Greater Twin Cities United Way
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOR 110 YEARS, GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY (UNITED WAY), A NONPROFIT, HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT WHENEVER THERE'S A COMMUNITY NEED IN THE GREATER TWIN CITIES REGION, UNITED WAY IS THERE. UNITED WAY'S EFFORTS CONTINUALLY EVOLVE TO RESPOND TO (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)
- Income
- $42.8 million
- Spending
- $52.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 6.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
- Employees
- 224
- Volunteers
- 12,893
- Highest pay
- $506,573, president and 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: 68 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2551 of 51 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)
- $7.0 million spent. STABLE HOUSING: UNITED WAY'S VISION | EPISODES OF HOMELESSNESS ARE RARE, BRIEF AND NONRECURRING. UNITED WAY MEETS URGENT NEEDS BY SUPPORTING NONPROFITS DOING IMPACTFUL WORK IN HOUSING AND BY CONNECTING CALLERS TO HOUSING AND SHELTER RESOURCES VIA ITS 211 RESOURCE HELPLINE. HOUSING IS BY FAR THE GREATEST REASON PEOPLE IN OUR REGION REACH OUT TO 211. UNITED WAY ALSO MAKES LASTING CHANGE TO IMPROVE HOUSING BY LEADING THE PATHWAYS HOME INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS BY CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE EXITING FOSTER CARE OR INCARCERATION TO CRITICAL SUPPORT, AND BY LEADING ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT SUPPORT HOUSING STABILITY. IN 2024, UNITED WAY AND ITS HOUSING PARTNERS SUPPORTED OVER 14,971 PEOPLE THROUGH OUTREACH, SHELTER AND PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS, 93 PERCENT OF WHOM OBTAINED OR MAINTAINED STABLE HOUSING. THROUGH PATHWAYS HOME, 185 YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS MAINTAINED STABLE HOUSING, AND 10 HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS PARTNERED WITH UNITED WAY TO SUPPORT YOUTH TRANSITIONING OUT OF FOSTER CARE AND/OR INCARCERATION. IN TOTAL, 33 HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED FUNDING AND SUPPORT FROM UNITED WAY'S COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, PATHWAYS HOME AND ARISE PROJECT INITIATIVES. UNITED WAY'S ANNUAL HOME FOR GOOD INITIATIVE PROVIDED 1,450 WELCOME HOME BINS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES PACKED BY VOLUNTEERS, BINS THAT HELP ENSURE PEOPLE TRANSITIONING INTO STABLE HOUSING HAVE ESSENTIALS LIKE TOWELS, KITCHEN UTENSILS, AND BLANKETS TO THRIVE IN THEIR NEW HOME. AT THE LEGISLATURE, UNITED WAY SUPPORTED THE 2024 PASSAGE OF EXPANDED FUNDING FOR THE FAMILY HOMELESS PREVENTION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE BONDS RESULTING IN MORE THAN $100 MILLION THAT WILL HELP DEVELOP NEW AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
- $10.0 million spent. EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS: UNITED WAY'S VISION | ALL YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN AND THRIVE, AND ALL YOUTH HAVE THE SKILLS, RELATIONSHIPS AND MINDSETS TO CHOOSE AND DIRECT THEIR FUTURES. UNITED WAY MEETS URGENT NEEDS BY SUPPORTING NONPROFITS DOING IMPACTFUL WORK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CAREER AND FUTURE READINESS, AND BY CONNECTING CALLERS TO EDUCATION RESOURCES VIA ITS 211RESOURCE HELPLINE. UNITED WAY ALSO MAKES LASTING CHANGE TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM THROUGH ITS 80X3: RESILIENT FROM THE START INITIATIVE, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON EXPANDING EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE; CAREER ACADEMIES INITIATIVE, FOCUSED ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO WEALTH-BUILDING CAREERS FOR YOUTH; AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT SUPPORT QUALITY CHILDCARE AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S CAREER READINESS. IN 2024, THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS, 80X3 AND WOMEN UNITED INITIATIVES, UNITED WAY AND ITS PARTNERS PROVIDED CULTURALLY SPECIFIC AND TRAUMA-SENSITIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAMMING THAT SUPPORTED 2,934 CHILDREN, 169 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS AND LEADERS AND 19 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS. UNITED WAY'S ADVOCACY AT THE LEGISLATURE RESULTED IN THE 2024 EXPANSION OF EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY MAKING CHILD CARE MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR MORE FAMILIES IN THE REGION. UNITED WAY'S ADVOCACY ALSO PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STATE'S PARENT AWARE QUALITY RATING SYSTEMS AND CREATED A NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND UNITED WAY LEADING TO UNITED WAY'S ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATE'S EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. FROM JULY 1, 2024, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2024, UNITED WAY PAID OUT $39 MILLION IN EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS. IN 2024, UNITED WAY'S WORK IN CAREER AND FUTURE READINESS SUPPORTED 29 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY INVESTMENT GRANTS AND CAREER ACADEMIES. THESE PARTNERSHIPS SERVED 9,571 YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUTH PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF WHICH REPORTED GROWTH IN CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS AND SUPPORTED 10,000+ HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS' PARTICIPATION IN CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAMS. IN 2024, CAREER ACADEMIES LAUNCHED CAREERACADEMIES.ORG: A NEW ONLINE TOOLKIT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS LOOKING TO REPLICATE CAREER ACADEMIES' APPROACH IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. MORE THAN 2,600 USERS HAVE ACCESSED RESOURCES PROVIDED BY THE SITE SINCE ITS LAUNCH.
