Accelerating Impact: An Update on Aspire United 2030 and Our New Century Project

On Oct. 2, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas welcomed change-makers from across our region for a very special event: the Aspire United 2030 Annual Investors Meeting and Data Capacity Building Initiative Kickoff.  

The event highlighted our key initiatives and ongoing efforts to address systemic challenges in North Texas, offering corporate and philanthropic leaders a glimpse into the powerful collaborations shaping the future of the region. As we reach the midpoint of our 10-year Aspire United 2030 goals, while also marching toward our Centennial celebration, the gathering explored both our progress and our plans for the future. 

In preparation for the centennial, we debuted our Century Project, the United Way Data Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI), our newest collaborative tool for community impact. This exciting partnership with Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI)—which was featured in The Dallas Morning News on Oct. 4—will have a multiplier effect on our programs, partner initiatives and our collective impact. 

“This initiative is about democratizing data—putting powerful analytical tools in the hands of those who are closest to our community’s challenges and combining the data science with structured capacity building, technical assistance and ongoing support,” said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. 

Read on to learn key takeaways from the event, including progress toward our Aspire United 2030 goals, details of the DCBI and who is included in the first program cohort. 

A Warm Welcome from Our Investors and Supporters 

The event kicked off with the co-chairs of the United Way Centennial Foundation Advisors Council, Katie Robbins, president and CEO of the Hoblitzelle Foundation, and Andy Smith, executive director of the Texas Instruments Foundation and director of giving and volunteering at Texas Instruments.  

Next, Pia Orrenius, vice president and senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, delivered a high-level overview of North Texas’ economic conditions and how they impact our focus areas of education, income and health.  She explained that Texas lags other states in several key measures, despite our economic progress. For example, the Lone Star State is the worst in the nation when it comes to our share of uninsured people. Meanwhile, the state’s poverty rate exceeds the national average. 

Orrenius highlighted the Dallas Fed’s community development work and partnership with United Way, and discussed the importance of using data to inform and drive community investments and programs.  

“Keeping up with growth also means keeping up with a lot of changing needs,” Orrenius said. “The only way you’re going to keep up with the Texas economy and the needs of our Texas residents and Texas families is to have that data.”  

A Century of Impact, A Bold Future Ahead 

Next, Sampson reflected on United Way’s century-long legacy of impact as we prepare to celebrate our Centennial anniversary. 

She also delivered an update on the Aspire United 2030 goals, which include:  

• Increasing by 50% the number of third graders reading on grade level 

• Increasing by 20% the number of young adults earning a living wage 

• Ensuring that 96% of North Texans have access to affordable healthcare coverage 

“These pillars form the foundation for a thriving, equitable North Texas, and they guide every investment, partnership and program we undertake,” she explained. “Our goals are ambitious, but so is this community.” 

Sampson emphasized that our three pillars—education, income and health—are deeply interconnected.  

“A child who receives quality early healthcare is more likely to succeed in school,” she said. “Reading proficiency by third grade is a critical predictor of high school graduation and future earning potential. And financial stability leads to better health outcomes. That’s why our work touches on all these areas—because the future of our community depends on it.” 

Sampson reported that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, United Way and our partners have made significant strides in our goals:  

• Education: Since 2020, we’ve already achieved a 15% increase in the number of third graders reading on grade level. To stay on track, we must drive a 3% annual increase each year through 2030.  

• Income: Since 2020, we’ve increased the percentage of young adults earning a living wage to 71%, and we are laser-focused on achieving a 2% annual increase to meet our goal. 

• Health: Currently 83% of North Texans have healthcare coverage. To achieve our goal of 96% coverage, we need an annual increase of 2%. 

Sampson then invited more organizations to join the DCBI. “We are looking forward. We want to ensure that our second century is even more impactful than our first,” she said. “We are leveraging data to architect our future. And with your partnership and support, I’m confident that we can drive greater impact in our second century and that we can make North Texas a place where everyone, no matter their background or their circumstances, has the access and opportunity to thrive.” 

The DCBI Will Drive Greater Community Impact 

One of the event’s most exciting announcements was the launch of the Data Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI), a collaboration between United Way and the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI). Katie Robbins and Andy Smith explained how this initiative will empower more than 200 local nonprofits by providing them with essential data and tools to drive measurable outcomes in their communities. 

DCBI will have a multiplier effect on United Way programs, partnerships and impact. The DCBI leverages the Aspire United Community Vulnerability Compass (CVC), which provides hyper-local, micro-level data on education, income and health and enables us to pinpoint areas of greatest need, fine-tune our initiatives and investments, and closely track progress toward our goals. 

“Data transforms abstract challenges into actionable insights. It’s really the difference between hoping for change and strategically driving it,” Sampson said.  

As the Dallas Morning News article pointed out, the initiative will allow our community partners to visualize community vulnerability by block groups across dozens of clinical and socioeconomic indicators, including average income and education attainment. They will then leverage that data to drive more impact and advance greater equity across Dallas, Rockwall, Collin and southern Denton counties. 

