IMC got started as an idea of the staff at United Way Monterey County. United Way Monterey County (UWMC), like other United Way branches, has long believed in the importance of using data to make decisions about how resources are best allocated. But in the past, UWMC had only been able to conduct smaller, more localized assessments. When an opportunity arose to get a sizeable, one-time grant from Capital One, UWMC staff leaped at the chance to expand their vision and bring in a number of other organizations—both private and public sector—to join in on a much larger project, which has evolved into Impact Monterey County.