Public Policy
As a leading community impact organization, United Way of Palm Beach County knows that real and sustained changes in community conditions requires more than money. It also requires advocacy.
Through collaborations, United Way advocates for public policy changes by bringing together those who care about the future of our community as well as engaging decision-makers and policy leaders at the local, state, and national levels to help address the most important community needs.
As issues arise that impact our community, United Way promises to form partnerships in the community in order to take action. Working together, our efforts will result in real and lasting changes in Palm Beach County.
Advocacy Success Story
United Way of Palm Beach County helped to advocate for the passage in June 2003 of a new law called Revenue Maximization that could bring as much as $10 million in federal dollars to critical social services in Palm Beach County.
Each year, Congress appropriates billions of dollars to individual states for specific health and human services, sometimes even doubling funds used as match by states. United Way recognized the state was missing out on millions that could be used to help others so United Way of Palm Beach County worked with Senator Jeff Atwater of Palm Beach County, Children’s Services Councils in Palm Beach County and Florida, Palm Beach County as well as other United Ways in Florida to form legislation that would allow local tax and philanthropic dollars to be matched with federal dollars.