The event illustrated how CVC will be a game-changer for nonprofits. This tool uniquely allows community leaders to visualize strengths and vulnerabilities, identify service gaps and advocate for targeted interventions. As an example, Texas Instruments, the Hoblitzelle Foundation and United Way are using the CVC to support the revitalization of the Hamilton Park neighborhood—Dallas’ first planned Black neighborhood. Smith described how this data-driven approach is helping guide meaningful community discussions and investments aimed at reducing disparities and building a brighter future. 

Sampson explained that for many community organizations, especially smaller ones, accessing and analyzing data is a significant barrier.  

“Data is crucial—it enables accountability, performance measurement and strategic planning. Without it, many nonprofits struggle to meet the growing demands of the communities they serve,” she said. “Our DCBI initiative aims to fill this gap by equipping nonprofits with the capacity to drive results and amplify impact where it’s needed most. In essence, data is our compass, guiding us from good intentions to measurable impact.” 

The DCBI, and our partnership with PCCI, is one key to accelerating progress toward our Aspire United 2030 goals and fueling our next century of impact. This initiative is just one way we are leaning into our data-driven community impact strategy by expanding our use of local data to develop collective solutions for our community. 

A Look Inside the DCBI 

Steve Miff, the CEO of PCCI, provided an overview of the organization’s work, the Community Vulnerability Compass and their partnership with United Way.  

“I believe through the partnership with United Way and all of you, this truly has the opportunity to be game changing,” he said. “It’s this combination of the right data that’s credible, reliable, actionable, with the ability to use that together with our partners and learn how to apply it, that I believe has the potential to really change not only our community, but also be a beacon for how this can be done in other parts of the country.” 

Then, Lance Rather, senior director of product and strategic partnerships at PCCI, gave a compelling live demonstration of the CVC, providing attendees with a first-hand look at how this innovative tool will shape future investments and nonprofit initiatives. He shared how the insights gathered from data will allow for more strategic interventions, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive necessary resources. He also gave a high-level overview of DCBI sessions and how cohort members will work together over the course of the program. 

Introducing the First DCBI Cohort  

Next, Sampson and Miff announced the first cohort of the DCBI, 10 hardworking mission-driven organizations that will leverage the Community Vulnerability Compass, and the support of United Way and PCCI, to amplify their impact on education, income and health in our community: 

• Charnella Derry, Beacon Hill Preparatory Institute  

• Tara Robinson, Black Heart Association  

• Karen Tan, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas  

• Adam Powell, Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region  

• Tammy Johnson, Empowering the Masses, Inc.  

• Sarah Nejdl, Families to Freedom Inc.  

• Elizabeth Henneke, Lone Star Justice Alliance  

• Richard Miles, Miles of Freedom  

• Bianca Davis, New Friends New Life – Amy’s Friends  

• Sherri Mixon, T.R. Hoover Community Development Corporation  

• Florencia Velasco Fortner, The Concilio  

• Chris Quadri, Youth With Faces – Youth Village Resources of Dallas, Inc.  

Thank You to Our Dedicated Partners 

Thank you to everyone who attended the Aspire United 2030 Annual Investors Meeting and the kickoff for our Century Project, the Data Capacity Building Initiative.  

A special thanks to the co-chairs and members of the United Way Centennial Foundation Advisors Council:  

• Katie Robbins, president and CEO of the Hoblitzelle Foundation – Co-chair 

• Andy Smith, executive director of the Texas Instruments Foundation and director of giving and volunteering at Texas Instruments – Co-chair  

• Mary McDermott Cook and Grace Cook, The Eugene McDermott Foundation  

• Charles Glover, The Meadows Foundation  

• Ben Leal, The Addy Foundation  

• Deedie Rose, The Rose Family Foundation  

And thank you to our speakers and partners who helped to make the event a success, including:  

• Antonio Carrillo, president and CEO, Arcosa, 2024-2025 United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Board Chair  

• Pia Orrenuis, vice president and senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas 

• Steve Miff, CEO, PCCI 

• Lance Rather, senior director of product and strategic partnerships at PCCI 

Invest in Our Data-Driven Community Impact Work 

As United Way enters its second century, the path forward is clear: We must continue building strong partnerships and leveraging innovative tools to create lasting, transformational change in North Texas.  

We’re grateful to the sponsors of the Data Capacity Building Initiative: 

• The Addy Foundation 

• Hoblitzelle Foundation 

• The Rose Family Foundation 

• The Meadows Foundation 

• The Eugene McDermott Foundation 

• Texas Instruments 

We invite you to join these forward-thinking organizations and invest in our Century Project, the Data Capacity Building Initiative. Together, we can expand our proven, data-driven community impact strategy and our use of local data to develop collective solutions for our community.  

Click here to invest today. For more information, contact Susan Hoff at shoff@unitedwaydallas.org.