Looking for the last $100,000

Article Photos

LOCK HAVEN - The 2009 Clinton County United Way campaign could be an especially long one.

As the organization enters what is typically the home stretch of its annual fundraising campaign, it is little more than two-thirds of the way to its $311,000 goal. With just less than $100,000 to go, CCUW isn't ready to wind down just yet.

In fact, the campaign will continue into the first month of next year. Taryn Sprague, CCUW executive director, said it would definitely wrap up by the end of January, though.

"There actually isn't a beginning or an end (to the campaign). It starts roughly in September and ends roughly in December, in a typical year," said Sprague.

"The campaign dates aren't set in stone so we can be fluid depending on local companies and the local economy," she added.

Last year's campaign ended on Dec. 31. CCUW exceeded its 2008 goal of $268,000 by bringing in more than $290,000 in donations.

To set this year's goal, CCUW board members added an inflation rate of about 4 percent to last year's goal, taking it to $308,000. Sprague said the board then agreed on $311,000 because "we liked that number."

Economic hardships have plagued the county - and the nation - since that goal was set.

"We set that figure back in the summer, and in the summer, the economy didn't look so bad. Yeah, gas prices were going up, but it was before the stock market dipped, before there were talks of bailouts," Sprague said. "If we had waited until the fall, we may not have set the goal so high."

Even so, the executive director is trying to keep a positive outlook on donations. Most of the big donations the organization was expecting have already come in, but Sprague isn't giving up hope on bringing in the last $100,000.

"The last $100,000, that last 20 percent, is always the hardest," said Sprague.

"I think we'll get there. I think it might take us until the end of January, but we'll get there," she said.

The Clinton County branch of the national organization isn't the only one to feel the strain from the recession. "Everybody's in a bad place," Sprague said, referring to other county branches. "There are a few that've made their goals already, but mostly they're all behind."

It seems that the agencies and programs CCUW funds will not be affected by whether or not the goal is reached, as much as the organization's shift from community fundraising to community outreach will.

"If we make our goal this year, that's going to enable us to proceed with our growth and our transformation and it's going to allow us to address more community-wide problems," said Sprague.

If the goal isn't met, Sprague said the organization would most likely slow down its efforts to change its focus and operations.

CCUW's priority is still its partner agencies, formerly known as member agencies. That name change is one example of the changes the organization is hoping to make over the next few years.

"We want to see ourselves more as a partner of these agencies than as a fundraising arm of the agency. Also, we want to be able to include more agencies and programs that will solve the problems in the county," said Sprague.

Partner agencies will make their funding requests for 2009 on Dec. 19. CCUW will then take about six weeks to wrap up the campaign and evaluate the funding applications. The board will make decisions based on those applications in the beginning of February.

That process is pretty typical for the annual campaigns. The organization is adding a new twist this year, though, by asking some contributors to help in the decision-making process.

"We want them to participate. I would love for anybody who's really interested to contact me," Sprague said.

The agency will provide training for those community representatives and take them to visit partner agencies on-site. Representatives would then work with the community investment committee of the CCUW board, formerly known as the allocations committee, to make recommendations to the full board on where to designate the funding.

Sprague said this technique is already being used in a lot of United Way county branches across the country, including the Lycoming and Centre county branches.

Clinton County United Way partner agencies include American Red Cross Northcentral PA Chapter, American Rescue Workers, Annie Halenbake Ross Library, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Clinton County Community Connections, Clinton County Women's Center Inc., Community Nursing Service of Clinton County, Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA, Infant Development Program, Keystone Community Network Inc., Lock Haven Area YMCA, Lock Haven Child Care Center, North Central Sight Services Inc., Susquehanna Council of Boy Scouts of America, The AIDS Project and Western Clinton County Recreation Authority.

Anyone who wants to make a donation to Clinton County United Way should contact the office at 748-7856; 145 E. Main St., Lock Haven, Pa. 17745; or info@clintoncountyunitedway.com.