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

Applicant has demonstrated leadership potential and ability to overcome obstacles.

Applicant has strong leadership skills and experience, actively welcomes feedback, and responds positively to coaching.

Applicant has a history of successful personal and professional endeavors.

Leadership team, staff, and board are diverse and representative of the community and populations being served.
Organization & Idea

Organization is innovative and has a novel solution that is more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than current solutions.

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.

Organization has the people, policies, and practices in place to ensure continued financial and programmatic success.

Organization’s participation would significantly accelerate their growth and they would benefit from the financial capital, human capital, and social capital.
Equity

Organization is based in and operating in ZIP codes that are a priority focus for United Way of Metropolitan Dallas.

Organization has a clear focus on serving populations and communities that have been historically marginalized and that continue to be marginalized today.

Organization has policies, practices, and protocols that ensure a focus on diversity, equity, and representation internally and in organizational activities.
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