Major Assignment 2 story proposal

Date: 03-10-2011
To: Burnis Morris
From: Kelly Christian
RE: Story Outline: Recession affects United Way funding

Subject: United Way of the River Cities Inc. received less monetary contributions in 2009 than the previous year due to the recession.

Scope: I will research the amount in contributions the United Way of the River Cities Inc. both received and disbursed during the past three years to see how the recession affected revenues and distribution of funds to area nonprofits. I will research how greatly the decrease in total revenues affected nonprofits that receive funding from the United Way and whether or not the change in funding affected services provided to individuals.

Need: The recession affected many businesses that give to the United Way, which affects how much funding the United Way can give to area nonprofits. A decrease in those funds affects services, which affects those in need who depend on the services for their livelihood.

Methods: This story can be documented by drawing together the financial records of the United Way, contacting the United Way and contacting some of the nonprofits that receive funds from the United Way. I can get a list of the nonprofits that the United Way funds now and also compare it to the nonprofits the United Way fund or didn’t fund last year to see if a significant change in the number of nonprofits funded year to year.

Sources: I will pull the amount in revenues the United Way reported on its IRS 990 forms dating back to 2008 to see whether contributions increased or decreased during the past three years, or if it was just a decrease from 2008 to 2009. I will also look at the amounts distributed to each of the organizations from the United Way to see whether funding to organizations increased or decreased. I will interview Laura Gilliam, who has been executive director of the United Way of the River Cities Inc. for five years, to get the United Way’s story of how the recession affected it and the services and funding it provides. During the interview with Gilliam, I will ask her if the organization’s operations have been affected, and if they have had to cut staff or salaries to help offset the decrease in revenues.

I will also use the information the United Way has provided the class and on its IRS 990 to see if the number of organizations the United Way funds has increased or decreased, and will ask how the recession has affected the number of organizations it can help.

I will also interview a couple of the leaders of the organizations that receive funding from the United Way to see how those organizations have been affected by the recession, and if those organizations have noticed a change in the type, quality or amount of funding and services received. If the organizations have seen a change in the type or quality of services or amount of funds they receive from the United Way, I will ask how that has affected the organizations’ ability to provide services to those depend on the organizations.

Presentation: This story is part of a series in which the class is reporting about the United Way and the organizations it funds. My story in particular covers the United Way of the River Cities Inc., which receives contributions and funds organizations in the Tri-State.