United Way of Central New York announces which agencies get money for next three years

The United Way of Central New York hand delivered letters to 41 local nonprofits Friday, letting them know how much money, if any, they will get from the agency over the next three years.

Linda Wright, executive director of the Salvation Army, was thrilled to learn her human service agency’s annual allocation increased by nearly 19 percent.

“An increase in this environment is a blessing for sure,” she said.

But across town at Enable, an agency that services children and adults with disabilities, the letter contained bad news. The nonprofit will not get any United Way funding for the first time since the 1950s.

Sara Wall-Bollinger, the agency’s executive director, said the loss of United Way money July 1 comes on the heels of cuts in state funding. “It will mean we have to rethink programs,” she said.

The United Way announced it will provide $4.45 million annually for each of the next three years to 95 programs operated by 35 human service agencies.

Every three years the United Way starts out with a clean slate by inviting nonprofits that pass a fiscal and management review to apply for funding. There’s no guarantee agencies that have been funded in the past will continue to get United Way money. The funding decisions are based on recommendations by a team of United Way volunteers who analyze the agencies’ applications.

Agencies applied for about $9 million, twice as much as the United Way has to give.

“Right off the bat you were looking at very strong competition,” said M. Margaret Fabic, vice president for development at the United Way.

Nineteen of the agencies getting funding will see increases in their allocations July 1. Three agencies will get United Way funding for the first time. They include McMahon Ryan Advocacy Site, Women’s Opportunity Center and Hillside Work Scholarship Program.

In addition to Enable, three agencies that have received United Way funding in the past are being cut off. They are the Longhouse Council Boy Scouts of America, New Justice Conflict Resolution Services and Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York and Whole Me, two other agencies invited to apply for the first time, also were denied funding. (Whole Me is an after-school program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.)

Frank Lazarski, United Way president, said determining which programs to fund is a difficult process. “You are choosing among programs that are good, better and best,” he said.

The United Way is Onondaga County’s largest annual fundraising campaign, collecting nearly $8 million annually. Its agencies feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, help students at risk of dropping out of high school and provide many other humans services.

Catholic Charities and Salvation Army get the biggest allocations.

“The United Way is such an important part of making sure our service system to meet the most fragile folks in our community is successful,” said Linda Wright of the Salvation Army.

Original Article at syracuse.com