Partner with United Way to build systems that get families to the incomes they need. In January, United Way for Greater Austin hosted the Family-Sustaining Income Summit, where we highlighted a persistent challenge in how we design and implement economic mobility programs, systems, and initiatives in our area. The data we commonly use to inform upward mobility opportunities does not reflect what families actually need to be stable. Poverty measures, like Federal Poverty Level (FPL), are used to evaluate household needs and set eligibility for government and nonprofit assistance. A household income of 100% FPL defines households living in poverty and 200% FPL is classified as low-income. Most government and nonprofit support systems are designed to phase out around these household income levels. However, because the Greater Austin area has a higher cost of living than other parts of the country and because the FPL has not meaningfully changed in decades, FPL is greatly undercounting the number of households actually struggling to make ends meet. Poverty measures show us what households are potentially in crisis and eligible for public assistance programs, but not the entirety of households struggling to make ends meet. Family-sustaining income measures calculate the income families actually need to be able to pay their bills, send their children to high-quality child care, and save for emergencies. This is the income families need to be stable, and beyond that, to thrive. The ALICE dataset is a family-sustaining income measure used by United Way that makes visible the thousands […]
Read MoreHow a Travis County Grant Helped Bring Families and Pediatricians Into Early Childhood Planning
In 2023, United Way for Greater Austin received the Texas Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5), investing $484,500 over three years to strengthen early childhood support in Travis County. This report highlights what was accomplished and the foundation built to continue improving how families with young children access support in our community. Two key strategies guided this work: Creating a sustainable way for families to share their voices through the launch of United Way’s Family Advisory Council and a dedicated Family Engagement Coordinator to lead this effort. Bringing healthcare providers into early childhood conversations by establishing a Physician Champion role. Together, these efforts expanded the impact of the Success By 6 (SX6) Coalition, helping organizations collaborate more effectively to support families across the region. Centering Family Voices in Early Childhood Planning Funding supported the launch of the Success By 6 (SX6) Family Advisory Committee (FAC) and a new Family Engagement Coordinator role. This structure ensures parents and caregivers have a consistent voice in coalition planning and decision-making. “Having a dedicated person is the greatest need. You can’t do this work haphazardly,”— Dr. Nicole Cummings-Lewis FAC members were recruited through coalition partners including schools and community programs. Participants received stipends through United Way’s Community Compensation Plan, recognizing the value of parent and caregiver expertise and ensuring families could participate meaningfully in leadership discussions. Dr. Cummings-Lewis emphasized: “Compensation is non-negotiable.” The committee was also designed to reduce barriers to participation by providing: Translation services Childcare during meetings Through the FAC, parents […]
Read MoreInside the Parenting Students Project’s Life-Changing Supports
Program evaluation shows investing in whole-family success makes an impact Parenting students are nearly twice as likely to leave school for preventable reasons: lack of child care, conflicting course and work schedules, and even convenient transportation*. Today, 1 in 5 college students in the US are parents **. Without adequate support, they face higher risks of financial insecurity, reduced quality of life due to time constraints or “time poverty,” and discontinuing college courses. Over the last four years, The Parenting Students Project (PSP) pilot program provided comprehensive support for a group of these students. The program set out to improve academic outcomes and financial stability for the families. The results proved organization and institutional collaboration is a key combination: We partnered with Austin Community College to undergo this pilot program. We also partnered with Trellis Strategies to evaluate its impact. Trellis evaluated 91 students in the program and released their evaluation results in a report earlier this year. The report highlights the value and impact that the Parenting Students Project resources had on students. The resources included: $500 monthly stipend Peer networking/engagement Leadership and advocacy opportunities Academic counseling Other wrap-around services, such as child care stipends Read the Report Report Highlights: 88% of students who had ever participated in the PSP had either graduated or were still enrolled at ACC in Spring 2024, compared to 54% of parenting students who had never participated. 95% of students who participated in the PSP in a given term were retained into the following […]
Read MoreOur New Strategic Framework: Coalitions that confront economic inequality
Model Community meets quarterly to increase knowledge and collaboration among members, explore emerging topics through workgroups, provide participatory learning opportunities, and gather feedback for evaluation. United Way for Greater Austin advances our mission — bringing our community together to break economic barriers and build opportunity for all — using four strategies. One of those is coalitions. United Way envisions a Central Texas where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. And 2024 marks an important milestone for us: 100 years serving the community! As we reflect on a century of change and a legacy of impact, our new strategic plan harnesses the power of a collaborative community for lasting change for our next 100 years. Our new strategic plan reflects the urgency of addressing economic disparity. We focus on increasing the availability of high-quality early care and education and equitable access to pivotal resources to dismantle economic barriers in Central Texas. Our united front includes dedicated staff, donors, civic and private partners, and an engaged community. Together, we leverage our strategies of data, coalitions, services and support, and advocacy to transform Central Texas, responding to urgent needs with impactful solutions. Inspired by leadership and energy in our community, our grassroots coalitions ignite collective impact with community members and nonprofit partners. These alliances are the heartbeat of our mission, amplifying our efforts to confront economic challenges with unity and strength. Here are some of our impactful coalitions: Success By 6 Coalition: Creates opportunities for infants, toddlers, and young children to receive high-quality […]
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