United Way of Kaw Valley Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MISSION: CREATING AND CULTIVATING AN UNBREAKABLE NETWORK OF SUPPORT VISION: HEALTHY AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL CAN THRIVE.
- Income
- $4.9 million
- Spending
- $5.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 3.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 61%
- Employees
- 38
- Volunteers
- 1,918
- Highest pay
- $116,489, president &
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
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 2526 of 26 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 (1)
- $4.2 million spent. UNITED WAY OF KAW VALLEY SERVES THE PEOPLE OF SHAWNEE, DOUGLAS, JACKSON AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST KANSAS. WE PAIR INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE DONATIONS WITH STATE AND NATIONAL GRANT DOLLARS TO CREATE AND CULTIVATE AN UNBREAKABLE NETWORK OF SUPPORT FOR HEALTHY AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL CAN THRIVE. EACH YEAR UWKV INVESTS AND MANAGES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HELP ENSURE THAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR ZIP CODE EVERY FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL HAS ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES TO LIVE, LEARN AND THRIVE. THAT CAN LOOK LIKE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE: - HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE - HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL - PARENTING EDUCATION AND SUPPORT - PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE - FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUCATION - JOB TRAINING - FAMILY SUPPORTS/BASIC NEEDS IN TIMES OF INSTABILITY WE HELP FAMILIES TODAY WHILE KNOWING THAT WE MUST ALSO CHANGE THE SYSTEMS THAT PERPETUATE INEQUITY AND GENERATIONAL DISADVANTAGE. WE THINK AND ACT STRATEGICALLY ABOUT VOLUNTEERING TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE LOCAL NONPROFIT COMMUNITY TO SERVE OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. WE CONVENE CONVERSATIONS AMONG DONORS, PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES AND TO GENERATE BETTER, MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACHIEVABLE SOLUTIONS. THESE CONVERSATIONS MUST INCLUDE STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE USED COMMUNITY SERVICES AND UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THEM. WE INVEST LOCALLY IN PARTNERS WHOSE WORK SUPPORTS OUR ASPIRATIONS. INVESTMENTS ARE COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC, SUPPORTING STRATEGIES GUIDED BY LOCAL VOLUNTEERS IN EACH COUNTY. DOLLARS RAISED IN A COMMUNITY/COUNTY REMAIN IN THAT COMMUNITY UNLESS A DONOR DESIGNATES OTHERWISE. UWKV ADDS VALUE TO THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY BY LEADING AND ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION, BY SHARING RESOURCES AND CAPACITY AND BY FOCUSING MANY PARTNERS ON PROBLEMS THAT WOULD OVERWHELM ANY SINGLE AGENCY. UWKV FORGES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AND AMONG PARTNERS AND DONORS. UWKV SHARES ITS ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE WITH ITS PARTNERS IN THE MUTUAL PURSUIT OF SUCCESS OF THE WHOLE FAMILY IN ALL ITS FORMS. SUCCEEDING IN THAT PURSUIT ALSO REQUIRES THAT UWKV LISTEN TO, LEARN FROM, AND AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED OR EVEN SILENCED. UWKV RECOGNIZES THAT EVERYONE IN ITS UNITED WAY COMMUNITY BRINGS VALUE TO ITS MISSION. IT UNDERSTANDS THAT EACH EMPLOYEE, DONOR, VOLUNTEER, PARTNER AND STAKEHOLDER BRINGS DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES PERSPECTIVES AND EXPECTATIONS ON THEIR UNITED WAY JOURNEY. UWKV RESPECTS AND ENCOURAGES INSIGHT AND PARTICIPATION FROM ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UWKV ALSO INVESTS IN DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT BOTH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR NONPROFIT PEERS, INCLUDING: - MANAGING AND PROVIDING AT NO COST TO USERS AN ONLINE VOLUNTEER MATCHING SERVICE. - COORDINATING THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS EACH