Wilkes County Strategic Plan (2025–2028)

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United Way of Wilkes County exists to mobilize the caring power of our community to improve lives. This Strategic Plan—developed during our 2025 Board Retreat—sets clear priorities and measurable outcomes for the next three years, grounded in our mission to fight poverty and strengthen quality of life in Wilkes County.

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Our Mission

The mission of the United Way of Wilkes County is to involve the entire community in identifying our community’s needs, developing financial resources, and partnering with programs to meet these needs.

Our Vision

We will build a stronger community by mobilizing our resources to improve people’s lives.

Our Core Values

• Collaboration – We work together with donors, agencies, and community partners to achieve lasting change.
• Accountability – We measure results and communicate them openly.
• Equity – We strive to address root causes of poverty and ensure opportunities for all.
• Integrity – We act with honesty and transparency in all we do.
• Stewardship – We manage resources responsibly for maximum community impact.

Strategic Focus Areas (2025–2028)

Over the next three years, we will deepen donor relationships, strengthen our impact, grow board capacity, and improve operations—while increasing visibility of our local, poverty-focused work. This plan is a living document and will be reviewed annually with progress measured against key metrics.

1) Donor Capacity

Goal: Strengthen donor relationships and improve campaign effectiveness.

Strategies

• Clarify and consistently communicate our core message: United Way of Wilkes is locally operated and governed, poverty-focused, and partnering with us changes lives in Wilkes County.
• Revitalize workplace campaigns with tailored approaches for each business.
• Develop peer-to-peer fundraising networks (professional-to-professional outreach).
• Build deeper relationships through leadership engagement and impact stories.
• Differentiate strategies for corporate donors vs. individual donors.

Measures of Success

• Year-over-year growth in donor retention and acquisition.
• 2+ new workplace campaigns annually.
• 15% increase in unrestricted revenue by 2028.

2) Impact & Evaluation

Goal: Improve program effectiveness and community-level outcomes.

Strategies

• Evaluate the effectiveness of funded partner agencies annually.
• Use shared reporting tools to measure and track results.
• Publish an annual Impact Report for donors, partners, and the community.
• Use data and storytelling to demonstrate progress (especially around poverty alleviation and key issues).
• Align funding priorities with updated local needs assessments.

Measures of Success

• 100% of funded programs meet agreed-upon performance benchmarks.
• Improvement in at least three key community indicators by 2028.
• Annual Impact Report released publicly.

3) Board Capacity

Goal: Strengthen board engagement, knowledge, and governance effectiveness.

Strategies

• Provide annual training on board roles, fundraising, and community needs.
• Require each board member to serve on at least one committee or special project.
• Schedule site visits and partner presentations for ongoing education.
• Share board responsibilities for outreach and donor cultivation to prevent staff burnout.
• Recruit board members with diverse skills, backgrounds, and community connections.

Measures of Success

• 100% of board members engaged in committees or initiatives.
• Improved annual board self-assessment scores.
• Increased number of donor contacts initiated by board members.

4) Operations & Governance

Goal: Build consistent internal processes that support strategic growth.

Strategies

• Standardize financial, administrative, and reporting procedures.
• Maintain updated bylaws reflecting best governance practices.
• Leverage technology for donor management, communications, and reporting.
• Ensure workload is sustainable for part-time staff by engaging board members and volunteers.
• Develop succession and contingency plans for leadership roles.

Measures of Success

• Documented procedures for all key operational areas by 2026.
• Staff satisfaction and retention maintained or improved.
• Timely, accurate financial and impact reporting.

5) Marketing & Public Awareness

Goal: Increase visibility and understanding of United Way of Wilkes County’s mission and impact.

• Define and document our core message for all marketing materials.
• Emphasize that United Way of Wilkes is local, independent, and community-focused with a focus on reducing poverty.
• Showcase personal stories and testimonials from those impacted.
• Use multiple channels: social media, website, press releases, and community events.
• Engage board members and ambassadors as visible advocates.

Measures of Success

• 25% increase in social media engagement by 2028.
• Growth in earned media coverage and event participation.
• Increased public awareness as indicated in donor surveys.

Key Success Metrics by 2028

Metric	Target by 2028
Unrestricted revenue	+15%
Workplace campaigns	2+ new annually
Funded program performance	100% meeting benchmarks
Impact reporting	Annual Impact Report released
Social engagement	+25%

How We Will Track Progress

• Annual Review: The Board will review progress against metrics each year and make adjustments as needed.
• 90-Day Commitments: The Board and staff will set short-term action goals each quarter.
• Living Document: Strategies may evolve based on evaluation results and emerging opportunities.

Building a Stronger, More United Wilkes County

This Strategic Plan provides a clear and measurable path forward. By focusing on donor relationships, measurable outcomes, engaged leadership, operational strength, and a bold public presence, United Way of Wilkes County will advance our mission and help create a stronger, more equitable community.