- $10.1 million spent. DONOR DESIGNATIONS - GTCUW FUNDRAISING RESULTS ALSO INCLUDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNITED WAY THAT DONORS DIRECT TO SPECIFIC NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THERE WERE DONOR DESIGNATIONS TO 4,808 AGENCIES IN 2024.
- $15.9 million spent. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: UNITED WAY'S VISION | ALL ADULTS ENTER THE WORKFORCE PREPARED FOR SKILLED EMPLOYMENT AND INCREASED WEALTH. UNITED WAY MEETS URGENT NEEDS BY SUPPORTING NONPROFITS DOING IMPACTFUL WORK TO PROVIDE JOB TRAINING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT, AND BY CONNECTING CALLERS TO EMPLOYMENT RESOURCES VIA ITS 211 RESOURCE HELPLINE. UNITED WAY ALSO MAKES LASTING CHANGE TO IMPROVE SYSTEMS BY BUILDING EDUCATOR-EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIPS AND ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THE "BENEFITS CLIFF." IN 2024, UNITED WAY SUPPORTED 29 ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS FUNDING; THE SUBSET OF THESE PARTNERS WORKING IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORTED THE CREATION OF 2,688 NEW JOBS. ADDITIONALLY, 2,736 PEOPLE SECURED A JOB THROUGH UNITED WAY-SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND NEARLY 70 PERCENT MAINTAINED THEIR EMPLOYMENT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. UNITED WAY SUPPORTED 11 CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH CAREER ACADEMIES' FUTURE READY WORKFORCE FUND, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON CREATING CAREER-RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCES. IN 2024, 495 STUDENTS EARNED AT LEAST $14.50 PER HOUR THROUGH THE PROGRAM. AT THE LEGISLATURE, GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY JOINED OTHER UNITED WAYS OF MINNESOTA TO SHARE FINDINGS IN A NEW REPORT, "ALICE IN MINNESOTA: A STUDY IN FINANCIAL HARDSHIP" ELUCIDATING THE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY FOR MORE THAN 36 PERCENT OF MINNESOTANS WHO EARN MORE THAN THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY INCOME TO COVER ESSENTIAL COSTS IN THEIR AREA LIKE FOOD AND HOUSING. UNITED FOR ALICE (ASSET LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED) IS A PART OF UNITED WAY'S ONGOING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE IMPACTS OF THE "BENEFITS CLIFF AND SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WORKING TO PROVIDE THEIR MOST BASIC NEEDS AND BUILD WEALTH FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.UNITED WAY'S 211 RESOURCE HELPLINE: UNITED WAY'S 211 RESOURCE HELPLINE SPECIALISTS PROVIDE INFORMATION AND REFERRALS TO STATEWIDE RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO HELP PEOPLE MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS, INCLUDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, FOOD PROGRAMS, CHILDCARE, EMPLOYMENT AND MORE. IN 2024, UNITED WAY RESPONDED TO 241,157 REQUESTS, ONE REQUEST EVERY TWO MINUTES WITH AN INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR HOUSING (UP 24 PERCENT FROM 2023), UTILITIES ASSISTANCE (UP 23 PERCENT), FOOD (UP 5 PERCENT), MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES (UP 53 PERCENT) AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND LEGAL SERVICES (UP 5 PERCENT). THE DATA UNITED WAY SECURES THROUGH 211 ABOUT COMMUNITY NEEDS INFORMS ITS INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING, FOOD, EDUCATION AND JOBS, AS WELL AS ITS ADVOCACY STRATEGIES IN ADVANCING POLICIES AND STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY.988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE: IN 2024, GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY CONTINUED OFFERING SUPPORT AS A MINNESOTA-BASED PROVIDER OF THE 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE. WHEN MINNESOTANS CALL 988, LOCAL, TRAINED AND CARING CRISIS COUNSELORS ANSWER, PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, SUBSTANCE USE OR OTHER MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. IN 2024, UNITED WAY CRISIS COUNSELORS ANSWERED OVER 33,000 CALLS TO 988 INDIVIDUALS - A 37 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 2023. BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIPS: UNITED WAY PARTNERS WITH COMPANIES AND FOUNDATIONS TO HELP THEM MEET THEIR CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY GOALS AND ENGAGE THEIR EMPLOYEES IN ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS. UNITED WAY ALSO CONNECTS PEOPLE WHO SHARE SIMILAR PASSIONS FOR DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TOGETHER AND COLLABORATES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACHIEVE THEIR PHILANTHROPIC GOALS WHILE CREATING A MEANINGFUL LEGACY.
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 June 2000.
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.
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