United Way of East Central Iowa
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
UNITE THE CARING POWER OF COMMUNITIES TO INVEST IN EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
- Income
- $6.3 million
- Spending
- $6.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 6.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 83%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 211
- Highest pay
- $180,133, president/ceo
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: 77 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 2535 of 36 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)
- $3.1 million spent. UNITED WAY OF EAST CENTRAL IOWA (UWECI) HELPS TO FUND NONPROFIT PROGRAMS IN THEIR FIVE-COUNTY AREA THAT SUPPORT THEIR STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS OF BUILDING ECONOMIC MOBILITY, FOSTERING CHILDHOOD SUCCESS, IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND SUPPORTING SAFETY NET SERVICES. INVESTMENTS IN THESE NONPROFIT PARTNERS ARE DETERMINED ON A THREE-YEAR CYCLE BY THE ORGANIZATION'S SOLUTIONS TEAMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW TEAM, WHICH ARE MADE UP OF COMMUNITY-BASED VOLUNTEERS.
- $1.3 million spent. UWECI IS FOCUSED ON CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED VIA UNITED WAY THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, INVESTING AND ADVOCATING EFFORTS THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR UNITE TO INSPIRE STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS. THEIR IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDES CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS IN RURAL AREAS THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTEER CENTERS THROUGHOUT THEIR FIVE-COUNTY AREA, THE VITA (VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE) PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES FREE TAX PREPARATION TO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS UTILIZING COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS ADVOCACY WORK THROUGH THEIR CIVIC CIRCLE AND WOMEN UNITED LEADERSHIP SOCIETY AS WELL AS MANY OTHER INITIATIVES.
- $846,121 spent. THE HUMAN SERVICES CAMPUS, A DISREGARDED ENTITY OF UWECI, OWNS AND OPERATES A FACILITY HOME TO SEVERAL LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCIES FOCUSED ON PROVIDING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. NONPROFIT AGENCIES HOUSED IN THIS 65,000-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING SERVE THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS MAKING A DAILY IMPACT WITHIN OUR FIVE-COUNTY REGION OF LINN, BENTON, CEDAR, IOWA AND JONES COUNTIES THAT IS WELL BEYOND THE REACH OF JUST CEDAR RAPIDS. THE FACILITY'S CONFERENCE AND TRAINING ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY USE, AND THE LOCATION IS CONVENIENTLY ACCESSIBLE BY CAR, BICYCLE, ON FOOT, OR VIA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THE GOAL OF THIS SHARED FACILITY IS TO PROVIDE LOW-COST LEASES TO NONPROFIT AGENCIES SO THAT MORE RESOURCES CAN BE SPENT ON SERVICE DELIVERY TO CLIENT. THIS IS ACHIEVED BY RENTING OUT SPACE TO THESE AGENCIES AT 50% OF THE MARKET RENTAL RATE.
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 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 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 May 1963.
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.
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.