YEAR ONE: Reflections from my Role as Director of Donor & Community Engagement

A little over a year ago, I stepped into the Director of Donor & Community Engagement role with excitement, curiosity, and a deep respect for the work United Way of Southeastern Idaho does in our community. Now, after experiencing a full campaign cycle, I find myself reflecting on what this role has come to mean to me and the impact that happens when people, purpose, and partnership come together.

At its core, donor and community engagement is about relationships. That belief shaped the campaign theme I had the opportunity to help carry forward, Power in Partnerships. This reflects what I saw repeatedly: meaningful change happens when businesses, employees, nonprofits, and community members unite around shared goals. In my role, I’ve seen how United Way serves as a connector—bringing people and organizations together in ways that strengthen our entire community.

Over the past year, witnessing those connections in action have been both inspiring and humbling.

One of the biggest surprises for me was experiencing the depth of donor’s engagement. From first-time donors to long-time supporters, from volunteers to direct-service nonprofits, and from labor workforce to c-suite leaders—the common thread was a genuine desire to understand. Throughout presentations and conversations, I was met with thoughtful questions and sincere curiosity. People didn’t just want to give; they wanted to know how their support creates impact, how challenges are interconnected, and how United Way turns advocacy, grants, fundraising, and programming into meaningful outcomes for families in Southeastern Idaho. That level of curiosity has stayed with me. It reinforced how important transparency, education, and authentic connection are, and reminded me how deeply our community cares about long-term change.

Another ah-ha! moment was the level of commitment I’ve seen from our corporate partners, the depth of their involvement. This ranges from employee engagement to leadership support and a sincere desire to be part of solutions, from campaign preparation and community action to volunteering, connecting employees with resources, and building an understanding of UWSEI within their workplaces. I’ve seen firsthand how this looks different for each corporate partner, and I’m deeply grateful for the time, energy, and generosity they invest through their campaigns to make a lasting difference in our community.

Experiencing a full campaign cycle (planning to engagement to impact) has also given me a deeper appreciation for how comprehensive United Way’s work truly is. I’ve learned that our role goes far beyond a common name or fundraising. It includes advocacy, strategic grantmaking, community programming, and building connections that strengthen the entire nonprofit ecosystem. At the center of this work is ALICE (Asset Limited. Income Constrained. Employed.), friends and neighbors who despite working hard, still struggle to afford necessities. For me, understanding ALICE isn’t reading the data. It’s recognizing coworkers, neighbors, friends, and family members who are one unexpected expense away from instability. Being part of an organization that lifts these realities while working toward sustainable solutions is something I’ve grown deeply proud of this year.

As I look ahead, I’m excited to expand our reach and engage with even more people across our footprint—individuals, businesses, and community partners who want to be part of creating lasting change. I see real opportunity in continuing to build powerful partnerships throughout Southeastern Idaho. On a personal level, this year has reaffirmed why relationship-based work matters to me. It’s shown that the power of listening, collaboration, and shared responsibility can drive stronger solutions when we choose to come together.

I’m incredibly grateful to our donors, corporate partners, volunteers, nonprofit partners, community members, and coworkers who make this work possible. Thank you for your trust, your engagement, and your belief in what we can accomplish together.

As we move forward, I invite you to stay connected, learn more, ask questions, and be part of the partnerships that strengthen our community every day.