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Horizon Foundation and United Way Forge Cost-Saving Partnership

(The Horizon Foundation) -- The Horizon Foundation will be renting office space to the United Way of Central Maryland in order to house United Way's Howard County Partnership operation. In addition, both organizations will partake of "back office" resource sharing in order to lower administrative costs.

Horizon Foundation President Richard Krieg said, "We're very pleased to welcome local United Way staff to our office. This follows a series of cost reduction efforts on our part and it will be mutually beneficial to both organizations."

Krieg indicated that in addition to resource sharing, the move also positions both groups to work together in information system development. "We are especially interested in maximizing the ability of community residents to get accurate information regarding local and regional human services. He indicated that, along with other partners, United Way and Horizon would be closely examining the systems currently in place in order to improve online information available to the public. The Foundation has a premier system called HorizonHelp (www.horizonhelp.org) and United Way has a call center that provides trained responders through the State's 211 call system.

Krieg also indicated that both organizations would work together in the area of emergency funding and that the Foundation will have direct access to United Way personnel working in the Annapolis policy arena.

In addition to sharing office space with the United Way, the Foundation has a Strategic Partnership with the Association of Community Services (ACS). As one part of this broad partnership, the Foundation provides office space to ACS. "We've been pleased," Krieg said, "that as part of the arrangement, many nonprofits use our conference room and other facilities through ACS's co-location here."