Page 1 of 4

Application #2 of 2 /

RossSchool of Business at

the University of Michigan

Community Consulting Club

2005-2006Project Client Application
Please submit by: July 29, 2005
GENERAL INFORMATION

Name of Organization:

/ Washtenaw United Way

Address:

/ 2305 Platt Road
Address (cont’d):
City: Ann Arbor / State: Michigan / Zip Code: 48104
Phone:734.971.8200 / Fax: (734) 971.6230 / Email Address:
Organization Website Address:
Name of Primary Project Liaison: Sandy Rupp
Title/Position: President
Phone: (734) 971.8200 / Fax: (734) 971.6230 / E-mail Address:
Please describe your agency’s current stage of development (select one):
Start-up Undergoing transition
Growth Crisis
Established
MISSION AND SERVICES
Please check the category that best describes your organization’s mission:
Arts/Culture/Humanities / Human/Social Services
Health / Social Justice
Environment / Other (please describe)
Please provide your organization’s mission statement below (or attach).
To serve our communities by generating and allocating resources in WashtenawCounty necessary to help individuals and families build better lives and stronger communities.
Please provide a brief history and/or overview of your organization’s work and goals.
Washtenaw United Way has funded health and human services to the residents of WashtenawCounty for over 80 years. An annual campaign provides dollars to be distributed to 35 agencies in addition to designated gifts.
Please describe the programs or services within your organization.
The primary service provided is the funding of our 35 agencies as well as the processing of designations to other non-profits. Community needs are identified and a plan established to meet these needs.
CONSULTING PROJECT
Please check the category or categories that best describes the type of project:
Strategy / Finance
Business Development / Organizational Change
Marketing / Other ______
Please describe the project that a Community Consulting Club team of 4-6 students could complete for your organization in approximately 10-12 weeks.
To establish a marketing plan to include fund development, print and electronic media, and collateral materials.
Our United Way is one of over 1400 in America. The United Way of America provides marketing support in the areas of advertising (e.g., the National Football League spots that appear on NFL telecasts during the season), support materials (e.g., a generic campaign film annually) and suggested marketing plans.
We currently advertise in The Ann Arbor News and the Ann Arbor Observer as well as some community weeklies (Milan, Saline, et al). We produce our campaign materials in-house, including a campaign brochure, agency directory and pledge cards.
Marketing also oversees events including our Day of Caring/Campaign Kickoff, a victory event, an annual meeting, and major donor receptions.
Volunteer committees are in place for events and for overall marketing support.
We also work with organizations (Pfizer, UM, Visteon, et al) in the development of marketing approaches tailored to their organizations.
Two staff members are assigned to work the marketing area full-time.
Our marketing program needs a review to determine its efficiency, relevance and cost effectiveness.
Please list the organization’s goals for the project.
Our primary goal, as it is with any fund raising organization, is to grow the amount of dollars we raise for the betterment of our 34 health and human service agencies. We need to determine the relevance of our marketing function and its role in meeting our overall objective.
Are the two staff members, assigned to marketing, heading in the right direction? Are they properly deployed? Are the advertising, print materials, and donor relations programs effective? Are we maximizing the benefits available from United Way of America? How can we improve donor relations? Our community’s (WashtenawCounty) perception of the effectiveness and relevancy of our organization – how can it be improved? How effective is the interaction between marketing and the campaign organization?
Please provide any additional background information about the project that would be helpful to the consulting team. Attach additional documents as needed.
Our annual campaign has stayed at about the same level for the past few years. There is a need to grow the campaign to meet the health and human services needs of WashtenawCounty.

Thank you for your participation! Please feel free to attach any materials you think would be helpful.

Please submit this application via email to and . If you prefer to submit via U.S. Postal Service, please email or call either of us for postal mailing instructions. Deadline: July 29, 2005.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Mindee ElamJohn McKeown

Vice President – Business DevelopmentVice President – Business Development

(734) 674-4069(734) 277-5764

Submitted by:

John Eman

(734) 677.7202