The United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Board of Directors has approved a $60.1 million donation package for metro Atlanta community programs in 1999-2000, including $248,249 for 12 Fayette programs.

Of the total, $49.2 million, or 82 percent, is targeted at United Way's plan for building community safety. United Way volunteers have committed to supporting organizations working to make measurable change in five key areas, including nurturing children and youth, strengthening families, increasing economic self-sufficiency, encouraging citizen involvement and meeting basic needs. Beginning July 1, funds will be invested in 367 programs provided by 199 organizations, including 70 groups never before supported by United Way.

The package represents the largest donor giving ever to the United Way Community Fund in metro Atlanta, and is the largest unrestricted fund for community of any United Way in the nation. Volunteer experts monitor program performance and invest community fund dollars where United Way board members believe they can do the most good, both locally and regionally, said a spokesman.

An additional $10.9 million was designated by donors for specific agencies.

Twelve Fayette county-based programs received grants totaling $248,249. Fayette County residents also benefit from 129 regional programs, supported at more than $28 million.

“This community clearly said that it wanted to work through United Way to get at the root causes of neighborhood crime and violence,” said Tom Smith, United Way board chairman and general manager, small and medium business, IBM Corporation North America.

“More than ever, United Way's investments have a clear goal in mind, as well as specific measures of success,” he said.

In a United Way survey, the majority of more than 34,000 local respondents selected neighborhood safety as the most important issue they wanted United Way to help them address. Local experts identified children, families, economic self-sufficiency and citizen involvement as key drivers of a stronger, safer community. United Way also will continue to donate to programs that work to meet basic human needs in the region, said Smith.

In addition to the $60.1 million package, United Way will spend $5.4 million on fund-raising and administrative costs (8 percent of the total campaign). It estimates that another 8 percent of the record $70.8 million pledged in 1998, or $5.2 million, will go unpaid.

For the first time ever, nonprofits from across metro Atlanta had the opportunity to respond to a request for proposals. Panels of volunteer experts in each county and at the regional level conducted site visits and evaluated each proposal in terms of measurable results in the five key areas.

New grantees include traditional agencies, as well as grass roots, neighborhood- and school-based initiatives. “It was important that decisions be made at the local level, where volunteers know best whatís working,” Smith said.

This year, United Way also asked organizations to identify non-financial resources needed to reach program goals, including volunteers, public policy support and gifts-in-kind. During the next year United Way will launch a campaign to generate non-financial resources. Throughout the year, citizens can dial United Way 211 to volunteer or donate items, such as computers, clothing and vehicles.

United Way is the largest non-governmental funder of health and human services in the area, helping one of every five people in Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties.

For a complete list of grantees, visit United Way's website at HYPERLINK http://www.unitedwayatl.org or contact United Way by dialing 211 (or 404-614-1000 outside of metro Atlanta).

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