YEAR THROUGH ONGOING BOARD AND COMMITTEE OPPORTUNITIES, CORPORATE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT AND SPECIAL VOLUNTEER EVENTS, INCLUDING NANCY PERRY DAY OF CARING, WHICH ANNUALLY SUPPLIES AROUND 1,000 CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FOR NONPROFIT PROJECTS. - SUPPORTING THE VITA PROGRAM THAT HELPS PEOPLE GET THEIR TAX RETURNS PREPARED FOR FREE. THIS PROGRAM BRINGS 10 MILLION BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF SAVED PREPARATION FEES TAX REFUNDS AND EARNED INCOME CREDITS. - INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF OUR LOCAL NONPROFIT COMMUNITY BY BUILDING A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE NAVIGATORS WHO EFFICIENTLY AND EMPATHETICALLY CONNECT OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED TO THE PARTNERS AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN BEST SERVE THEM. - CONVENING NO- OR LOW-COST COMMUNICATION AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTIONS AND CAPACITY OF THE SERVICE NETWORK IN OUR REGION. - ADMINISTERING THE SHAWNEE COUNTY CHRISTMAS BUREAU. - ADMINISTERING AND FUNDRAISING FOR DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY IN SHAWNEE COUNTY. - COORDINATING THE JUNIOR LEADER READER PROGRAM (A PROGRAM OF UWKV'S YOUNG LEADERS SOCIETY) WHERE EVERY YEAR VOLUNTEERS READ TO THOUSANDS OF PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, EACH OF WHOM RECEIVE A FREE BOOK. UWKV TAKES PRIDE IN KEEPING INTERNAL COSTS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, SO DONOR DOLLARS ARE USED EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT SERVICE, DONOR DOLLARS SUPPORT CORE SERVICES INCLUDING GRANT MANAGEMENT AND FISCAL OVERSIGHT, STRATEGIC VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT AND MANAGEMENT, LOCAL AND STATE ADVOCACY, DONOR AND PARTNER COMMUNICATION, AND CONTINUED COMMUNITY COLLABORATION THAT LEADS US TO NEW AND BETTER SOLUTIONS. UNITED WAY OF KAW VALLEY SERVES THE PEOPLE OF SHAWNEE, DOUGLAS, JACKSON AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST KANSAS. WE PAIR INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE DONATIONS WITH STATE AND NATIONAL GRANT DOLLARS TO CREATE AND CULTIVATE AN UNBREAKABLE NETWORK OF SUPPORT FOR HEALTHY AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL CAN THRIVE. EACH YEAR UWKV INVESTS AND MANAGES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HELP ENSURE THAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR ZIP CODE EVERY FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL HAS ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES TO LIVE, LEARN AND THRIVE. THAT CAN LOOK LIKE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE: - HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE - HIGH-QUALITY PRESCHOOL - PARENTING EDUCATION AND SUPPORT - PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE - FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUCATION - JOB TRAINING - FAMILY SUPPORTS/BASIC NEEDS IN TIMES OF INSTABILITY WE HELP FAMILIES TODAY WHILE KNOWING THAT WE MUST ALSO CHANGE THE SYSTEMS THAT PERPETUATE INEQUITY AND GENERATIONAL DISADVANTAGE. WE THINK AND ACT STRATEGICALLY ABOUT VOLUNTEERING TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE LOCAL NONPROFIT COMMUNITY TO SERVE OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. WE CONVENE CONVERSATIONS AMONG DONORS, PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES AND TO GENERATE BETTER, MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACHIEVABLE SOLUTIONS. THESE CONVERSATIONS MUST INCLUDE STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE USED COMMUNITY SERVICES AND UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THEM. WE INVEST LOCALLY IN PARTNERS WHOSE WORK SUPPORTS OUR ASPIRATIONS. INVESTMENTS ARE COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC, SUPPORTING STRATEGIES GUIDED BY LOCAL VOLUNTEERS IN EACH COUNTY. DOLLAR
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 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 June 2025.
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 March 1972.
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.