The package

represents the largest donor giving ever to the United

Way Community Fund in metro Atlanta, and is the largest

unrestricted fund for community of any United Way in the

nation. Volunteer experts monitor program performance and

invest community fund dollars where United Way board

members believe they can do the most good, both locally

and regionally, said a spokesman.

An

additional $10.9 million was designated by donors for

specific agencies.

Twelve

Fayette county-based programs received grants totaling

$248,249. Fayette County residents also benefit from 129

regional programs, supported at more than $28 million.

"This

community clearly said that it wanted to work through

United Way to get at the root causes of neighborhood

crime and violence," said Tom Smith, United Way

board chairman and general manager, small and medium

business, IBM Corporation North America.

"More

than ever, United Way's investments have a clear goal in

mind, as well as specific measures of success," he

said.

In a United

Way survey, the majority of more than 34,000 local

respondents selected neighborhood safety as the most

important issue they wanted United Way to help them

address. Local experts identified children, families,

economic self-sufficiency and citizen involvement as key

drivers of a stronger, safer community. United Way also

will continue to donate to programs that work to meet

basic human needs in the region, said Smith.

In addition

to the $60.1 million package, United Way will spend $5.4

million on fund-raising and administrative costs (8

percent of the total campaign). It estimates that another

8 percent of the record $70.8 million pledged in 1998, or

$5.2 million, will go unpaid.

For the

first time ever, nonprofits from across metro Atlanta had

the opportunity to respond to a request for proposals.

Panels of volunteer experts in each county and at the

regional level conducted site visits and evaluated each

proposal in terms of measurable results in the five key

areas.

New

grantees include traditional agencies, as well as grass

roots, neighborhood- and school-based initiatives.

"It was important that decisions be made at the

local level, where volunteers know best what�s

working," Smith said.

This year,

United Way also asked organizations to identify

non-financial resources needed to reach program goals,

including volunteers, public policy support and

gifts-in-kind. During the next year United Way will

launch a campaign to generate non-financial resources.

Throughout the year, citizens can dial United Way 211 to

volunteer or donate items, such as computers, clothing

and vehicles.

United Way

is the largest non-governmental funder of health and

human services in the area, helping one of every five

people in Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb,

Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and

Rockdale counties.

For a

complete list of grantees, visit United Way's website at

HYPERLINK https://www.unitedwayatl.org or contact United

Way by dialing 211 (or 404-614-1000 outside of metro

Atlanta).

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