Competition and United Way

To the Editor:

Tom Billitteri’s article “United Ways Seek a New Identity” (March 9) offered timely and informative discussion of recent strategic positioning by America’s largest charity. But the story’s neglect of perspectives beyond the United Way arena produced an overly charitable account.

Over the past three decades, new workplace federations and funds have emerged to represent organizations and causes long excluded from United Way. These new local, regional, and national choices are thriving because working people have no choice but to look beyond United Way for charities that address their interests in such areas as civil rights, environmental protection, women’s issues, and constituent-led economic strategies to fight poverty.

Sadly, the same three decades have seen local United Ways devote considerable time and energy to resisting the efforts of these emerging federations to participate in employee-giving campaigns.

As today’s United Way adopts the messages of change, community empowerment, and getting to the “root causes,” it is only fair that it be held accountable for its history of obstructing these messages. Even more essential is recognition of the roles that other community federations play, not just as fund raisers, but as leaders of community change.

One of many lessons learned from the last 30 years of workplace giving is that democratic communities desire democratic philanthropy. While there is room for praise of United Way for changing with the times, let’s remember that it is not the only game in town. Future coverage of workplace philanthropy will benefit from reporting that gives voice to the nameless “competition” that has forced United Way to remake itself.

Greg Truog
Executive Director
Community Shares of Colorado
Denver

Board President
National Alliance for Choice in Giving
Washington