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United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes Inc

EIN 16-1015782 · Rochester, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood84 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

UNITED WAY OF GREATER ROCHESTER AND THE FINGER LAKES' MISSION IS TO MOBILIZE THE GOODWILL AND RESOURCES OF OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT EVERYONE CAN THRIVE. UNITED WAY SUPPORTS A BROAD NETWORK OF HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS OUR MOST PRESSING LOCAL CHALLENGES WITH REAL, IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS. UNITED WAY IS A FOUR-STAR RATED CHARITY NAVIGATOR CHARITY, A BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU ACCREDITED CHARITY, AND HOLDS A GOLD SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY FROM GUIDESTAR.

Income
$31.8 million
Spending
$35.9 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
27.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 65%
Employees
111
Volunteers
1,303
Highest pay
$421,019, president and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 27.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 29 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (7)
  1. $14.8 million spent. COMMUNITY IMPACT: A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, IN COORDINATION WITH TRAINED STAFF, DETERMINE HOW UNITED WAY OF GREATER ROCHESTER AND THE FINGER LAKES INVESTS DONOR DOLLARS FROM ITS ANNUAL CAMPAIGN EFFORTS INTO THE COMMUNITY EACH YEAR. THESE INVESTMENTS SUPPORT A BROAD NETWORK OF HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS OUR MOST PRESSING LOCAL CHALLENGES WITH REAL, IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS. UNITED WAY OF GREATER ROCHESTER AND THE FINGER LAKES ALSO ALLOWS DONORS TO DIRECT THEIR CAMPAIGN PLEDGES TO ELIGIBLE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
  2. $5.0 million spent. COMMUNITY IMPACT AND SERVICES: COMMUNITY IMPACT EXPENSES ARE INCURRED TO ACCOMPLISH THE INVESTMENT PROCESS DESCRIBED IN THE COMMUNITY IMPACT SECTION IN 4A ABOVE. ADDITIONALLY, COMMUNITY SERVICES INCLUDE A DONOR DESIGNATION PROGRAM TO COLLECT, PROCESS AND TRANSFER DONATIONS ON BEHALF OF HUNDREDS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES IN THE GREATER ROCHESTER AND THE FINGER LAKES REGION. UNITED WAY PROVIDES ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN, LATINO, LGBTQ, LABOR AND YOUNG PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE A DIVERSITY OF LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES SYNERGY SERVICES TO HELP LOCAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES EXPLORE AFFILIATION AS A MEANS OF INCREASING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND IMPROVING PROGRAM SERVICES.
  3. $4.9 million spent. TOGETHERNOW (TN): UNITED WAY SERVES AS HOST AND FISCAL AGENT FOR TOGETHERNOW (TN) WHOSE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN MONROE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE OR IMPACTED BY POVERTY. BY CONNECTING A DIVERSE NETWORK OF COMMITTED PROVIDERS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED AN ACCESSIBLE NETWORK OF EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND HUMAN SERVICES USING THEIR INFORMATION-SHARING PLATFORM, MYWAYFINDER.
  4. $833,548 spent. ROCHESTER-MONROE ANTI-POVERTY INITIATIVE: UNITED WAY IS THE FIDUCIARY AGENCY FOR THE ROCHESTER-MONROE ANTI-POVERTY INITIATIVE (RMAPI), A MULTISECTOR COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE WITH A GOAL TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE BY REDUCING POVERTY AND INCREASING SELFSUFFICIENCY. TO DO THIS, RMAPI IS FOCUSED ON INCREASING INCOME, MAKING BASIC NEEDS MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE, AND LOWERING CONCENTRATIONS OF POVERTY. RMAPI FOCUSES ON CREATING SYSTEMWIDE CHANGES TO CREATE LONGTERM IMPROVEMENTS AND REDUCE POVERTY. THE INITIATIVE HAS SET OUT TO ADDRESS TWO MAIN AREAS: THE ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF BASIC NEEDS, AND HELPING PEOPLE FIND AND KEEP JOBS THROUGH EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.
  5. $374,461 spent. GRANTS: GRANT EXPENDITURES INCLUDE AMOUNTS TO FUND THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS; PROJECT UPLIFT TO PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDIUALS THROUGH A NETWORK OF HUMAN SERIVCE PROVIDERS; A MOBILITY MANAGEMENT PILOT PROGRAM FOCUSING ON INCREASING MEDICAID ELIGIBLE PATIENT ENGAGEMENT; LIVABLE COMMUNITIES WORK WITH AGING ALLIANCE; AND STABLE HOUSING SUPPORT.
  6. $671,080 spent. ROC THE DAY: ROC THE DAY IS AN ANNUAL 24-HOUR ONLINE EVENT ESTABLISHED BY UNITED WAY THAT PROVIDES DONORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT FROM OVER 600 ELIGIBLE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NINE-COUNTY GREATER ROCHESTER AREA. UNITED WAY POWERS THE ROC THE DAY WEBSITE, CONVENES COMMUNITY PARTNERS, RECRUITS LOCAL NOT-FOR-PROFITS TO PARTICIPATE AND PROCESSES THE DONATIONS DURING THE EVENT. ROC THE DAY IS OPEN TO ANY ELIGIBLE NOT-FOR-PROFIT IN THE NINE-COUNTY GREATER ROCHESTER REGION, SERVING A VARIETY OF SECTORS INCLUDING ANIMALS, ARTS AND CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH, EDUCATION, RELIGION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
  7. $1.6 million spent. DONOR ADVISED FUNDS: UNITED WAY OFFERS A DONOR ADVISED FUND PROGRAM (DONOR ADVISED FUNDS) THAT ALLOWS DONORS TO COMBINE THE MOST FAVORABLE TAX BENEFITS WITH THE FLEXIBILITY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAVORITE CHARITY AT ANY TIME. DISTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE WITH THE APPROVAL OF UNITED WAY TO ANY ORGANIZATION THAT QUALIFIES FOR TAX DEDUCTIBILITY UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1987.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.