Renfrew County United Way (RCUW) fulfills its role as a community builder by understanding and then responding to the needs of the communities it serves. Traditionally, as a federated fundraiser, the United Way has responded to community needs by directing funds to initiatives that address the symptoms of problems. This approach is no longer sufficient as community issues have become much more complex, requiring a more comprehensive approach. While the United Way will continue to invest in intervention and crisis management, it must become more proactive if lasting change is to be realized. As community needs become more complex, it is imperative that the United Way, in partnership with other community stakeholders, begin the task of identifying the root causes of issues.
 

Between 2005 and 2007, both the United Way/Centraide of the Upper Ottawa Valley Inc. and the Deep River District United Way took a major step forward in understanding the needs of communities in their respective areas of Renfrew County by participating in a United Ways of Ontario initiative called Community Matters.

The purpose of the initiative was to identify and prioritize the needs of local communities through public consultation. Community Matters, funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, was organized and delivered by a collaborative of 17 small, rural-based United Way regions in Ontario.

A number of public interactions were undertaken, including facilitated workshops with key community leaders and town hall meetings throughout the County. These face-to-face interactions were followed by a survey to give the public-at-large an opportunity for additional input into the process. Project Reports containing the results were prepared and widely distributed.

The Community Matters Initiative resulted in the identification of a number of high priority community needs and issues that were condensed into six strategic priority areas:

Initiatives are underway to further define these strategic priorities. Partnerships with interested stakeholders will be formed to begin addressing the needs and issues within each of the priority areas.

Input from the Community Matters consultations also serves as a solid base for RCUW funding decisions.