About
United Way Worldwide, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is the leadership organization of the United Way network, one of the world's largest community-based charitable movements. United Way works to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good, with a presence across tens of thousands of communities in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
Mission
United Way's stated approach is to mobilize communities to action so all can thrive, advancing health, youth opportunities and financial security for people in every community it serves.
What they do
- Health and healthy communities: improving healthcare access, food security, mental health support and family caregiving
- Youth opportunity: early childhood education, literacy, community schools, and pathways from early education to college and career success
- Financial security: free tax assistance, financial literacy education, job training and housing support
- Community resiliency: disaster relief and long-term recovery initiatives
- 211: a resource connection service that links people to help in their communities
History
United Way traces its origins to October 16, 1887, in Denver, Colorado, when a woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi came together to form the Charity Organization Society. Its first fundraising campaign raised $21,700 (roughly $700,000 in current dollars) for more than 20 local agencies. The movement evolved through names such as Community Chest and United Fund before becoming United Way by 1970, and has now been operating for more than 135 years.
Scale and impact
Across its network, United Way reports supporting more than 1.1 million families to help children's education, serving more than 2.5 million individuals with access to healthcare services, and reaching more than 1.7 million people through financial education.
Financials
According to United Way Worldwide's IRS Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer), the organization reported total revenue of $72.4 million, total expenses of $75.0 million, total assets of $68.0 million and net assets of $48.1 million. Contributions accounted for about 56.7 percent of revenue and program services about 41.1 percent.
Governance
United Way Worldwide is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 13-1635294) headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and serves as the umbrella organization for local United Ways around the world.