United Way of Lewis County
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY (UWLC) IS CONNECTING PEOPLE AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LEWIS COUNTY. UWLC HAS EVOLVED FROM ITS ROOTS AS A FUNDRAISING ORGANIZATION TO A CRITICAL COMMUNITY IMPACT ORGANIZATION MOBILIZING LOCAL PARTNERS - INCLUDING BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS - TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND SELF-SUFFICIENT. WE UNITE COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO INVEST IN SOLUTIONS THAT LIFT FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR BOARD, STAFF, DONORS, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING EQUITABLE LASTING, SUSTAINABLE CHANGES THAT TRANSFORM LIVES AND BUILD A THRIVING COMMUNITY FOR US ALL.
- Income
- $5.4 million
- Spending
- $5.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 91%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $71,977, executive director
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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.0 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 65% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1090% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 2515 of 15 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)
- $5.1 million spent. UNITED WAY, LOCALLY AND WORLDWIDE, BRINGS PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AROUND A COMMON CAUSE, A COMMON VISION, AND A COMMON PATH FORWARD. IN MANY COMMUNITIES, UNITED WAY IS THE ONLY NONPROFIT BUILDING UP THE FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION, FINANCIAL STABILITY AND HEALTH-AND THE ONLY NONPROFIT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO BE A PART OF LOCAL SOLUTIONS. THE MISSION OF UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY IS CONNECTING PEOPLE AND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LEWIS COUNTY. FOR OVER 56 YEARS, UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY HAS SUPPORTED LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ADDRESSED A VARIETY OF WORTHWHILE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. FROM HUNGER TO HOMELESS, WE HAVE PROVIDED A HAND UP TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING HARDSHIP.
- AS NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY CHANGE, SO MUST THE WAY WE ADDRESS THEM. THROUGH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY SURVEYS, UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY HAS ADOPTED A STRATEGIC FOCUS THAT WILL CREATE LONG-TERM STABILITY FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. OUR NEW STRATEGIC AREA OF IMPACT FOCUSES SPECIFICALLY ON LIFTING FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY, WITH THE BOLD GOAL OF MOVING 30% OF FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY BY 2030, (EQUATES TO OVER 3,400 FAMILIES IN LEWIS COUNTY). THIS SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION COMES AT A TIME WHERE 47% OF LEWIS COUNTY STRUGGLES TO MEET THEIR MOST BASIC NEEDS. LIFTING FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY IS A UNIQUE AND COMPLEX ISSUE THAT UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY HAS ADOPTED TO CREATE LONG TERM SOCIAL CHANGE AND BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING STRATEGIES THAT SERVE BOTH CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS INTENTIONALLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, LEADING TO POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES. OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT APPROACH IS UNIQUE - WE WORK TOWARDS CHANGING SYSTEMS TO THAT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES CAN OVERCOME CHALLENGES ALTOGETHER. IT IS ABOUT INVESTING IN THE PRESENT AND THE FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS, THE FUTURE. A HEALTHY COMMUNITY LEARNS WELL, EARNS WELL, AND LIVES WELL. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY FAMILY DESERVES A FIGHTING CHANCE AT SUCCESS. WITH YOUR SUPPORT, TOGETHER, WE CAN CHANGE THE STORY FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES IN LEWIS COUNTY. UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY'S NEW "CRADLE TO CAREER AND BEYOND" STRATEGIC DIRECTION SUPPORTS PROGRAMMING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, ELEMENTARY READING, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP CREATE A CULTURE OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER LIFELONG LEARNING IN LEWIS COUNTY.
- UNITED WAY OF LEWIS COUNTY IS HELPING TO CHANGE THE STORY FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY. FAR TOO MANY CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN POVERTY AND HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING. IN LEWIS COUNTY, OVER 3,300 CHILDREN DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT, A CONSISTENT PLACE TO SLEEP, OR ACCESS TO A DOCTOR WHEN THEY ARE SICK. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN WHO GROW UP WITH THIS KIND OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP ARE AT GREATER RISK OF EXPERIENCING LEVELS OF TOXIC STRESS SO SEVERE IT CAN AFFECT THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIME. SUCH STRESS IMPACTS THEIR EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THEIR FUTURE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE CHANCES THEY WILL RAISE THEIR OWN CHILDREN IN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP AS WELL. CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARE THRIVING. FOR 24.5% OF YOUTH IN LEWIS COUNTY, POVERTY IS IMPEDING THEIR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS.
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 June 1963.
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.
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