United Way of the Capital Area's Affirmation of Non-discrimination with Respect to Funding of Programs

United Way of the Capital Area, as stated in the vision statement for our community and organization, values people and recognizes the strength in their diversity.

To that end, United Way of the Capital Area shall not discriminate, or fund programs that discriminate, in the provision of services, employment practices or engagement of volunteers on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, familial status, national origin, ancestry, sex, mental retardation, mental disability, learning disability, lawful source of income, sexual orientation or physical disability, including but not limited to, blindness or deafness.

United Way of the Capital Area requires every agency seeking support from undesignated donor contributions through the annual Community Campaign to provide a written nondiscrimination policy which affirms that the program does not practice discrimination in employment practices, provision of services or volunteer service based on the criteria specified above.

Policy Implementation

• Implementation of this policy will be effective with the allocation of the undesignated funds raised in the 2002 United Way Community Campaign. Agencies applying for funding through the 2002 Campaign, would need to provide a written nondiscrimination statement by April 30, 2002 to qualify.

• United Way of the Capital Area recognizes that there is a difference between prohibited discrimination and targeted services in program delivery. Discrimination prevents individuals (who would be eligible for the offered service) from receiving service due to some predetermined group characteristic (such as a senior center that refuses service to a couple because of their religion, or a child care center refusing to serve a toddler based on race.) Targeted services empower otherwise disadvantaged individuals and are intended to meet the particular social service needs of a population (such as a senior center for senior citizens or child care for infants to five years of age.)

• With regard to employment practices and engagement of volunteers, an agency cannot discriminate in their practices by refusing a qualified candidate for either a paid or volunteer position because of a predetermined group characteristic (see above).