United Way of Dane County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Unite the community to achieve measurable results that change lives.
- Income
- $20.7 million
- Spending
- $22.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 129
- Volunteers
- 7,727
- Highest pay
- $337,091, president/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2534 of 34 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 December 31, 2024, 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)
- $5.8 million spent. Youth Opportunity: Helping Young People Realize Their Full Potential. Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive. At United Way, we help children get off to a good start and empower youth to reach their full potential by breaking down barriers to success. We advance early childhood education, literacy development, access to a high-quality K-12 education, college and career readiness and family engagement - fostering a future where every young person can realize their dreams. Children who start kindergarten-ready and finish high school are more likely to have the skills required to be successful in post-secondary education, an increasingly complicated job market and society. Adults with higher education levels are more likely to gain employment with family-sustaining wages. Strategies: Childcare and Early Childhood Development 1. Increase access to high quality, culturally relevant early care and education experiences particularly for Black, Indigenous and Families of Color experiencing poverty. 2. Build caregivers (parents and early care and education teachers) understanding of healthy child development through family and community outreach (outside of childcare, i.e. home visiting). 3. Connections to community resources and programs: remove barriers to accessing family support services that allow families to access the resources and services they need to overcome the experience of poverty (collective impact). 4. Support/influence policy changes that will deepen early learning and development outcomes for children. Strategies: In School, After School and Summer Learning, Literacy Development, Family Engagement and College and Career Readiness (K-12) 1. Facilitate access to additional learning opportunities to enhance students' mastery of academic content. 2. Build students' social/emotional and non-cognitive skills. 3. Ensure students' behavioral health and wellness. 4. Foster connection, belonging, leadership and academic success with youth at risk of disconnecting. 5. Recognize family engagement as a key component to improve student successes and outcomes. Goals: Build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children under five and the adults in their lives together. All students succeed academically, and graduate high school prepared for higher education, career and community. Results: * 7,919 Dane County neighbors supported through Youth Opportunity programming * 196 Families reported improved parent-child interaction or increased knowledge about parenting * 1,379 elementary and middle school students improved social emotional skills * 427 high school students improved connection, belonging, leadership and/or academic success
- $3.7 million spent. Financial Security: Building Financial Stability and Strength. At United Way, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live in an affordable, safe, stable home and for homeownership to be an achievable goal for every family. Our Family Homelessness and Affordable Housing strategies ensure that families can maintain housing and avoid evictions as they work toward financial security. Our Job Readiness & Workforce Development strategies help underemployed individuals gain full time employment at $18+/hour with benefits in order to achieve financial security. When more individuals have jobs earning family-sustaining wages and safe and affordable housing, they are less stressed and more able to provide for themselves and their families - better positioning our entire community and our economy to thrive. Strategies: Family Homelessness Prevention and Affordable Housing The Family Homelessness and Affordable Housing strategies ensure that families can maintain housing and avoid evictions as they work toward financial security. 1. Support Quality Case Management for families at risk of or experiencing instability in their housing. 2. Increase investments in Housing First Programs. 3. Invest in Eviction Prevention. 4. Financial coaching specifically partnering with Black, Indigenous and People of Color led organizations already providing financial coaching programming and support services. 5. Invest in home ownership programs. Strategies: Job Readiness & Workforce Development: Adult education and job training Helping un or underemployed individuals gain full time employment at $18/hour with benefits in order to achieve financial security. 1. Support Workforce Development. Goal: More people are on pathways out of poverty. Results: * 29,127 Dane County neighbors supported through Financial Security programming * 101 Individuals did not return to prison after two years * 1,041 Households remained stably housed at 12 months * 280 People gained new or better employment at $18+/hour
- $5.0 million spent. Healthy Community: Improving Health and Well-Being for All. United Way works closely with community members to help people overcome barriers to healthy living by working to reduce racial health disparities and increase resiliency and trauma supports - ensuring everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest life. While Dane County remains a top place to live, raise a family and retire, for many neighbors, education, income and health inequities and disparities remain consistent. In Dane County, your race and the zip code in which you live have a significant impact on your quality of life, life expectancy and health outcomes. Strategies: Reduce Racial Health Disparities 1. Increase culturally relevant, reflective, and safe wellness models and programs defined and/or led by Black, Indigenous and People of Color. 2. Increase capacity in communities to address health disparities for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (example: invest in Fund Health Programs that are community- based and in which disparities are persistent). 3. Increase community-based health programs that address Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Advance clinic and community linkages to improve health access. 4. Increase patient and/or family information exchange with desire to expand current levels of linkage across the care coordination continuum. 5. Increase community-based maternal child health programming for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Strategies: Increase Resiliency and Trauma Supports 1. Increase culturally safe and responsive trauma and resiliency programs (example: mental health programming) for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. 2. Cultural adaptation of behavioral or mental health intervention. 3. Embed culture brokers into care teams for individuals and families disengaged from mental health supports due to racism, power dynamics and distrust. Goal: A Dane County absent of racial health disparities in physical and mental health. Results: * 17,981 Dane County neighbors supported through Health Community programming * 534 People received health insurance through HealthConnect premium assistance program * 1,168 Participants served through youth and family mental health programming reported improved health outcomes * 1,036 Participants completed goals in programs designed to address racial health disparities
- $3.8 million spent. Community Resiliency: Addressing Urgent Needs Today and Advancing a Better Tomorrow. Every community deserves the opportunity to prosper. Through initiatives in crisis response, such as 211 (24/7 access to resources and service coordination), volunteer activation, nonprofit capacity building and disaster response, we are strengthening the foundation of Dane County and working to build a resilient community ready for any challenge. When in crisis, it is challenging to know where to go for help. And, with so many opportunities to help, it is hard to know where to make the most impact. United Way understands the big picture and can mobilize resources that make a difference through 211, Volunteer Center and work as a convenor and social impact leader. When our community is hit with an emergency - like severe flooding, a global pandemic or man-made disaster - it's important to have a unifying force that brings us together to raise resources and rebuild an even stronger community. Strategies: 1. United Way 211 (24/7 access to resources and service coordination). 2. Volunteer activation. 3. Nonprofit capacity building. 4. Disaster response. Goals: Be a leader in social impact, connect people who need help with people who want to help in efficient and effective ways. Respond to community emergencies and assist in long-term recovery. Inspire individuals and families to get involved by developing meaningful community and corporate volunteer opportunities that build the nonprofit capacity of Dane County. Provide beyond the check support to strengthen the nonprofit ecosystem. Results - 211: 1) 58,622 Referrals to community resources 1a) 19,294 Housing o 8,601 Food 1b) 6,399 Utilities 1c) 4,596 Behavioral health/addiction 1d) 3,606 Individual family and community support 2) 3,569 Health care 2a) 3,057 Transportation 2b) 2,445 Clothing, personal and household supplies 3) 26,768 Total contacts 4) 3,454 App visitors 5) 930 Chat, text or email messages Results - Volunteerism: 6) 5,296 Volunteers 7) 3,837 Volunteers through corporate and community engagements 7a) 1,459 Volunteers through volunteeryourtime.org 8) 14,090 Children received gifts through Toys for Tots 9) Employees at 55 local companies created nearly 40,000 ImPacks for neighbors in need 10) Most requested ImPacks 10a) 27,257 Snack packs 10b) 6,350 Paper product packs 10c) 3,722 Menstrual hygiene packs 10d) 1,070 Diaper packs
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1951.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.