United Way Worldwide

Analysis

United Way Worldwide is a registered charity in United States, based in Alexandria, VA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in September 1934, 92 years ago. Its declared purposes cover philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations, which this site groups under grant-making and general purposes. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, United Way Worldwide reported income of $51.6m and spending of $65.7m, spending 127% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $248.8m to $51.6m (-79%), an average of -32% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income dropped by 56%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 19,413 United States charities whose main cause is grant-making and general purposes and that reported income, United Way Worldwide sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile, and in the 99th percentile within VA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Young Mens Christian Association of Greater Cincinnati ($51.2m), Jerusalem Foundation ($52.1m) and The New Horizons Foundation Inc ($51.2m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 42% and program service revenue 55% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $4.2m (6.5% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $17.8m. At year end it held assets of $70.8m against liabilities of $21.7m, net assets of $49.1m. It reported 222 employees.