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United Way tells council LEAD Center is growing but offices remain largely vacant; promises one-year metrics
Summary
United Way leaders told Pueblo City Council the LEAD Center has filled 4 of 13 offices and reached hundreds of nonprofit leaders through workshops and outreach, and pledged a one-year metrics report as they seek to increase utilization and program impact.
Shanna Farmer, president and CEO of United Way (as introduced to the council), and Michael Mazurvey, the LEAD Center manager, briefed the Pueblo City Council on the nonprofit support hub they launched after acquiring a building with ARPA funds.
Farmer said the project began with an ARPA-funded application process in 2021, funds were awarded in 2023 and United Way moved into the building in early 2024. "We are here to provide an update about the project, advocate for the nonprofit community and the amazing work that they're doing," she told the council. She stressed she was not requesting money at the meeting but wanted to show results so far.
The LEAD Center provides six core services: targeted funding and grant management, a volunteer advising corps that matches professional expertise with nonprofits, workshops and education, shared office and day-use space, a HUB for referral coordination, and long-term office leases. Mazurvey described renovations in two phases: initial work to occupy upper offices and a second-phase refit of the main level to house nonprofit offices and a conference room.
United Way gave several early metrics: four of 13 permanent offices are occupied; the main-level and lower-level conference rooms are at about 50% utilization on a typical day; their first grant-writing workshop had 35 participants and the space holds 40; an estimated 500 nonprofits operate in Pueblo County and United Way has direct contact with over 100 of them and maintains relationships with more than 300 nonprofit leaders. Farmer added that, "prior to LEAD, United Way works with over 75 different nonprofit organizations on an annual basis," and the organization expects engagement to grow.
Councilors asked for stronger outcome measures beyond attendance and space use. Farmer and Mazurvey said they are preparing a one-year look-back with hard numbers showing who has been served, outcomes of collaborative grant-making and whether the hub leads to more sustained, multi-agency funding. "We'll get that to you," Farmer said when asked for concrete figures on people served and financial impacts.
The presentation also noted philanthropic leverage: United Way said the city's $600,000 investment toward the building purchase helped leverage more than $1,200,000 in additional fundraising for the LEAD Center.
Council members recommended site visits and closer student engagement; United Way said the center is located near a bus route and invited councilors to tour the facility. United Way committed to producing midyear and one-year impact reports with the utilization, participant and grant outcomes that councilors requested.
Next steps: United Way will deliver a written one-year report and the councilors said they will schedule visits to the LEAD Center to see programs on site.
