United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
UNITING PEOPLE AND RESOURCES IN BUILDING A STRONGER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITY
- Income
- $12.1 million
- Spending
- $11.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 15.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 43%
- Employees
- 54
- Volunteers
- 2,177
- Highest pay
- $249,233, 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 2517 of 17 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)
- $3.9 million spent. COMMUNITY INVESTMENT: UWGC PROVIDED FUNDING FOR 74 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING 176 TOTAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. THIS FUNDING IS APPROVED BY A LOCAL COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMMITTEE AND THE UWGC BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS THAT CAN MEASURABLY IMPACT THE KEY FOCUS AREAS OF UWGC. TRAINED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY ASSESS DATA AND THE PROGRAMMATIC RESULTS OF FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS. THROUGH ANNUAL REPORTING AND ASSESSMENT OF PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, UWGC ENSURES FUNDED PROGRAMS EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS UWGC IMPACT GOALS AND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES SERVED.
- $2.3 million spent. FAMILY STABILITY: INITIATIVES AND PROGRAM SERVICES IN 16 COUNTY REGION WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING FAMILIES/INDIVIDUALS REACH STABILITY AND BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT. 211 INFORMATION AND REFERRAL PROGRAM OPERATED BY UWGC CONNECTS PEOPLE TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS AND HELPS DETER RELIANCE ON THE SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM. 211 IS THE ENTRY POINT FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED, OPERATING CRISIS SERVICES AND FUNDS, OCHS COMMUNITY FUND PROCESSING AND MONITORS ALL CALLS THROUGH A COMMUNITY DATABASE. IN FY25, 2-1-1 SPECIALISTS ANSWERED OVER 57,000 REQUESTS. BRIDGE FUND, OCHS COMMUNITY FUND, WARM NEIGHBORS, PROJECT WATER POWER SHARE AND WATER QUALITY FEE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS. PROGRAMS ALSO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF FAMILY INSTABILITY THROUGH A COACHING MODEL TO HELP FAMILIES/INDIVIDUALS IN LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS BECOME MORE ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY INDEPENDENT. UWGC 211 now also operates 211 services for another United Way's 42 county service area. Net management fee revenues from that agreement help fund our 211 services for our UWGC region.
- $1.7 million spent. TUTORING: PROVIDES HIGH-DOSAGE, LOW-RATIO TUTORING FOR STUDENTS GRADES 1-8 THROUGH PROGRAMS INCLUDING THE "TN ALL CORPS" TUTORING PROGRAM.
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 October 1957.
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.