United Way Research Articles

The antecedents of conformity in an institutionalized federated system: The case of local united ways

AbstractTo what extent do organizations conform to external pressures within a highly institutionalized federated system? Drawing on the theory of middle‐status conformity, and distinguishing between ascribed and achieved status, we examine variation in linguistic conformity across the United Way (UW) system. Using a unique set of data collected from multiple sources, we analyzed the effect of both ascribed status (age) and achieved status (fundraising performance) on local UW conformity to the community impact language of the United Way Worldwide (UWW). We found a curvilinear relationship between linguistic conformity and achieved status but not ascribed status. Local UWs with achieved middle status based on fundraising performance were more likely to conform to the UWW's community impact language than low and high‐status local UWs. The presence of a state UW association moderated the relationship between achieved status and linguistic conformity. This study contributes a novel conceptualization and operationalization of organizational conformity, refines the theory of middle‐status conformity by distinguishing two types of status in the context of a highly institutionalized federated system, and examines moderating conditions of middle‐status conformity.

Testing a Two-Stage Grant Allocation Process: The Case of the United Way

Drawing upon transaction costs economics, we examine the determinants of the two-stage allocation process within the local United Way (UW) system. We use a unique multiyear data set that captures local UW allocations to nonprofit grantees at four points in time (2000, 2004, 2008, and 2010). We find that the first stage is screening, in which organizations’ legitimacy, mission, and financial performance are preliminary determinants of partnership in the UW system. In the second stage, UWs incentivize existing grantees with high legitimacy to stay in the system through larger allocation share. These determinants are stable over time. However, size of these effects varies across size of UW system; this finding suggests that transaction costs influence the likelihood of using performance measures to evaluate grantees in the first stage of the allocation process.

The Heterogeneity of Competitive Forces: The Impact of Competition for Resources on United Way Fundraising

How does competition for resources affect the fundraising performance of local United Way (UW) affiliates? Drawing upon population ecology, we hypothesize a nonlinear relationship between competition and organizational performance. Using a 21-year panel data set that includes UW campaign data, contributions to specialized fundraising organizations, and contributions to the general population of nonprofit organizations, we estimate a fixed effects regression model. We find that the effect of competition differs depending upon the degree of niche overlap. Contributions to organizations with greatest niche overlap have a negative effect on contributions to local UWs. Consistent with population ecology, other types of fundraising organizations that have less niche overlap show beneficial relationships at certain levels of giving. However, few communities reach the philanthropic level at which benefits of competition occur.

Captured by Partners: Interorganizational Relationships and Fund Allocation Stability in United Way Systems

ABSTRACTWhile organizational systems are associated with innovation and adaptability, interorganizational relationships may be predisposed to stability. Using multinomial logit analysis, we test how resource dependencies affect system stability in local United Way (UW) systems between 2000 and 2010. We find strong support for the resource dependence argument. UW are less likely to drop larger, powerful partners that are strong fundraising partners. However, powerful, long-term partners not contributing to the strategic objectives of the UW system are more likely to experience a decrease in allocations. While powerful resource partners may capture the UW, UW systems continue to change through the addition of new partners and the reallocation of resources among long-term partners. However, context also affects the capacity for change. Larger UWs are more likely to add new partners and less likely to keep long-term partners.

Assessing Nonprofit Rule Interpretation and Compliance

Nonprofit organizations operate within the confines of formalized agreements structured by parent organizations, funders, and partners. Compliance with the rules comprising these agreements leads to organizational legitimacy and the resulting access to resources. At times, compliance can be challenging because internal and external stakeholders exert pressures on nonprofits that can sometimes dissuade rule adherence. These pressures can be amplified when a nonprofit is an affiliate. Affiliate nonprofits must meet accountability demands of their local constituencies while aligning missions, organizational structures, governance, and programmatic activities with parent organizations that might be geographically distant. Affiliate status thus adds a layer of complication to an already complex environment. We conduct an institutional analysis as a basis for assessing how nonprofit affiliates interpret global rules for maintaining affiliate status and factors most important to them in maintaining continued compliance with such rules. Our research is conducted in the context of United Way (UW) affiliate organizations in Indiana.

