United Way’s Social Impact Accelerator

Fast-tracking solutions to expand equity, access, and opportunity.

“There is power and promise in partnering with our neighbors as we tackle the complex challenges of our time. Leading this new enterprise is an honor as United Way enters its next 100 years of service and elevates its commitment to accelerating community solutions.”

– Laura Johnson, Senior Vice President & Chief Acceleration Officer

The Social Impact Accelerator supports community leaders, neighbors, nonprofits, and businesses striving to make our communities safer, healthier, and stronger.

We spark new ways to tackle complex issues in housing, health, education, and economic stability and mobility by sharing the latest research, data, practices, and tools to fuel your good ideas.

United with community partners and change agents, we can develop and advance effective strategies and solutions to help you drive social change.

The Social Impact Accelerator is a United Way of Central Maryland enterprise focused on developing and fast-tracking initiatives that strengthen our neighborhoods in partnership with local businesses, community members, and organizations.

Accelerated Impact

Fast-Tracking Solutions

SIA was designed to build on United Way’s existing expertise, allowing us to more effectively share best practices, bring new projects to scale more efficiently, and design bigger-picture solutions that target systemic issues rather than their symptoms. We know that impact can be accelerated: A recent and profound example was the international response to COVID, which saw hundreds of organizations spring into action to develop and distribute a vaccine, respond to eviction and unemployment concerns, and more.
One of the clearest examples at United Way has been the rapid expansion of our Family Centers program, which provides in-school support for young parents. Having demonstrated the immense effect of our centers on the graduation rates of participating students, we established new centers in additional, high-need neighborhoods. This type of accelerated impact arises from a combination of extensive knowledge, robust resources, and strategic partnerships.

Building & Boosting Initiatives

Innovation for Good

We work with a wide variety of change agents—from grassroots community organizers to like-minded nonprofits—to help deliver exceptional programs with unmatched impact. This takes many forms: Sometimes people come to us with a great idea that they need our help to bring to life. Sometimes we work to support existing initiatives, determining how they can be strengthened and streamlined to best serve those in need. And sometimes we’re the glue connecting organizations so that they can learn from one another in a mutually beneficial partnership.
Across every engagement, we apply United Way’s unique strengths: an impressive breadth of knowledge about what our communities need; research-backed and evidence-based strategies for confronting housing, employment, education, and health challenges; and the confidence that comes with nearly a century of service to Baltimore and beyond.

Public Advocacy

Speaking Up for What’s Right

As a service that is both integrated with our current efforts and deeply focused on the future, the Social Impact Accelerator has powerful insight into the challenges facing Baltimore and surrounding counties. From our 211 Helpline call data to our ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Reports and tools, we have an impressive knowledge base that lawmakers and community leaders rely on to inform their decisions. By testing novel approaches, fostering new connections, and always tracking our impact, we are a go-to hub for research, policy, and practice.
This knowledge can be used to help shape common-sense public policy that addresses the fundamental causes of the issues we encounter every day, from homelessness to food insecurity. By taking a proactive stance, we can anticipate challenges before they arise and support lasting, positive change through public policy.

Knowledge Sharing

Spreading the Word

Across the region, there are dozens of organizations focused on the issues closest to our hearts, such as housing, health, economic stability and mobility, and education. The Social Impact Accelerator can support and connect these organizations by sharing skills and knowledge that will help ensure collective success.
We have nearly 100 years of experience serving the region and access to the best practices and resources of 1,100 other United Way organizations around the globe. We also bring the experience of both funding other organizations and providing direct service ourselves, as well as a research enterprise for tracking our impact and improving course as necessary. We can share this wealth of knowledge with our communities to co-create solutions that are effective, efficient, and enduring.

Services & Options: Helping You Make a Difference

The Social Impact Accelerator has a wealth of knowledge and resources that help our partners drive positive change. We offer a range of services geared toward everyone from individuals to community organizations to private corporations, including:

Advocacy for those living as ALICE

Research and data analysis

Capacity building for change agents

Community building and partnerships

Theory of change and logic models

CSR and volunteer engagement

Program design and evaluation

Brand building and storytelling

The Social Impact Accelerator is here to help.

We can help you leverage nearly a century of United Way’s work in community service and our deep understanding of the issues our neighbors face. Together, we can strengthen more communities—and more lives.

To learn more, contact us!

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