Community Impact Vision Council Volunteers

Through the new Community Impact Model, United Way of Horry County (UWHC) is addressing the needs of today while diligently working on getting to the root causes of key issues. With the community’s support, we focus on four priority areas:  Health, Education, Self-Sufficiency, and Basic Needs. To see our bold community goals, please see our Community Game Plan.

UWHC depends on our community members to help make important funding decisions by volunteering to serve on one of the four Community Impact Vision Councils (VCs) (Health, Education, Self-Sufficiency, and Basic Needs). These volunteers help determine how undesignated UWHC annual campaign donations will be distributed to local agencies and services throughout Horry County. We will also have the opportunity for people to serve on our Finance VC, who is responsible for reviewing financial documentation turned in by the applicant agencies. Together, we are making a difference!

Who can serve on the Community Impact Vision Councils?

No experience is needed to participate! If you are a UWHC donor, someone who has extensive knowledge of the bold community goals we will be tackling, or a just community member that wants to get involved, you have the opportunity to serve on one of the five Vision Councils and help determine what programs will provide our community with the greatest impact. For the Finance VC, it is required that these volunteers have a financial background.

What is the time commitment?

The first step is a one-hour training session that will be conducted via ZOOM. Choose which VC you would like to serve on (if you don’t have a preference on which VC you serve on, let us know, and we will assign you where it’s needed most). Please register for the VC training you are interested in below:

• Health VC training – Wednesday, May 10 at 9:30 am – Register here
• Education VC training – Wednesday, May 10 at 11:30 am – Register here
• Self-Sufficiency VC Training – Wednesday, May 10 at 2 pm – Register here
• Basic Needs VC training – Thursday, May 11 at 10 am – Register here
• Finance VC training – Tuesday, May 9 at 11:30 am – Register here

Then, based on your availability and interest, you will be responsible for reviewing funding applications for the agencies that apply under that pillar. Each application will probably take you about 2-3 hours to read and score. Please review the VC volunteer timeline below:

UWHC Grant Applications open May 22 – June 30: UWHC Will have email check-ins throughout the month to keep all VCs posted on the progress of the submitted applications

Between July 3 – 7: Completed applications will be sent to VCs for review

Between July 24 – August 4 – VCs will meet to discuss the applications that were reviewed and scored (application scored based on preset scoring criteria) (1-hour meeting)

Between August 1 –  25: VCs will conduct one-hour site visits of applicant agencies that have been reviewed.  At the site visit, you will have the opportunity to see investment dollars hard at work and ensure donated dollars are being spent efficiently.  Questions from the review of the application may be asked at site visits in order to decide which programs should receive funding and at what levels. You will also have the chance to re-score the application if needed.

Between September 5 – 15: VCs will meet in person with the UWHC Allocations Chair to make final funding recommendations to be brought to the UWHC Board of Directors meeting on September 21 for final approval (2-hour meeting)