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United Way of the Midlands

EIN 57-0314396 · Columbia, SC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

UNITED WAY CONNECTS PEOPLE AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE MIDLANDS. UNITED WAY INVESTS IN A BROAD RANGE OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS, ASSIST PEOPLE IN CRISIS TO ACHIEVE LONG TERM STABILITY.

Income
$14.1 million
Spending
$15.3 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
17 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
86
Volunteers
2,371
Highest pay
$313,770, 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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 35 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $4.5 million spent. EDUCATION. EDUCATION IS KEY TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S LONG-TERM SUCCESS AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. UWM FOCUSES ON EARLY EDUCATION AND KEY TRANSITIONS IN SCHOOL TO IMPROVE ON-TIME GRADUATION. DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR,MIDLANDS READING CONSORTIUM. (MRC) SERVED A TOTAL OF 4,652 STUDENTS ACROSS ALL INITIATIVES, INCLUDING: 127 STUDENTS THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE READING SESSIONS, 940 THROUGH CLASSROOM READINGS AND LITERACY EVENTS, 120 THROUGH STEM SUMMER CAMPS, AND 3,455 STUDENTS THROUGH STEM ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES. ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS WERE SUPPORTED BY 118 MRC VOLUNTEERS WITH 578 HOURS OF READING SUPPORT. MRC HAD A PRESENCE IN 18 SCHOOLS, 9 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND FIVE COUNTIES. UWM ALSO SUPPORTED CHILDREN IN AFTER-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS. A TOTAL OF 8,058 STUDENTS BETWEEN KINDERGARTEN AND 12TH GRADE WERE ENROLLED IN YOUTH EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY UWM. YOUNG MEN UNITED. (YMU) IS AN EVIDENCE-INFORMED INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO CREATE BARRIER-FREE PATHWAYS FOR YOUNG MEN TO REACH THEIR ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS. YMU OFFERS WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS TO YOUNG MEN STARTING IN THE TENTH AND ELEVENTH GRADE, SUPPORTING THEM UNTIL THEY GRADUATE FROM A COLLEGE PROGRAM AND/OR ENTER THE WORKFORCE. IN 2024-2025, YMU EXPANDED FROM 75 STUDENTS AT TWO SCHOOLS TO 105 AT FIVE SCHOOLS: EAU CLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL, RICHLAND NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL, IRMO HIGH SCHOOL, COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL, AND WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. THE SECOND GROUP OF YMU SENIORS GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR WITH A 100% GRADUATION RATE.LEADERSHIP AND CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORTS THE MISSION OF UWM AND COMMUNITY IMPACT BY PROVIDING CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT STRONG NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND ENCOURAGING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE TRAINING AND SUPPORT IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND REPORTING OF COMMON OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS, AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN GOVERNANCE AND OTHER NONPROFIT BEST PRACTICES. IN 2024-2025, UWM STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS RENEWED PARTNERSHIP WITH 21 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND INITIATED A PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE NEW ORGANIZATION. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS REVIEWED 45 FUNDING APPLICATIONS AND ASSESSED 23 END-OF-YEAR PROGRAM REPORTS. THROUGH OUR BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, WE TRAINED 23 COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR BOARD AND COMMITTEE SERVICE. THE UWM VOLUNTEER CENTER MANAGED THE COMMUNITY PORTAL FOR VOLUNTEERING AND ORGANIZED OR FACILITATED 49 VOLUNTEER PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS ASSOCIATED WITH UWM DURING THE FISCAL YEAR WAS 2,371.
  2. $2.9 million spent. FINANCIAL STABILITY AND BASIC NEEDS INITIATIVES. UWM SERVES AS LEAD U.S. HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (HUD) AGENCY FOR THE MIDLANDS AREA CONSORTIUM FOR THE HOMELESS (MACH) WHICH IS THE HUD DESIGNATED HOMELESS CONTINUUM OF CARE COVERING 13 COUNTIES STRETCHING FROM YORK, THROUGH THE MIDLANDS TO AIKEN. AS A TEAM, WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN THE MIDLANDS. MACH MEMBER AGENCIES AND OTHER PARTNERS PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES, SHELTER AND HOUSING THAT ASSIST OUR COMMUNITY'S HOMELESS FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, YOUTH AND VETERANS TO STABILITY. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE, DIVERSITY OF THE POPULATIONS AND SHIFTING RESOURCES AND PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITY AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKE COORDINATION KEY TO COMMUNITY SUCCESS. SINCE 2006, UWM HAS LED MACH'S EFFORTS TO SECURE FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HUD TO SUPPORT HOMELESS HOUSING PROGRAMS. TO DATE, OVER $49 MILLION IN FEDERAL RESOURCES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE MIDLANDS THROUGH THIS WORK LEVERAGING AN ESTIMATED $154 MILLION IN MATCHING RESOURCES.UWM MANAGES EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER PROGRAM (EFSP) FUNDS FOR FOUR OF OUR COUNTIES. EFSP FUNDS ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT SUPPORT SHELTERING, FOOD, AND EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN FOUR OF UWM'S COUNTIES. THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING EFSP FUNDS: $8,531 FOR FAIRFIELD COUNTY; $85,906 FOR LEXINGTON COUNTY; $12,124 FOR NEWBERRY COUNTY; $135,615 FOR RICHLAND COUNTY.
  3. $1.6 million spent. DONOR DESIGNATIONS. AS A CONVENIENCE TO ITS DONORS, UNITED WAY OF THE MIDLANDS ALLOWS DIRECT UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS TO OTHER UNITED WAYS OR SPECIFIC AGENCIES. UNITED WAY OF THE MIDLANDS SUPPORTS 74 PARTNER AGENCIES IN THE AREAS OF BUILDING RESILIENCY AND PROVIDING SAFETY NET SERVICES. UNITED WAY OF THE MIDLANDS DOES NOT REQUIRE THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE USE RESULTS OF THESE CONTRIBUTIONS.
  4. $3.3 million spent. HEALTH INITIATIVES. UWM PROMOTES ACCESS TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AS WELL AS DENTAL AND EYE CARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERINSURED OR LACK INSURANCE AT ALL. UNITED WAY PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS HELPED OVER 4,800 PEOPLE ACCESS HEALTH CARE, PROVIDING 3,110 ADULT AND CHILD PATIENT VISITS FOR DENTAL CARE AND 2,981 ADULT PATIENT VISITS FOR EYE CARE.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1955.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.