Selection Criteria
The United Way Social Innovation Accelerator uses several criteria to evaluate applications and assess the strength of the applicants, their organizations and ideas. Here are the main components of assessment:
Applicant
Resilience & Adaptability
Applicant has demonstrated leadership potential and ability to overcome obstacles.
Leadership and Coachability
Applicant has strong leadership skills and experience, actively welcomes feedback, and responds positively to coaching.
History of Success
Applicant has a history of successful personal and professional endeavors.
Representation
Leadership team, staff, and board are diverse and representative of the community and populations being served.
Organization & Idea
Innovation and Impact
Organization is innovative and has a novel solution that is more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than current solutions.
Sound Business Model
Organization has a clear and compelling mission and objectives. Additionally, organization has well-thought out approaches to program development and delivery, measuring success, raising money, operational and financial plan, and other key factors critical to sustaining success.
Organizational Sustainability
Organization has the people, policies, and practices in place to ensure continued financial and programmatic success.
Social Innovation Accelerator Alignment
Organization’s participation would significantly accelerate their growth and they would benefit from the financial capital, human capital, and social capital.
Equity
Serving Priority ZIP Codes
Organization is based in and operating in ZIP codes that are a priority focus for United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.
Serving Historically Marginalized Populations and Communities
Organization has a clear focus on serving populations and communities that have been historically marginalized and that continue to be marginalized today.
Representation
Organization has policies, practices, and protocols that ensure a focus on diversity, equity, and representation internally and in organizational activities.