UNITED WAY ON NEW PATH $13 MILLION FOR HOMELESS, EDUCATION, POVERTY GROUPS.

Byline: RICK ORLOV 

Staff Writer

In a bid to strengthen services and revitalize its image, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles is set to announce about $13 million in funding today to groups around the region, including a range of new programs.

Nearly 140 agencies will receive grants from the area's largest charitable group, down from 188 as the United Way seeks to hone its focus and boost the effectiveness of its grants.

The plan will give dozens of agencies funds for the first time even as the United Way separates from others that have received support for years.

The move targets key areas -- fighting homelessness, improving education and providing child care -- and comes amid a broader United Way effort to become more involved in public-policy issues.

"We know it's going to be difficult," said Elise Buik, who was brought in more than two years ago to help remake the agency to deal with the pressing issues here. "But we felt we needed to make some changes in who we fund to get more quantifiable results.

"It's always tough to separate from someone you've been working with, but we feel we need to look at the new challenges we are facing in the region."

While the United Way brings in some $58 million in donations each year, two-thirds of that is directed by contributors to specific organizations -- leaving $13 million to dole out to other groups.

"I think people, especially in California, like choices," Buik said. "But it shows me we have to give a compelling reason to our donors to give directly to us and look at this as community philanthropy."

United Way officials received funding requests from nearly 500 groups this year, but just 139 will receive funding for what Buik hopes is three years to give them time to show results.

Focused giving

United Way spokeswoman Taulene Ayoub said the number of groups receiving grants was cut from 188 last year to try to provide more money for focused programs.

Several of the groups whose funds were eliminated were receiving grants of $2,000 or less, she said. Transition funds will be provided to some of the groups, Buik said.

"What we are doing is funding fewer organizations at deeper levels to allow them to prove themselves," Buik said. "And we hope some of our historical partners, who can continue to receive designated donations, will be able to make changes so we can work with them in the future."

United Way officials would not disclose which groups will be losing funding. But one of the new programs that will get money is Project GRAD in North Hollywood.

The program works with about 18,000 students in the northeast San Fernando Valley providing extensive tutoring, counseling and programs to both students and teachers.

"This is incredibly important for us," Executive Director Ford Roosevelt said of the United Way grant. "What it provides us is an opportunity to make sure we can continue operating."

Project GRAD runs within 13 schools, following kids from elementary school through high school and offering up to $6,000 in scholarships to students if they graduate and go on to college.

"This is a big step for the United Way," Roosevelt said. "Traditionally, they have never gotten involved in education programs."

Buik said the changes reflect United Way's emphasis on policy issues related to children, homelessness, poverty and education.

"We don't see these as conservative or liberal, but on issues that are very neutral," Buik said. "I think we are seen as a place where people can come together, but we also see this as a time to exert leadership positions."

Insurance for children

Among the issues the United Way is focusing on is health insurance for all children. Buik said the organization has backed measures calling for such a program and has been working with corporate executives to gain their support.

"What we have is access to the business community who are looking to us to tell them about some of the challenges we face," Buik said.

"We realized we needed to move into policy and advocacy. We can't social-service our way out of some of these problems. And they are the same problems across the nation.

"There is a homeless gap, a poverty gap, an education gap. The faces might be different in Atlanta ... (and) Los Angeles, but they are the same issues."

Buik said the changes also are designed to address a local image problem and lingering nationwide concerns after the agency came under fire more than a dozen years ago over its administrative costs.

"When I came here, I heard from a lot of organizations that they felt the United Way was a fortress, a closed society they could never be part of," Buik said.

"I think we need to constantly re-evaluate what we are doing to see if we are doing our job right."

[e-mail]

[phone]