United Way of Alamance County is one of the largest nonprofit funders of health and human services in the county. We've been building caring communities where individuals and families are successful, stable and secure. With more than 90 years of experience, we truly understand the challenges facing our neighborhoods. We partner with local leaders, volunteers, donors and other nonprofit organizations to find innovative solutions to address short-term individual needs and create long-term community results. United Way of Alamance County has four focus areas: Meet basic needs, nurture youth, strengthen families and suport the elderly.

United Way of Alamance County is a local, autonomous nonprofit organization. Like the more than 1,300 United Ways across the country, we are governed by a local volunteer board of directors. United Way of Alamance County pays nominal dues to United Way of America in exchange for important cost-saving services such as staff training, community research information, campaign products, national marketing partnerships and ongoing consultation.

Each United Way is autonomous. United Way of Alamance County is overseen by a local Board of Directors that allocates money to area agencies who are addressing local isues determined by Alamance County residents.

All funding decisions are made by volunteers who serve on a Community Impact Issue Team, not by paid staff members. These volunteers spend approximately eight weeks reviewing grants submitted by agencies and hearing presentations given by agency directors. After considering each agency's request, the committees choose how to allocate funds to agencies. In 2009, United Way was only able to fund 53% of requests.

There are costs related to our operations and fundraising campaign. These costs include printing of campaign materials, staff and office expenses, an amount of 24 cents for each dollar contributed. The Better Business Bureau states that charities should not spend more than 35 cents for each dollar contributed on operating expenses. We are proud to say that our United Way's 24 cents is below this national standard.

United Way of Alamance County incurs costs for fundraising, marketing and common business operations such as accounting, human resources and overall organizational management. As careful stewards of our donors' contributions, United Way of Alamance County operates with the utmost efficiency and effectiveness. Nineteen percent is spent on administrative cost and 81% is invested in local programs and initiatives that help struggling individuals, families and children throughout the community.

If you designate to:

The Community Fund - no fee
United Way Partner(s) - no fee
United Way Affiliate(s) - 10%
Most other United Ways - 20%
A 501(c)(3) that is not one of our agencies - 20%

Yes, your contribution is tax deductible if you itemize your deductions. Please contact a United Way representative for more information.

Local human care programs that receive United Way funding go through rigorous volunteer review. Each program is carefully reviewed and evaluated by trained and knowledgeable community volunteers. Volunteers carefully monitor community needs, meet with local health and human service agencies and review each agency's program funding request. This ensures your investment is going toward human care programs that are proven to obtain results and improve lives.

The need is enormous and every contribution helps! Even a modest contribution per pay period helps improve the lives of many struggling families, individuals and children throughout Alamance County. By investing in our community through payroll deduction, you can spread your contribution over the coming year - making it more manageable than a one-time contribution.

You may also choose to get involved by volunteering or advocating with United Way. As a volunteer and advocate you can lend your time, muscle and voice to help champion a cause. As a volunteer you can actively get involved with United Way. As an advocate you can share important information about key social issues with others. To learn more about volunteering with United Way, please contact Jordan Morris Wood at (336) 438-2006 or jwood@uwalamance.org.

United Way of Alamance County and our Partner Agencies collaborate to create solutions to serve our community's most pressing social issues. The relationship with our Partner Agencies is unique. It is characterized by cooperative efforts in community problem solving, outcome measurement of progress toward community problem solving, communication, United Way of Alamance County program funding support and fundraising. A Partner Agency is responsible for adhering to a number of compliance criteria in order to receive United Way program funding, including:

1. Be a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation
2. Provide health and human service programs in at least one of our four issue areas
3. Have active, rotating volunteer leadership that represents diverse elements of the community
4. Demonstrate sound financial and program management and be willing to make full disclosure
5. Provide timely financial and program outcome measurement
6. Annual compliance documentation required to be on file with United Way of Alamance County, including current USA Patriot Act certification form

No agency or program can do it alone. It takes coordination and an entire network of programs to keep our communities strong - and that's what United Way provides. An investment in the work of United Way of Alamance County allows you to tackle multiple social issues with one single contribution. United Way of Alamance County ensures that a strong network of programs is available to help many people in need. Donors can rest assured their investment is going toward programs that are carefully monitored by community volunteers and staff.

Boy Scouts of America do receive funding from United Way of Alamance County.

Planned parenthood is not a United Way of Alamance County Community Partner or Affiliate, and United Way has not received any designations for this agency.

United Way of Alamance County plays a unique and vital role in our community. In addition to raising money, United Way of Alamance County monitors community needs and critical social issues and develops and invests in best practices for long-term solutions.

LIVE UNITED is a call to action, a movement, a way of life. LIVE UNITED is an invitation to become part of the change we want to see in our community. The call to action to LIVE UNITED embodies the notion that it takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future. It is knowing that together, UNITED, we can accomplish more than any single group or individual can on their own. And we are inviting our entire community to LIVE UNITED with us. You can LIVE UNITED by accepting our invitation to GIVE, ADVOCATE or VOLUNTEER. It's much more than an advertising campaign; it's a credo to live by.

When you choose to LIVE UNITED and invest in the work of United Way of Alamance County, you can be sure your donation will make a difference. We improve lives by investing your dollars in our work and in the work of health and human service agencies that share our goals. Your investment also makes you a part of a coordinated, community-wide effort that creates lasting community changes right here, where you live and work. In addition, your contribution is leveraged and combined with others then strategically invested in results-driven programs and initiatives. Plus, with the ease of payroll deduction, you can improve the quality of life for others without the financial challenge of a one-time donation.

The Community Fund is the pot of money used by volunteers for agency allocations.

United Way of Alamance County prides itself on being a trustworthy and accountable organization. A volunteer committee of financial experts from the community meets year-round, monitoring the organization's financial position. Collectively, we maintain high standards of operation and are reviewed each year by an independent auditor, who verifies that our financial statements fairly present the financial position of United Way of Alamance County. In addition to posting our Form 990 on our website for public review, United Way of Alamance County is an active member of the Better Business Bureau, which recognizes businesses for maintaining high ethical standards and accountability in their business practices.

On behalf of United Way of Alamance County, we apologize for the fact that you did not receive the attention you needed. We would like the opportunity to speak with your friend, family member, neighbor, etc. and find out why he/she was not assisted. Although we attempt to help everyone who requests assistance, sometimes we are unable to address their specific situation for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the service they are seeking is not provided in our community, or they do not meet the eligibility requirements of the agency providing the program, or, they are requesting assistance outside of the scope of services provided. Agencies consider every situation on a case-by-case, individual basis, and act accordingly. United Way has no part in their decision-making process. Our role is to raise the money each year which is then allocated to agencies who will make the most impact in our community.