Uniting Communities: United Way's Vision for a Better Future - Essay Sample

Introduction

United Way's vision is to have a community where all the individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, financial stability and healthy lives. United way's mission is to have united means, improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community to advance the common good (Kaplan, 2001). Having a vision that betters peoples' lives is critical. It should be noted that the United Way's view does not exclude any individual hence caring for the better existence of every individual starting from children, men and women. To make the vision useful, United Way has put in place some aspects and practices that channel every individual to a better life. Among the ways put forward is putting more concern to children. Children are tomorrow's generation; hence, they should be treated with great care.

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To brighten children's future, therefore, United Ways ensure that children receive a quality education that acts as an avenue to their bright future (Kaplan, 2001). Education is very vital to the life of every individual, following the rampant developments in technology worldwide. The generation with knowledge is, therefore, better, and there is an assurance of them having a good life. Productive livelihood is also marked by United Way to achieve their vision by ending poverty and financial dependence. There are measures that the organization has put in place to ensure that people have productive lives hence ending poverty and economic relationship. To implement the vision effectively, the organization also provides that individuals access and consume healthy food, have a physical activity that improves on their health and also access quality health care. Having health peoples assures development in the community since unhealthy people are not able to indulge in activities that run the development of the community.

However, United Ways have a mission of having united ways, improving the lives of individuals by mobilizing the caring power of the community to advance the common good (Kaplan, 2001). This mission is useful in the manner that the organization has set ways to achieve the purpose. Among the means provided to accomplish the task, the organization ensures teamwork among the community members. It offers a platform for individuals to volunteer and works towards improving the conditions of life people live. This is important since apart from individuals, other organizations can chip in and donate where possible to ensure that people have live quality lives.

Besides, the organization have united individuals by setting connection in all sectors within the community including businesses, government and non-profit organizations to ensure there is a long term goal to bring change to the community by ensuring there are quality education, financial stability and quality health services. Also, the organization supports innovative programs by raising funds through philanthropic contribution. Much investment is also made to innovative programs to better the existence of the community. Accountability is also encouraged among the members. This ensures transparency hence promoting health, education and income for the community.

Most Pressing Environmental Pressures United Way Faces

The organization faces several pressures from the environment, which include: human population, Agriculture and food security and industry (Kaplan, 2001). On the side of the community, United Way finds pressure in the rate the population is growing. It is easier to manage a small population than a large population. With the increase in population, resources become insufficient hence need to increase. When we come to the side of funding and philanthropic practices, it becomes more demanding due to population increase. It should be remembered that the rate of utility also increases when the population increases.

However, the organization also faces pressure on the side of agriculture and food security. This is a very crucial sector because when a community has an inadequate food supply, then it becomes an epidemic. The insufficient resource to store food is a problem and the policies that govern food security. Industry, on the other hand, is a problem. Industries emit gases that are not favourable to the health of human beings. Apart from emitting harmful gases, water and noise pollution are also significant problems.

Strategies to Control Systems

Building an influential culture is one of the strategies the organization formulated. To implement this, unity is greatly encouraged in the organization. There is a concern to everyone. No one is left out in ensuring that there is a good living. Besides, motivation is another strategy that is set by the organization. There are programs, including philanthropic contributions to motivate innovative programs. This enhances the improvement in performance. There are restrictions set by the organization towards some aspects like food security and relationship among members. This enhances cohesiveness among individuals. On tackling the pressures the organization is facing from the environment, it may be hard for the organization to control since a lot of funding is required.

Why Common Governance Mechanisms are Challenging to Apply to Not-For-Profit Firm

It is challenging to apply common mechanisms to not-for-profit firms. Internal and external factors influence this. At first, this organization depends on funds from other organizations and the government. Apart from internal leadership, stakeholders' pressure comes from the external organization on how to manage hence becoming a challenge. The laws come from the government and other organizations funding the organization apart from the internal stipulated laws; thus, it is hard to administer common mechanisms of governance.

Reference

Kaplan, R.S. (2001). Strategic performance measurement and management in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit management and leadership, 11(11), 353-370.