United Way of the Southern Tier Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO UNITE AND PRIORITIZE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERY PERSON AND FAMILY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $4.5 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 7.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 94%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 692
- Highest pay
- $146,388, president & ceo (until 3/31/25)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 43% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (3)
- $3.0 million spent. CAMPAIGN ALLOCATIONS - UWST ADMINISTERS TWO PRIMARY TYPES OF FUNDING STREAMS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS: ALLOCATIONS AND STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND GRANTS.ALLOCATIONS PROVIDE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH PROGRAM FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS, SPECIFICALLY THOSE THAT ALIGN WITH UWST'S MAIN FOCUS AREAS: SOUTHERN TIER KIDS ON TRACK, SOUTHERN TIER SENIOR SUPPORTS, AND SOUTHERN TIER BASIC NEEDS. - SOUTHERN TIER KIDS ON TRACK TYPICALLY DEFINES FUNDING FOR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH AGES BIRTH TO 8 YEARS OLD, INCLUDING EARLY CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION, TARGETED SCHOOL-AGE PROGRAMMING, AND PARENT SUPPORTS FOR CHILD SUCCESS. - SOUTHERN TIER SENIOR SUPPORTS IS DEFINED AS FUNDING FOR SERVICES THAT HELP OUR SENIOR POPULATION AGE SAFELY IN PLACE. THIS INCLUDES THOSE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES, OR IN ACCOMPLISHING THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING IN AND AROUND THE HOME. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THOSE WHO NEED HOME-DELIVERED MEALS TO MEET THEIR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OR TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. - SOUTHERN TIER BASIC NEEDS IS DEFIND AS FUNDING FOR SERVICES THAT HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS. THIS INCLUDES THOSE NEEDING FOOD FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THOSE NEEDING LONGER-TERM SHELTER, BOTH TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.STRATEGIC INVESTMENT FUND GRANTS ARE USED TO ASSIST UWST IN ACHIEVING ITS STRATEGIC GOALS IN THE COMMUNITY, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR UWST TO SEIZE UNANTICIPATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPACT OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR INVESTMENT CYCLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE FUND ENABLES UWST TO CONSIDER PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO EXISTING PROGRAMS OR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT EXPERIENCE AN UNANTICIPATED, SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN CLIENT NEED WHICH, IF LEFT UNAIDED, COMPROMISES THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM. EXTRA CONSIDERATION CAN BE GIVEN TO THOSE PROPOSALS WHICH PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ADVANCE UWST'S STRATEGIC INTERESTS.
- $253,184 spent. COMMUNITY INVESTMENT - COMMUNITY INVESTMENT REFLECTS THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CONDUCTING THE ALLOCATION (COMMUNITY INVESTMENT) FUNCTION. ALL PROGRAM INVESTMENTS ARE MADE IN A MATTER CONSISTENT WITH UWST'S FIVE INVESTMENT VALUES. THESE VALUES CONSIDER CLIENT NEED, PROGRAM RESULTS, FOCUSED ALIGNMENT WITH OUR STRATEGIC INTENT, EFFECTIVE USE OF RESOURCES, AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND IMPROVEMENT. ULTIMATE AUTHORITY FOR ALL PROGRAM INVESTMENTS RESTS WITH THE UWST BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THESE INVESTMENTS ARE MADE TO QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS BASED ON DEMONSTRATION OF STRONG PERFORMANCE IN EACH OF THE FIVE VALUE AREAS.
- $87,743 spent. COMMUNITY BUILDING - COMMUNITY BUILDING REFLECTS THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO SOCIAL ISSUES.COMMUNITY BUILDING IS ABOUT AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS TO COLLECTIVELY SOLVE SOCIAL ISSUES. IT BRINGS TOGETHER PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, ACADEMIA, NON-PROFITS, THE FAITH COMMUNITY AND OTHERS TO IDENTIFY AND TAKE STEPS TOWARDS SOLUTIONS TO ISSUES AFFECTING THEIR COMMUNITIES. UWST IS ENGAGED SPECIFICALLY IN A "COLLECTIVE IMPACT" FRAMEWORK, SERVING IN A BACKBONE CAPACITY, COORDINATING THESE COMMUNITY CHANGE EFFORTS.THIS WORK INCLUDES: - CONVENING THE COUNCILS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING PROGRAM INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE INTENDED OUTCOMES ARE ACHIEVED, AND EVALUATION OF RESULTS IS USED TO DRIVE THE DESIRED COMMUNITY CHANGE; - GATHERING CONSTITUENT VOICE AND FEEDBACK USED TO IDENTIFY ISSUES AND DRIVE UWST-LED COMMUNITY CHANGE EFFORTS; - MEETING REGULARLY WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER VARIOUS SECTORS TO DEVELOP A SHARED VISION FOR CHANGE - A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM AND A JOINT APPROACH TO SOLUTIONS THROUGH AGREED UPON ACTIONS (COMMON AGENDA): - WORKING WITH OTHERS TO ENSURE AUTHENTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON AGENDA AND MUTUALLY REINFORCING ACTIVITIES; - COLLECTING AND MEASURING RESULTS CONSISTENTLY ACROSS ALL PARTICIPANTS; AND - PROVIDING CONSISTENT AND OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE MANY PLAYERS TO BUILD TRUST, ASSURE MUTUAL OBJECTIVES, AND APPRECIATE COMMON MOTIVATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 October 21, 2026.
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