Regional Advisory Boards
The concept of Regional Advisory Boards (RAB)has been implemented not to restructure or change, but rather as a logical growth of what already exists. The United Way of the Inland Valleys has a long tradition of success. With the recent population growth in many of the communities in our service area, it is necessary that we expand our capacity to keep up with demand.
Regional Advisory Boards, we will elevate the presence of UWIV in our local regions. By increasing our visibility, we will be able to recruit more top civic leaders to the positions of leadership.
The purpose of the Advisory Board is to bring United Way into the communities we serve as its own entity. We want to give each community a sense of ownership in their United Way. Our first step is to set a goal of three tangible activities for each region during the first year:
1. Plan and execute a Day of Caring for their region.
2. Recruit members for the regional cabinet and run a successful regional campaign.
3. Conduct their own local Campaign Celebration.
This seems like a lot. Actually, they are already doing the first two; we just have not recognized it in that manner. The third is what really makes UWIV theirs; the results of their efforts being made visible to everyone in their community.
Lets look at each one separately and how each activity can benefit from these new changes.
One of the first duties of the Regional Advisory Board is ensure that we have enough volunteers to execute our goals. We recommend that each RAB recruit/appoint a chair person for DOC. Once appointed, this person will need a staff of volunteers. If we have built our RAB from community leaders, the volunteers will follow. Many of the members of the RAB will accept volunteer positions with DOC, they will also bring others in.
The RAB can help identify the agency projects that need to be done in their community and pass that information along to the DOC Chair. The RAB should meet once a month and separately from the DOC committee. Their meeting should focus on all three activities and their progress.
The RAB will be the backbone of the campaign. The RAB needs to understand from the first year that the Campaign is the foundation of United Ways ability to make changes and to meet needs and it is the fuel that drives the train. By having each RAB involved with planning, goal setting and execution, we will begin to build expectations and awareness in their community.
The Campaign Celebration will, in the long run, prove to be the mortar that holds the bricks together. It will be a community celebration a victory dance. Hopefully as years go on, it becomes one of the premiere events of the year for the community leaders and civic activists.
Question: how will the RAB be able to influence the amount of money that comes from UWIV back to their respective communities? Our Community Matters Department is charged with allocating all of the available funds. Their volunteers and staff work hard on assessing needs for the entire service area. Having said that, there are areas where the RAB can assist and/or influence the flow of money to their community. They may certainly bring agencies and emerging needs to UWIVs attention. That in itself may not result in funding but it helps keep everything on our radar screen.
RAB members can and should volunteer to be on CRTs, initiatives and other committees to ensure their regions are getting fair representation. But, an example that comes to mind, we had to move a Temecula based agency to the ineligible classification because of non-compliance. Determining that our agencies are financially sound is a major responsibility we have to our thousands of donors throughout the service area. In this instance, we had no choice but to defund them. If we had had a Regional Advisory Board, who had been notified of difficulties in the agency, they may have been able to provide timely assistance and perhaps avert defunding. When we are forced to defund an agency, it is not a cost savings measure. It is a compliance or a competency issue. In such cases, the agency is given plenty of time to take corrective action.
The Regional Advisory Boards are up and running. They are looking for more members. If you live and or work in one of the communities in our service area and you are interested in being involved, call our office at: 951-697-4700.
Southwest Regional Advisory Board
Sharon Tisdale, 2008-2009 Chairperson
Bruce Cripe, UWIV Staff Member
Pass Region Regional Advisory Board
Art Welch, 2008-2009 Chairperson
Jeanette Marlar, UWIV Staff Member
Perris/Moreno Valley Regional Advisory Board
Chair has not yet been identified
Jeanette Marlar , UWIV Staff Member
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