United Way of South Central Mi
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE BRING TOGETHER THE PEOPLE, IDEAS AND RESOURCES TO LEAD WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND CREATE A FLOURISHING, EQUITABLE LIFE FOR EVERYONE.
- Income
- $23.3 million
- Spending
- $22.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 6.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 53%
- Employees
- 64
- Volunteers
- 367
- Highest pay
- $227,927, president & 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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 2523 of 23 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 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 (4)
- $3.3 million spent. PROGRAM INVESTMENTS: UNITED WAY SCMI (UWSCMI) AND ITS DEDICATED STAFF ADVANCE THE COMMON GOOD BY OPTIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT THAT ADDRESS DISPARITIES. AREAS OF FOCUS FOR INVESTMENT INCLUDE, BUT AREN'T LIMITED TO, FINANCIAL STABILITY, EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND BASIC NEEDS. COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR: BATTLE CREEK/KALAMAZOO -- $2,780,430 INVESTED IN 60 PROGRAMS THROUGH 59 AGENCY PARTNERS. CAPITAL AREA -- $245,000 INVESTED IN 18 PROGRAMS THROUGH 18 AGENCY PARTNERS AND 3 COLLABORATIVES. JACKSON COUNTY -- $300,000 INVESTED IN 19 PROGRAMS AT 17 AGENCIES.
- $5.3 million spent. COMMUNITY IMPACT & INITIATIVES: UWSCMI DRIVES SYSTEMS CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT THROUGH DIVERSE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, ASSESSMENT, ADVOCACY, VOLUNTEERISM, AND COLLABORATION TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS COLLECTIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY VIA PROGRAM PARTNERSHIPS, UWSCMI-DRIVEN INITIATIVES AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. EXAMPLES OF IMPACT & INITIATIVES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR:PROGRAM ASSISTANCE CENTER -- A MICHIGAN ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROVIDING HOUSEHOLDS WITH DIRECT ENERGY ASSISTANCE TO PAY HEAT AND ELECTRIC BILLS. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT SO THEY ARE CONNECTED WITH NON-ENERGY ASSISTANCE SERVICES THEY NEED. 5,491 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED ENERGY SECURITY/SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMMING OR REFERRALS. 3,990 HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED USING STATE FUNDING AND FUNDING FROM CONSUMERS ENERGY.VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) -- VOLUNTARY INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) IS ONE OF UWSCMI'S CORE PROGRAMS, PROVIDING FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES FOR HOUSEHOLDS EARNING BELOW $69,000. THE VITA PROGRAM OPERATES IN FIVE COUNTIES IN MICHIGAN: CLINTON, EATON, INGHAM, KALAMAZOO, AND SHIAWASSEE. IN THE 2025 TAX SEASON, UWSCMI'S VITA PROGRAM SERVED 5,400 HOUSEHOLDS, WHO COLLECTIVELY RECEIVED MORE THAN $7.4 MILLION IN FEDERAL, STATE, AND HOME HEATING CREDIT REFUNDS INCLUDING OVER $1.5 MILLION IN EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS (EITC). ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH THE FREE SERVICE PARTICIPANTS COLLECTIVELY SAVED MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION IN COSTLY TAX PREPARATION FEES. KALAMAZOO COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE -- INCREASED COORDINATION AND FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE GAPS, INEQUITIES, AND CHALLENGES TO REDUCING HOMELESSNESS. IN 2025, THE COC ADMINISTERED FEDERAL FUNDING AND STATE FUNDING TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS; PROVIDED MINI-GRANTS TO LOCAL NON-PROFITS SERVING THE UNHOUSED; AND REDESIGNED THE RENTABLE PROGRAM TO BETTER SUPPORT ALICE HOUSEHOLDS IN SECURING OR RETAINING THEIR HOUSING.JOBSTAR -- A RESOURCE FOR EMPLOYERS TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES OVERCOME OBSTACLES THAT MAY IMPEDE THEIR ABILITY TO WORK. 2025 HIGHLIGHT: REFERRALS PROVIDED: 1,652 REFERRALS PROVIDING 877 EMPLOYEES ACROSS MORE THAN 20 BUSINESS. TWO HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IMPLEMENTING THE FIRST YEAR OF JOBSTAR'S MULTI-YEAR WORKPLAN AND WRAPPING UP THE FEDERAL EARMARK THAT ALLOWED 10 NONPROFITS TO PARTICIPATE IN A YEAR OF PROGRAMMING. CAPITAL AREA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK (CAPCAN) -- A COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE FOCUSED ON INCREASING POST-SECONDARY ATTAINMENT AS AN ACHIEVABLE REALITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS BY FOSTERING HIGH EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS THROUGH THE ALIGNMENT OF OUR INSTITUTIONS AND RESOURCES. 2025 HIGHLIGHT: CAPCAN STAFF LAUNCHED THE COLLEGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY TRAINED 20 RISING SENIORS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR PEERS AT SCHOOL REGARDING THE COLLEGE PROCESS AND HELP BUILD A COLLEGE GOING CULTURE. STUDENTS SERVED: 1,900.
- $2.2 million spent. DONOR DESIGNATIONS: UWSCMI ALLOWS DONORS TO DESIGNATE GIFTS TO OTHER UNITED WAYS OR OTHER QUALIFYING AGENCIES, FURTHER EXPANDING COMMUNITY IMPACT.
- $8.4 million spent. UWSCMI ALSO CREATES 'VALUE-ADD' WITHIN THE REGIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS UNIQUE POSITION TO CONVENE, CONNECT AND ENGAGE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, INSTITUTIONS AND PEOPLE TO CREATE COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS NEEDS, LEVERAGE FUNDING FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN, AND LEAD COLLECTIVE/SHARED EFFORTS AROUND EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND IMPACT.EXAMPLES IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE:MERGER IN 2022 -- UNITED WAYS IN BATTLE CREEK/KALAMAZOO, CAPITAL AREA (LANSING AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES) AND JACKSON COUNTY MERGED TO CREATE UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN. THE MERGER TAPS NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING, CREATES NEW PARTNERSHIPS, ADVOCATES FOR RACIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY MORE EFFECTIVELY, AND TAKES A BIGGER ROLE IN LEADING THE IMPACT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL UNITED WAYS COULD NOT DO BY THEMSELVES. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING 2022 INCLUDED NEARLY $26 MILLION IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL IMPACT, LEADING TWO 21-DAY EQUITY CHALLENGES, BUILDING NEW AND DIVERSE PARTNERSHIPS, AND EARNING AWARDS FOR IMPACT AND COMMUNICATION.DISASTER RELIEF FUND -- A REGIONAL, EVERGREEN RESPONSE FUND TO SERVE AS A VEHICLE FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT FOR BASIC NEEDS IN THE EVENT OF A CRISIS. THIS FUND WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND REMAINS IN PLACE FOR FUTURE CRISIS SITUATIONS.SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTS -- A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF KALAMAZOO TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO MICROBUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY. PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON WOMEN-OWNED AND/OR MICROBUSINESSES UNDER BLACK, INDIGENOUS OR PEOPLE OF COLOR OWNERSHIP, AND EMPHASIS ON UNDERRREPRESENTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
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
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 November 6, 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 March 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 June 1945.
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 November 4, 2026.
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