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United Way of South Mississippi Inc

EIN 64-0826356 · Gulfport, MS

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

UNITED WAY LEADS POSITIVE CHANGE THAT TRANSFORMS OUR COMMUNITY AND IMPROVES PEOPLE'S LIVES IN OUR IMPACT AREA. WE ADVANCE THE COMMON GOOD BY INVESTING IN OUR GREATEST ASSET - OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES - TO CREATE A BETTER TOMMORROW TODAY.

Income
$1.9 million
Spending
$1.9 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 56%
Employees
8
Volunteers
912
Highest pay
$129,376, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 25

    22 of 22 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 March 31, 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)
  1. $710,797 spent. UNITED WAY OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI, WHICH SERVES HANCOCK, HARRISON, PEARL RIVER, AND STONE COUNTIES, AWARDED $215,000 IN COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS IN FYE 2024. GRANTS AWARDED ARE MULTI-YEAR COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS TO 12 LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCIES CAREFULLY SELECTED BY A VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TEAM. ADDITIONAL IMPACT INITIATIVES INCLUDED THE SINGLECARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG SAVINGS CARD AND THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM, WHICH RETURNED $6,347,697.00 TO THE AREA THROUGH FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES.
  2. $686,545 spent. DURING FYE 2024, UNITED WAY OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI WORKED TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS SCHOOL READINESS AND GRADE-LEVEL READING. DATA FROM THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION 2024 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK SHOWS MISSISSIPPI'S OVERALL RANK OF 49 IN CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING ACROSS THE U.S. USING 16 KEY INDICATORS IN FOUR DOMAINS: ECONOMIC WELL-BEING; EDUCATION; HEALTH; FAMILY & COMMUNITY. ACCORDING TO THIS DATA, 50% OF YOUNG CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 4 ARE NOT IN SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, THE SAME STUDY INDICATES 69% OF MISSISSIPPI'S FOURTH GRADERS ARE NOT AT GRADE LEVEL PROFICIENCY IN READING. UWSM BELIEVES THE COMMUNITY'S MOST CRITICAL RESOURCES ARE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND UNITED WAY OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI INVESTED RESOURCES THROUGH SEVERAL EDUCATION INITIATIVES. INITIATIVES INCLUDED DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY, WHICH DISTRIBUTED 18,451 FREE BOOKS TO LOCAL CHILDREN; AND PREK4WARD, WHICH OFFERS TUITION-FREE PRESCHOOL TO 180 AREA CHILDREN ACROSS 9 CLASSROOMS. ADDITIONALLY, UWSM FUNDS THE NOURISHING PLACE'S ENHANCE AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING PROGRAM, MANNA MINISTRIES HEAD AND HEART TUTORING PROGRAM, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI'S CHILDREN'S CENTER, AND MOORE COMMUNITY HOUSE EARLY PREK PROGRAM.
  3. $155,882 spent. IN FYE 2024 UNITED WAY OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI PROVIDED, THROUGH VOLUNTEERS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS, CRITICAL COMMUNITY SERVICES. VOLUNTEERS SIGNED UP FOR OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S VOLUNTEERS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS PORTAL AND WERE FIELDED IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EVENTS SUCH AS THE ANNUAL MLK DAY OF ACTION. VOLUNTEERS LOGGED A TOTAL OF 912 HOURS WITH A MONETARY IMPACT OF $226,058. ADDITIONALLY, UWSM DIRECTED A MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY OF SERVICE DIAPER DRIVE WHICH GENERATED 18,376 DIAPERS AND A "FILL THE BUS" SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE WHICH GENERATED 34,057 SCHOOL SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED ACROSS THE FOUR COUNTIES UNITED WAY OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI SERVES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1993.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.