Quantifying Community Engagement in 2022

The need for social capital is personal and collective; our community benefits when we get a job or advance our education, and we benefit when neighbors do as well. The decline of social capital is harder to measure than decreases in financial or human capital, but it can be just as devastating.

Upwards of 80% of all jobs in the United States are obtained through personal networks. It is not just a matter of what you know or how much money you have; accessing successful employment is about having a broad and diverse network that can connect you with resources, and references to open doors. These relationships and resources are not just beneficial for obtaining a job, they impact every facet of our lives, from educational

Engagement of individuals improves economic prospects for communities, but those with less time, income, and resources cannot always choose volunteerism over making ends meet. Providing an invitation, incentive, relationship, and connection to resources lifts barriers, sparks social capital, and builds collective power.

The UCB mobile rewards app aggregates hundreds of resources in a calendar. Members access opportunities, such as workshops and community events. Members log their activity to earn Points, earning Visa gift cards. Average engaged members earn about $200 per year (non-taxable maximum of $500 per year).

In 2022, almost 3,700 UCB Members tracked over 185,000 hours in the UCB App for engagement activities ranging from school