AUW responds to First Hawaiian's survey of member agencies

After releasing a summary of a survey of Aloha United Way agencies by Omnitrak Group commissioned by First Hawaiian Bank, AUW contacted HANO to respond to the largely negative findings of that research. "While we have certainly learned from and understand the concerns expressed by our partners in the agency survey," AUW President Susan Doyle said, "we note with interest that almost half of the responding agencies favor the change that AUW is undertaking."

She said the survey showed many member agencies continue to value services like the 211 information and referral service and the annual fundraising campaign.

According to a story in the Friday, June 8, Pacific Business News the 2006 AUW campaign raised $6 million less than the record $19.9 million raised in 2005. Norm Baker, AUW vice president for Community Building, told HANO this was an error. While the 2005 amount cited included funds from the Combined Federal Campaign, the 2006 figure did not, he said. Actual total revenues for 2006 were $20,076,606, he said.

As to the Omnitrak member survey, "while the agencies were being surveyed," Baker said, "AUW was also conducting our annual public opinion poll."

Citing that poll, Doyle said, "The community supports the changes we are proposing and feels that Aloha United Way is on the correct path towards addressing community issues. We also believe that the survey reflected several misperceptions that have subsequently been corrected through a series of meetings with many of the agencies."

Doyle's written statement said, “For the past 15 years, Aloha United Way’s campaign has been flat. As a result, we did what any other business would do and that is to re-assess our current organization with the intention of raising the level of our overall campaign and ultimately improving our results for the community. The primary nature of the change that AUW is going through is to focus our allocation of dollars primarily on four key issue areas – homelessness, early childhood development, crime and drug use and family and individual self sufficiency."

Doyle acknowledged the push-back from member nonprofts. "The proposed way in which these allocations will be made has been the subject of much discussion. Through a series of ongoing meetings with our stakeholders, community input and research, we believe that we have developed an improved product going forward that is intended to better balance the diverse needs of all and broaden our reach into the community."

Baker provided some of the findings from AUW's public opinion poll. "I have selected a few indicators from that survey," he said, "that represent another set of stakeholder’s views of the change we are going through." Those highlights:

• 58 percent of respondents are likely to use 211, and 78 percent are likely to recommend the program to someone in need. 45,000 people used the service in 2006, who received more than 50,000 referrals.
• Awareness of Aloha United Way is the highest of Hawaii charitable organizations, tying with The Salvation Army.
• Eight in ten have a favorable opinion of AUW and are more likely to have a great deal of confidence in AUW to do a good job than charitable organizations in general.
• Six in ten respondents describe AUW as an effective leader in community impact.
• Important criteria for deciding to contribute or volunteer are: AUW makes sure money is well spent; AUW gets visible results in the community; AUW brings community together for pressing problems.
• Nine in ten feel it is important for United Way to develop a program to help working families.
• Three quarters of respondents report awareness of at least one of AUW’s key issues and feel it is important that charities address these issues.
• Respondents place traffic and AUW’s four issues at the top of their list of issues affecting the community.
• Six in ten respondents are aware they can designate through AUW. A third say this makes them likely to donate more to United Way.
• Nearly 60 percent of respondents say their company’s support of United Way makes them feel good about their company.
• Three in ten would be more inclined to work for a company, buy a product/service from a company and/or invest in a company that supports AUW.

The poll was conducted by Delta Market Research Inc, under a contract with United Way of America, Baker said. The survey was based on 500 telephone interviews between Jan. 27 and Feb. 12, 2007 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

"While change is exciting," Doyle said, "we also recognize that it can be difficult as well, so we have included a multi-year transition plan for a small percentage of current partner agencies that will be impacted by these changes." The transition will be complete in 2011, Doyle said.

"At that time, AUW will be positioned to better direct our community investment through our partners and also be able to extend our reach by enabling additional health and human service agencies the opportunity to become partner agencies in our issue areas, thus enhancing our efforts to improve lives in Hawaii," she said.