At United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, we believe meaningful change begins with a clear understanding of our purpose, our values, and how we work alongside others to build a stronger community.
That’s why we’ve taken the time to define what drives us. These phrases aren’t just statements—they’re the foundation of every decision we make, every partnership we form, and every action we take to support the people of Buncombe County.
VISION: A united and resilient community where everyone belongs and everyone thrives.
MISSION: We bring people, partners, and resources together to improve lives and tackle our community's toughest challenges.
IMPACT AREAS: Youth Opportunity | Community Resiliency
Approved in 2023 by our full board of directors, the 23-25 Strategic Plan is an extension of our 21-23 plan and makes clear that aligning our work in support of United for Youth and the Bold Community Goal, as well as our community school strategy now serve as our main focus.
What factors went into this decision?
We know that thriving and belonging in today’s society requires a high-quality education and that graduating from high school ready for college and/or a career is a powerful predictor of future economic and health outcomes.
We also know that academic success is too often undermined by issues related to hunger, homelessness, interpersonal violence, poor health conditions, and other social problems.
We believe that these factors often referred to as the “social determinants of health,” are also powerful determinants of education. As such, we must acknowledge that the "opportunity gap” isn’t just an indicator of a problem within our schools, it is an indicator of a host of problems throughout our community. And because so many of these problems are embedded in inequitable systems, addressing them requires an equity-centered, systems-oriented approach.
View and download the 2023-25 Strategic Plan here
A Bold Community Goal and the United for Youth
At the center of the plan, you will see a reference to the "Bold Community Goal". This goal was crafted and adopted in February 2021 by the nearly 150 youth, school, and community partners (including Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools) that make up United for Youth, the Cross-Sector Leadership Team, and our own Board of Directors.
The goal will be supported over time by a number of important projects but at the core, our community is committing to align and leverage community resources as a Network and improve systems for equitable student learning and educational excellence. Accountability is central to this framework, and all involved are agreeing to support one another and hold one another accountable through continuous learning and course corrections along our path towards our shared vision, mission, and bold community goal.
From the partnership agreement
"United for Youth is a multigenerational, cross-sector, cradle to career partnership built on the foundational principle that Equity and Educational Excellence are Inseparable.”
Together, with youth and family leadership, we work to ensure educational outcomes are determined by the high quality of our schools and partner organizations, the abundance and accessibility of opportunities in our community, the strength of our collaborations, and never again predictable based on a student’s race, home language, family income, or any other dimension of identity.
- United for Youth Vision | ALL children and youth learn, grow, and thrive in a vibrant, healthy, and connected community.
- United for Youth Mission | To actively identify and remove barriers to opportunity and co-create solutions that support student success.
- Our Goal | By 2035, ALL Asheville City and Buncombe County students graduate from high school ready and fully prepared to pursue their goals and dreams.
We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. We know that only by working together, using data-informed strategies, and connecting to the collective wisdom of our entire community, can we tackle tough problems, create opportunities for all, and move closer to our vision of a united and resilient community where everyone belongs and everyone thrives.
We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. Because of this, the staff and board of United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County commit to:
- Recognize the many ways inequity, particularly racial inequity, takes form both historically and today;
- Name the structures that uphold injustice and work to eliminate these barriers to inclusion and equity from our own work and in our community;
- Build the relationships needed to do this work and, with humility, join community efforts and invite others to join us; and
- Actively honor, engage and embrace diversity with the core belief that it will strengthen our systems, partnerships, and community.
How we show up in our community is just as important as what we do. These Guiding Principles will serve as an outward-facing promise and an inward-facing set of standards for all board, staff, and volunteers.
Accountability Driven: Earn community trust through dependability, transparency, & a commitment to achieving results
Equity at the Center: Recognize & challenge narratives, norms, & power structures that prevent all people from belonging & thriving
Courageous Leadership: Live out our Vision, Mission, & Guiding Principles with empathy & compassion, even when difficult or unpopular
Collective Wisdom: Ensure that our work is guided by community expertise, including the lived experience of people most impacted by poverty & injustice
Embracing Change: Continuously learn, innovate, & evolve to confront emerging challenges & opportunities