As Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) continues its transition to a new strategic model focused on prevention, a volunteer council comprised of local business leaders, issue experts, academics and others is helping guide the process.

Known as the Investing in Results Council, the group formed earlier this year under the leadership of Ed Timberlake, Chairman of the Board for Seaside National Bank & Trust and former Chair of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce.

With United Way’s first round of competitive funding grants due to be awarded this fall, the Council is playing a key role in determining which agency programs will be selected to help support HFUW’s new investment areas: Building Safe Communities, Improving Financial Stability, Developing Healthy Children and Families, and Alleviating Hunger and Homelessness.

Volunteer cabinets are currently reviewing funding applications submitted for the first two investment areas, Building Safe Communities and Improving Financial Stability. After completing an independent review, the Council will present final funding recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors in late September.

“Our community is fortunate to have some of the best minds in Central Florida serving on the cabinets and council which were built around the four key investment areas,” said Ed Timberlake. “Their insight and experience are vital to ushering in this important new era of change for United Way and our community.”

The competitive funding process for United Way’s third investment area, Developing Healthy Children and Families, will begin in Spring 2010. To address Alleviating Hunger and Homelessness, United Way is, among other things, partnering with the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, which is working on a 10-year-plan to end homelessness.

“Investing in Results is all about focusing and addressing the root causes of complex problems that send ripple effects across our community,” said Robert H. Brown, United Way President/CEO. “We know that every dollar spent on prevention saves $7 in intervention. Now more than ever, this makes good economic sense - and it’s the right thing to do for people.”

For more information about United Way and its new strategic direction, visit www.hfuw.org.