United Way of Ventura County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO IMPROVE LIVES BY INSPIRING AND MOBILIZING THE CARING POWER AND RESOURCES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $2.3 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 17.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 317
- Highest pay
- $149,274, 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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 2520 of 20 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 (4)
- $1.4 million spent. UNITED TO END HOMELESSNESS: IN AN EFFORT TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS IN VENTURA COUNTY, THE UNITED WAY OF VENTURA COUNTY LAUNCHED A COMPREHENSIVE UNITED TO END HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE, WHICH INCLUDES A CRITICAL LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM'S FOCUS IS ON INCREASING THE HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS BY CONNECTING THEM WITH LANDLORDS WHO ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT HOUSING VOUCHERS AND SUBSIDIES PROVIDED BY LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THIS INITIATIVE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HOUSING IS A BASIC HUMAN NEED, YET FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS IN VENTURA COUNTY, THAT NEED IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO MEET. WITH ACTIVELY RECRUITING, CULTIVATING, AND RETAINING A NETWORK OF LANDLORDS, UWVC WORKS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND ENSURE THE LONG-TERM STABILITY OF HOUSING FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED. A CENTRAL COMPONENT OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE HOME SAFE PROGRAM, LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2024. THIS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TARGETS HOUSEHOLDS WITH EXCEEDINGLY LOW INCOMES, PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO HELP THEM AVOID HOMELESSNESS. DURING THE YEAR, THE TWO PROGRAMS COMBINED PROVIDED ASSISTANCE FOR 246 HOUSEHOLDS. THIS DEMONSTRATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND LANDLORD PARTICIPATION IN ADDRESSING THE HOUSING CRISIS. THESE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES NOW CALL VENTURA, OXNARD, PORT HUENEME, CAMARILLO, THOUSAND OAKS, FILLMORE, SANTA PAULA, MOORPARK, AND SIMI VALLEY THEIR HOMES.
- $138,290 spent. WORKPLACE DESIGNATIONS: ALLOCATIONS AND DESIGNATIONS TO AGENCIES: UNITED WAY OF VENTURA COUNTY (THE AGENCY) RAISES CONTRIBUTION PLEDGES TO BENEFIT OTHER VENTURA COUNTY AGENCIES. THE AGENCY HELPED ALLEVIATE AND OVERCOME THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS OF VENTURA COUNTY. IN CONNECTION WITH THIS, THE AGENCY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF A PROGRAM OF COMPREHENSIVE YEAR-ROUND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THE UNITED WAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, EDUCATION AND RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY A SERIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, ADVERTISING, AND PERSONAL CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
- $115,600 spent. VITA/CAL EITC: THE EARN IT! KEEP IT! SAVE IT! (EKS) IS A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP LED BY UWVC, THE VENTURA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, AND THE IRS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF AND ACCESS TO EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) AND TO PROVIDE ELECTRONIC FILING OF INCOME TAX RETURNS FREE OF CHARGE THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VITA). THE VITA PROGRAM HELPS ENSURE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES GET THE REFUNDS AND CREDITS FOR WHICH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE. DURING THE 2024 TAX SEASON, 80 VOLUNTEERS PREPARED MORE THAN 1,900 RETURNS AND BROUGHT BACK OVER $2.1 MILLION IN REFUNDS. ADDITIONALLY, $822,329 OF THOSE FUNDS WAS IN EITC. EITC GOES TO THE POOREST, MOST VULNERABLE VENTURA COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS AND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY POVERTY FIGHTING EXPERTS AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS NATIONALLY, LIFTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ABOVE THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL EVERY YEAR.
- $353,394 spent. UNITED WAY OF VENTURA COUNTY'S OTHER GENERAL PROGRAMS HAVE THREE KEY FOCUS AREAS: EDUCATION, INCOME, AND HEALTH, INCLUDING DISASTER RELIEF. THESE AREAS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE AND WILL HELP TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN VENTURA COUNTY. EDUCATION: HELPING CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACHIEVE THEIR FULL ACADEMIC POTENTIAL. INCOME: PROMOTING FINANCIAL STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE. HEALTH: IMPROVING HEALTHY HABITS, FITNESS AND OVERALL HEALTH. DURING THE YEAR, UNITED WAY OF VENTURA COUNTY ASSISTED APPROXIMATELY 8,500 INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS.
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 1962.
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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