Envision Initiative
Envision is a unique cross-sector initiative led by United Way of Greater Charlottesville to increase economic independence for 1,800 families through our core impact areas of Financial Stability and School Readiness, powered by our work to build a Connected Community.
Through Envision, we are demonstrating that approaching the comprehensive needs of working families on an individualized basis is a highly effective way to empower our neighbors to fulfill their dreams.
Ravi Cooper, President & CEO, United Way of Greater Charlottesville
A Collective Effort
Envision involves work within our three impact areas, each of which plays a key role in determining an individual’s future ability to thrive. We work with partner organizations across our region to leverage their related passion, work, and expertise in a coordinated approach to address generational poverty by tackling specific needs and barriers.
Our Goals
When we embarked on the Envision initiative in 2022, we wanted to set clear, measurable goals in order to track our success and make informed, real-time adjustments to our programs and services. Our overall goal through Envision is to help all families thrive. We aim to measure our progress towards this goal via the following benchmarks:
Goal #1
Progress Toward Financial Stability
Support 1,800 ALICE families to move closer to the ALICE threshold. At least 80% of ALICE families say they are more financially stable as a result of working with UWGC.
Goal #2
All Children Are School Ready
Reduce the current shortfall of 2,700 early education and care slots by investing in the growth of new early education placement. UWGC will provide access to supports such that 95% of all publicly funded early education sites will improve their Virginia quality site scores.
Goal #3
Collaborative Systems Building
Lead 100 community convenings including task forces, coalitions, forums, and social equity initiatives.
Collaborating organizations express strong agreement that the convenings make a valuable contribution to their work.
Helping ALICE Households
Our Envision programs target clients who fall within the ALICE household criteria– Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These families work for an income that simply does not cover the costs of living in our community, and yet they do not fall under the Federal Poverty Level to qualify for assistance. For instance, a single parent with one child earning $30,000 a year will likely spend an average of 97% of his or her income on housing, childcare, and transportation. This leaves less than $1,000 per year for food, taxes, clothing, medical bills, and other essentials.
Building the Foundation
Helping families become financially stable is not a simple one-step solution. Every aspect of our work is a key building block to setting these families up for success.
- One block is personal finance: helping families reduce debt, build credit, access affordable and reliable transportation to maintain stable employment, receive budgeting guidance, and more.
- Another is affordable childcare (which in turn allows for more stable employment): helping families access quality early childcare and/or education, apply for scholarships, receive necessary school supplies, and more.
- A third block is a culture of engagement and belonging, which uplifts stories to show our neighbors, partners, and other stakeholders the importance of this work and how they can help make a difference. In order to effectively identify and address complex issues impacting local families, a truly connected community is essential.
The Need
The families we serve continue to face disparities in health, education, and financial outcomes. In recent years, these disparities have been highlighted and, in many cases, exacerbated by rising costs of living, inflation, and stagnant wages in frontline industries.
9,000+
Families
In the Greater Charlottesville area cannot afford the essentials of life.
$76
Remaining for Essentials
Monthly after families pay bills for basics, such as for housing and childcare.
32%
Of Black Families
Make less than $35,000 a year (compared to 11% of white families).*
* Based on Orange Dot Report 5.0
How Envision Supports Our Impact
Listen to Envision Radio
Envision Radio is our weekly interview podcast where we welcome local Black community leaders from across all backgrounds, including business, government, education, and social justice, to talk about their experiences. Each week, we aim to hold authentic and candid conversations about our community and their personal journeys, backgrounds, and more.
