United Way of Metropolitan Dallas received a $150,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. The Dallas-based nonprofit organization expects to fund two projects with the money to help southern Dallas nonprofits and bring resources to the local community.

“Together with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, we can drive lasting change for Dallas.”
Jennifer Sampson

United Way is a nonprofit dedicated to changes in health, income, and education to create a better community. Through these two programs, United Way plans to drive long-term sustainability for organizations addressing social factors impacting health, according to a statement.

“Together with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, we can drive lasting change for Dallas,” Jennifer Sampson, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ McDermott-Templeton president and CEO, said in a statement.

BCBSTX typically uses such funding to support community-based organizations statewide addressing social factors impacting health.

Support Dallas is United Way’s first project, which will test the practicality of bringing the Support KC model to Dallas. Support KC is a program created to address the common challenge for nonprofit organizations: the demand of mission fulfillment and business efficiency. Shared services like accounting and technology have been provided to smaller nonprofits through Support KC.

The Nonprofit Success Institute (NSI) program offered by United Way will be used to support grassroots organizations and nonprofits that provide services through education, networking, and project funding. Support Dallas is expected to work with the nonprofits that have completed the NSI program by allowing them to test identified services. United Way also plans to meet the needs of smaller nonprofits while examining the demand and payments for operational support.

“These newly-funded projects will customize support and services for our neighbors in our city’s southern sector, inspiring good health and equipping more North Texans with the tools they need to live and thrive united,” Sampson said.

The second project, Success Series, uses three years of experience to create a workshop series providing content and connection opportunities. The workshops will be hands-on sessions designed to offer immediate feedback and applicable insights.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and United Way “agree that education, income and health are the building blocks of a thriving community,” according to a statement. The Support Dallas and Success Series programs want to impact the North Texas community by addressing a need to consolidate sources for accounting, fundraising, and marketing in smaller nonprofits.

BCBSTX has a long history of partnering with like-minded organizations on community health initiatives that help local communities, families, and individuals. Dr. Dan McCoy, the president of BCBSTX, realizes the social impact that BCBSTX has.

“We also have a responsibility to be actively involved with helping to change the trajectory for Texans when it comes to community health and those social and environmental conditions that prevent people from having healthy lives,” McCoy said in a statement.