Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2008 / CYO adjusts as United Way winds down funding
CYO adjusts as United Way winds down funding
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 13, 2008
Detroit — The Catholic Youth Organization may be losing funding from the United Way of Southeastern Michigan, but it's the kind of transition the organization has seen before in its 75-year history, and it will survive, says executive director Suzanne Heath.
"It's a question of tightening the belt more," says Heath. "We've been tightening it ever since we started this process, and this is the last slot on the belt buckle."
The United Way — an organization that partners to collect funds and distribute them to and create grants for about 120 local agencies — over the past few years has been weaning several charities off of its support. Last year, the CYO received a total of more than $340,000 through the United Way. But after the United Way recently restructured its mission, it appears the days of that kind of funding are over.
While the CYO still will receive donations designated specifically for the organization — about $135,000 worth — it will lose the majority of the money granted by the United Way for specific CYO programs. This year, CYO will receive less than $40,000 from the organization as "transitional funding." After this year, however, it will only receive funds through the United Way that are specifically earmarked for CYO.
In all, it's a financial hit of around $200,000 worth of funding per year for the CYO.
"We intend to continue doing the work," Heath says. "We are going to have less people doing it — so we will need a whole lot more volunteers." Heath says the organization will cut five employees, three through attrition with two lay-offs. The CYO will retain its programming for youths, however — including summer camps, youth groups, sports programs, youth events, and scouting.
In addition to garnering more volunteers, Heath says the organization is hoping to find more funding from individual donors. The CYO has a fundraising team in place to meet that goal, and also employs a "Getting to Know CYO" program to teach parishes, schools, youth groups and families about CYO programming.
Despite the losses, Heath says the organization is optimistic about its future.
"We're confident that we can raise (the necessary funds)" she says, "and we're confident that we can be around for another 75 years."
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