United Way United Way of Greater Los Angeles
Racial Justice, Theory of Change & Stakeholder Engagement
United Way of Greater Los Angeles set out to define the role it could play in advancing racial justice across Los Angeles County—and to ensure that commitment shaped more than its public language.
Our partnership
Good Influence designed and led a process to help United Way articulate a theory of change centered on racial justice and embed it throughout the organization.
The work began by listening. Interviews with employees and leaders from community organizations, philanthropy, and business surfaced different perspectives on United Way’s distinctive role, greatest strengths, limitations, and relationship to racial justice. Those insights created the foundation for deeper work with the CEO, senior leaders, and board.
Together, the organization clarified how it believed change happens, where United Way could contribute the greatest value, and what its racial justice commitment required in practice. The resulting theory of change became a framework for decisions about grantmaking, advocacy, communications, governance, organizational priorities, and strategy.
The partnership also extended to United Way’s relationships with the business community. Good Influence brought principles of organizing and relationship-based fundraising into the work, helping business leaders connect more deeply with United Way’s racial justice commitments and develop new approaches to employee engagement, partnership, and giving.
What the Work Produced
A racial justice-centered theory of change defining United Way’s distinctive role in systemic change
Stakeholder insight from employees and community, philanthropic, and business leaders
A guiding framework connecting racial justice to organizational priorities and decision-making
Stronger alignment among the CEO, senior leaders, and board
Board retreats focused on racial justice, organizational evolution, and governance
A business-leader task force that developed new approaches to employee engagement and giving
Deeper integration of organizing and relationship-based fundraising into United Way’s work
