The allocations process
For more than 80 years, our United Way has been helping people in the St. Louis region. We achieve levels of quality and fiscal efficiency that other charitable organizations nationally aspire to attain. When you make a pledge to the United Way, you can be assured that your contribution will be used wisely to help people. Our community investment process works to ensure that every program we fund is well managed and getting results.
Raising funds
The people of our region are among the most generous in the nation. We are the 18th largest United Way in the country based on population, but 6th largest in dollars raised through the United Way — proof that people here truly care about each other.
Each year, the community raises tens of millions of dollars to help those in need. In 2007, we raised the largest amount ever -- $68.8 million. About 65 percent of those funds are raised through workplace campaigns. Employees pledge to give a little out of each paycheck. Another 32 percent is raised through corporate donations. The remaining 3 percent is given by individuals or through special gifts.
Community Investment Panels
More than 400 community volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of more than 200,000 contributors from across our bi-state region. These volunteers determine how to award contributor dollars to agencies to benefit the greatest number of people. Annually, United Way volunteers review each agency in four performance areas, then they strategically invest funding to achieve the best results.
The panel is first provided with critical information on community needs in the area of service under review. Each panel of volunteers conducts an agency site visit to review how the agency manages its finances, programs, administration and board of directors. Each agency is required to adhere to Quality Standards set forth by the Community Investment Committee. The Quality Standards are the foundation of our allocations process.
Agency clusters
Community Investment Panels review the following clusters:
Basic Needs
The Basic Needs cluster is comprised of 39 agencies divided into three allocations panels:
- Community-Based Comprehensive Services, which contains agencies that provide a continuum of services to clients in a defined population
- Basic Needs and Crisis Services, which contains agencies that address food, clothing, shelter, safety and legal representation needs
- Services for Self-Sufficiency, which contains agencies that provide intensive individual and group support
Health & Disabilities
The Health & Disabilities cluster is comprised of 36 agencies that are divided into two allocations panels:
- Services to Persons with Disabilities, which contains agencies that address sensory and developmental disabilities
- Health Services, which contains agencies that provide patient services, public education, health screenings and professional education
Metro East
The Metro East cluster is comprised of 19 agencies that provide a variety of services to the Metro East region. Volunteers who work or reside in Illinois are encouraged to serve on one of the two Metro East panels:
- Metro East - Basic Need, which contains agencies that address food, clothing, shelter and safety needs
- Metro East – Youth Services, which contains agencies that provide social development, prevention and recreation programming
Youth Services
The Youth Services cluster is comprised of 49 agencies that are divided into three allocations panels:
- Child Welfare, which contains agencies that provide services to abused/neglected children
- Youth Development , which contains agencies that provide social development, prevention and recreation programming
- Early Childhood Care and Education, which contains accredited child care programs and centers
Becoming a Community Investment Volunteer
We recruit more than 400 volunteers annually to serve as Community Investment volunteers. Every attempt is made to represent the diversity of our region: race, gender, age, profession and area of residence. To learn more about becoming a Community Investment Volunteer, contact Kari McAvoy at (314) 539-4087 or mcavoyk@stl.unitedway.org.