Allegheny County have earnings of less than $25,000 per year (American
Community Survey 2005-07). Even modest increases in expenses are extremely challenging at
this income level, and “emergencies” such as a flat tire on the way to work, a sick babysitter, or a
prescription for a sick child can be devastating. 63 percent of U.S. families below the federal
poverty line have one or more workers, according to the Census Bureau. (Source: Michelle
Conlin and Aaron Bernstein. “Working…and Poor,” BUSINESS WEEK, May 31, 2004)
United Way Response:
The United Way believes that Financially Struggling Adults and Families can achieve greater long
term self sufficiency through coordinated access to resources in times of crisis, and connections to
programs and services to increase income and to build and maintain assets in the long term. In
seeking to invest in non-profit organizations able to demonstrate measurable results in assisting
financially struggling adults and families to achieve greater long term self sufficiency, the United
Way recognizes the need to be strategic about the use of its limited, yet flexible, funds.
United Way’s goal is to fund programs and partnerships that not only provide excellent service to their
constituents, but create an impact on the broader community and make Allegheny County a better place to
live and work. Priority will be given to program designs that seek to implement preventive strategies,
provide a better model of services, or lead to a systems or policy change.
Through the 2010 Financially Struggling Adults and Families RFP process the United Way is seeking
nonprofit partners that can demonstrate measurable results in:


Assisting financially struggling adults and families achieve long term self sufficiency
Achieving the community and program outcomes outlined below
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
Preferred Outcomes
Proposals chosen for funding will focus on achieving and providing a comprehensive plan for measuring
at least one of the following preferred long-term outcomes:


Increase the number of low income people able to achieve self sufficiency by increasing their income
and access to resources
Increase the number of people able to preserve and build assets (such as their homes, automobiles,
and access to education and training) for themselves or family members
Supporting Outcomes:

Increase the number of low income people accessing benefits and other resources to meet basic needs
in the long term
Potential services may include, but are not limited to, effective support models and partnerships
that connect people with community, public and private resources; transitional and emergency
food, shelter and utility assistance to both deal with a crisis or disaster and assist in regaining
and maintaining household stability; public education efforts to ensure that available resources
are adequate to encourage long term self sufficiency.

Increase the number of low income people securing and maintaining employment and advancing in
their careers
Potential services may include, but are not limited to, flexible supports (such as emergency or
transitional child care assistance, access to reliable transportation option) provided in
coordination/ partnership with training programs or employers to assist individuals in enrolling
in and successfully completing training that links with growing employment sectors; communitywide approaches or replicable models to assist potential employees and on-the-job workers in
overcoming barriers to securing, maintaining and advancing in employment.
.
Increase the number of people accessing financial education and credit repair services to prevent
financial crises and avoid predatory lending practices
Potential services should provide a continuum of supports including services such as one-on-one
or group classes on financial education; credit repair and budgeting; savings initiatives and
other incentives to help achieve longer term financial goals.


Increase the number of people able to maintain or secure safe and affordable housing and avoid
homelessness
Potential services should provide a continuum of supports including services such as mortgage
foreclosure and pre-eviction counseling and assistance; housing location assistance and rental
inspections to help identify safe and affordable housing; weatherization of homes to reduce utility
costs.
www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
Target Populations
Proposed programs must serve Adults or Families that have:
 Household earnings of less than 250% of the federal poverty income guidelines;
or
 Live in a geographic area with high concentrations of poverty and inadequate
access to services
Sub-Target Populations
Proposals will be given greater consideration if they address the needs of populations, such as
those that disproportionately experience poverty, such as:
 African Americans
 Female heads of households, especially when there are young children in the
home
Scoring Criteria:
The following four criteria are applied by United Way staff and teams
of trained review volunteers (the majority of which are United Way donors) to rank the
proposals. The questions that follow each are used in this process to elicit if the criteria are met.
The Program Serves a Population with Great Needs:

Does the program effectively engage one or more of the target populations for services?

Are geographic areas of high need being served and what is the agency’s record of service within
those areas?
The Program Utilizes A Sound Approach:

What kind of evidence indicates that this is an effective program model and/or a best practice?
What is the value of any unique elements?

How is the program made more effective by the agency’s ability to consider and respond to the
cultural norms of participants?

Are key public and private funders invested in the project, and if so, what endorsements have
been obtained?

Are the partnerships necessary to effectively carry out the aims of the proposal and reach the
target populations in place?

Is there a clear and compelling rationale for United Way’s investment in this effort?

Is there a realistic plan for sustainability?
The Program Achieves Measurable Results:

Is there a reliable data system which is part of a process for continuous improvement?

Is there clear evidence that this program achieves or can achieve the desired outcomes?
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
The Program Achieves or Leads to Community Impact and is aligned with the Preferred
Outcomes

Does the program align with the United Way’s preferred outcomes?


Beyond the program’s benefits to participants and their families, how will this effort have an
impact on the broader community and make Allegheny County a better place to live and work?
How will this effort lead to a better model of services, system, or policy change?

Are the services effective in preventing serious problems for individuals & the community?

What indicates this program is the best investment by United Way of the community’s donor
dollars?
Request For Proposals - RFP 2011
Proposal Summary Questions (to be answered online: Program Section –Step 1a)
Please note: These questions will be answered online and are provided here only for your review.
The online answer box for each question is limited by a certain number of characters as noted below.
If you choose to work first in a WORD document, use tools-word count to track the total characters
used per each question.
1.a. Purpose Statement: In one or two sentences, provide a brief description of the project
and outcomes to be achieved. (500 character limit)
1.b. (Answer this question only if this is a collaborative request of several agencies). For
each collaborative member other than the lead agency, provide the agency’s mission, a brief
description of its history, and an outline of its core program services. (The mission, history
and program services of the lead applicant agency were collected in the earlier “agency cover
sheet”). (4000 character limit)
Alignment
2. Describe the specific population to be served (aligned with the UW outcomes), and the
agency’s effectiveness in serving this population. Include the strategies used to attract,
select and retain participants and address particular barriers to their participation. (2000
character limit)
3. List geographic area/s of high need to be served and indicate whether the agency and/or
program currently serve those areas. Provide supporting data which indicates the need
for program services. (2000 character limit)
Sound Design/Approach
4. Describe how the proposed program or project achieves United Way’s preferred
outcomes. Include the results that have been achieved and the unique value of this
program in achieving results. (2000 character limit)
www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org
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2011 United Way Request for Proposal
Assisting Financially Struggling Adults and Families
BACKGROUND
5. Indicate how the requested United Way funds will be used to support, expand and/or
enhance existing services, or to initiate new services. (1500 character limit)
Community Impact
6. Describe how this effort is designed to work with public or private efforts to benefit not
only program participants, but to achieve community-level impact. (2000 character limit)
7. Describe the partnerships that have been established and why each is necessary to
achieve the proposed outcomes. Describe coordination of services, each agency’s role
and any respective share of the funding request. (3500 character limit)
Measurable Results
8. Describe the process for collecting, compiling and reviewing program data. (1500
character limit)
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