The Impact of Local Economic Structure on Community Philanthropy

AbstractThis article explores how local economic structure directly and indirectly affects community philanthropy. Drawing on campaign data for local United Way (UW) affiliates at three points in time (1990, 2000, and 2010), the article tests the degree to which the relationship between economic structure and community philanthropy is mediated through local stocks of human resources and social capital. The results suggest that retail employment and industrial concentration negatively affect local UW campaigns, while nonlocal ownership positively affects UW campaign size. These measures of economic structure also indirectly influence local UW fund‐raising activities by affecting the levels of human resources and social capital. In the midst of global efforts to increase community‐based philanthropy, these findings have important policy implications for efforts to promote community solutions to social issues in changing economies.

Help your unit remain calm, focused during high‐stress times

The field of disability services requires the ability to remain calm and focused amid chaos, which can seem like the norm on any college campus — at least during key times of the year, such as the start of the fall semester and finals week. But that chaos is just business as usual. So too, are wearing multiple hats and doing more with fewer resources. However, what happens when unexpected crises come your unit's way, such as a student on the autism spectrum whose behavior has landed him in trouble with campus police?

24-Hour intensive care: An observational study of an environment and events

In intensive care, patients are exposed to a strange and sometimes hostile environment, which can lead to post-traumatic psychological problems. The aim of this study was to describe an intensive care environment from a patient point of view and the events and social contacts during a patient's day. The study had an observational qualitative design. The data were generated by recording on DVD four adult intensive care patients in an intensive care unit over one day (n=96 hours). The DVD recording of two patients also included daylight (lx) and decibel (db) measurement. The material was analysed by inductive and deductive content analysis. An intensive care patient environment is made up of physical, social and symbolic environments. The hospital, ward and patient room constitute an environment that is indirectly connected to the patient. The patient bed and all that is included in it are directly connected to the ICU patient's physical environment. The social environment includes the people who are near the patient and in direct or indirect contact with them. ICU norms, regulations, values, expectations and knowledge make up the symbolic environment. Taken together, these factors constitute an intensive care unit's way of action. The symbolic environment is connected to the social environment through people and the way of action. The patient is connected to the ICUs environment, but is usually not able to influence it. It is important to eliminate things that prevent recovery and to promote feeling safe. Besides the physical environment, things that prevent recovery and increase a feeling of being safe can be found in both the social and the symbolic environment. We also need to learn more about ICU patients' subjective experiences in order to be able to describe the psychological environment.

The United Way System at the Crossroads: Community Planning and Allocation

United Way (UW) organizations have long portrayed themselves as performing three core functions for local communities: fund-raising, community planning, and fund-allocation. Contradictory forces increasingly threaten the ability of UW organizations to perform all of these core functions. Some remain hidden and unacknowledged for some period of time. Many UW systems face the same challenges: how to raise funds, address needs, and respond to diverse constituencies; how to manage conflicts with adjacent United Ways; and how to create and maintain internal consensus to address these challenges effectively. These are important questions for understanding how organizations relate to their environment and for understanding U.S. society. The scope of United Way systems is impressive and plays a key role both in shaping community perceptions of problems and as a major avenue through which the corporate sector takes an active role in local communities.

Nursing Potpourri: one unit's way of sharing needed information

The end product has been a more organized approach to communication with staff. Nursing Potpourri on Paper has replaced many notes, flyers and memos formerly posted on various boards and doors in the unit. Once the mechanism to generate it was in place, a small time commitment has been needed for production and distribution. Staff response has been positive, as evidenced by verbal comments and responses to offers in the newsletter. Some nurses save each issue. Many have contributed information or ideas. The newsletter has become a solution to some problems discussed in staff and management meetings. "We can put something about it in Nursing Potpourri" has been a frequent solution to communication needs.

The Future of United Way

The nationwide United Way (UW) movement is widely seen as the quintessence of organized voluntarism in America. The UW's general acceptance and continuing local operation in more than 2,300 communities during the past ninety years seems to be grounded upon several basic values, of which the concept of "One Gift" appears to be the most fundamental. One Gift includes the related goals of maximizing feasible federated fund raising and eventual consolidation and reduction of local philanthropic drives. In the context of a theoretical approach to the UW as a social structure, this paper examines available evidence bearing upon the degree to which these goals were achieved between 1964-76. Forces influencing goal achievement are identified and discussed. Implications are drawn from the results applicable to future prospects for the UW movement, locally and nationally.