Bill Wilder compared the United Way of Greater Chattanooga community campaign to a marathon when it began last August, declaring it would need a strong finish in a battered economy to reach its fundraising goal.
It needed a strong finish — and even overtime — but officials announced Wednesday that the campaign had exceeded its stretch goal of $11.6 million, $500,000 above its base goal.
“Many thought the base goal would be tough to reach,” Mr. Wilder, the campaign chairman, said at the organization’s annual meeting at its Central Block Building “but I felt confident the people of this community would come together.”
Although the total of $11,635,723 was $125,000 less than the 2008 amount, it allowed the organization to surpass its goal for the 87th straight year.
The strong finish began in late December, only days before the traditional Dec. 31 conclusion of the campaign, when officials said it was $300,000 short of its base goal of $11.1 million.
Officials said company campaigns that continued into January and late-arriving grants allowed the local United Way to reach its goal.
“We just kept plugging away,” said Linda McReynolds, senior vice president of organizational development at United Way. “(Exceeding the goal) was a happy surprise.”
Outgoing board chairman Tom Edd Wilson said “different strategies were brought on by different times.”
UNITED WAY GIVING2009 — $11.6 million2008 — $11.77 million2007 — $11.9 million2006 — $11.67 million2005 — $11.2 million2004 — $11.2 million2003 — $11 million2002 — $10.7 million2001 — $11 million2000 — $11.6 millionSource: United Way of Greater Chattanooga
“It was a very unusual year,” he said.
Mr. Wilder said the goal was less important than the impact of the money.
“Will it cure all ills?” he said. “No. But it will make us a stronger, more healthy community.”
The only downside to the campaign may be that, because the overall total is down from 2008 and grants designated more money to impact specific areas, there will be a smaller pool of money from which the organization’s 88 programs and 44 agencies are supported.
It remains to be seen, Ms. McReynolds said, whether the programs will see any cuts.
“Our allocations panel will look at what we have and what the needs are and make some tough decisions,” she said.