Your Investment

aGency SpotLight

We are thrilled to announce our first ever agency spotlight video! These videos will give an overview of what different agencies in our community do and how they spend your United Way dollars. For our first video we chose to promote the Child Advocacy Center! The Child Advocacy Center is such a life-changing service to our community and we are so happy to be able to help educate people on their amazing services! Stay tuned for more incredible agency spotlights!!!

Each year, agencies applying for United Way funding must complete applications and interviews as part of a comprehensive allocation process. The applications and accompanying multi-year budgets, IRS 990s, and audited financial statements are reviewed by teams of community volunteers who identify questions unanswered by the documentation or areas of potential concern. They then meet with Board and Staff members from their assigned agencies to ask questions and decide how each agency’s request answers the following questions: 2018 Allocation Report

1. Is the service provided vital to this community? With limited resources and significant needs, it makes sense to fund programs that will make an immediate impact on individuals and families and/or result in a long-term impact on the community as a whole. 2. Is the service being provided efficiently? Using budgets, IRS documents, and audited financial statements, the teams review how agencies used their resources in the previous two years as well as how they plan to use them in the coming year to determine the efficiency of each operation. 3. Is the service effective? Good people and good intentions are just not good enough. All good investments provide returns, and in the case of non-profits, those returns are in the form of lives improved and lives saved. To prove that the services they provide are effective, agencies provide measurable and documentable outcomes that they have achieved over the past year and set outcome goals for the next. Following their agency visits, the allocation teams meet again to develop their recommendations for funding. Team Captains then meet for one last time to present those recommendations and negotiate the final allocations based on the amount available to distribute.

Pledges vs. Dollars Allocated

While we might receive pledges approaching $2 million, we know that we won’t have nearly that much to allocate to our partner agencies. Following are some of the reasons why: 1. In the past, unpaid pledges due to the sale/closure of a place of business and the employment separation, relocation, or financial hardships of those making pledges has resulted in as much as $250,000 in unpaid pledges. 2. Some donors choose to designate the funds we collect to non-Partner Agencies and to United Ways in neighboring counties. This year, that total is in excess of $200,000. We will recoup a portion of that in designations made to our United Way from campaigns outside Morgan County, but unfortunately, that portion is typically very small. 3. While our United Way runs the campaign for state employees working in Morgan County, the several thousand dollars collected is paid separately from allocations. 4. United Way of Morgan County has three paid staff members to oversee the campaign and manage the daily operations of a busy nonprofit. The State of Alabama and most nonprofit “watchdogs” list 30% as the limit for Administrative and Fundraising expenses; but as documented on our most recent IRS form 990, United Way of Morgan County’s Administrative and Fundraising expenses totaled just 13.2% of revenue. And by shopping locally whenever possible, we are able to keep more than 98 cents out of every dollar right here in North Alabama.

Dues to United Way Worldwide

A frequent concern expressed to our staff is how much United Way of Morgan County pays to United Way Worldwide for the use of the name and logo, training, and national advertising seen most prominently through a partnership with the National Football League. In 2018, we will pay nearly $19,000 in dues to United Way Worldwide. And because we are a member in good standing, Morgan County is eligible for a Federal Grant administered through United Way Worldwide and paid through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). Last year, that grant totaled $58,000, and the year before $52,000.  Joining United Way’s President on our local EFSP Board are representatives of the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, National Council of Churches of Christ, Jewish Federation of North American, Catholic Charities, and the homeless/formerly homeless, along with the Chair of the Morgan County Commission. Together, these Board members review the applications of local charities to allocate the funds received. In 2017 – 2018, the following charities received funding through this program: Committee on Church Cooperation Crisis Center of North Alabama Hands Homes for Girls and Boys Neighborhood Christian Center Salvation Army

Leadership

2017 – 2018 United Way Board of Directors

Staff

• President/CEO

  Kathleen Ross

• Office Manager

  Laura Chambers

• Director of Community Outreach

  Kelsey-Rae Walling

• Director of Resource Development

  Brooke Rawlins

As stewards of the community’s largest charitable investment, it is vitally important that we maintain the highest standards of operational integrity and financial transparency. As such and with the oversight of our Board of Directors, we employ a professional accountant to maintain our books and an independent firm to audit our financial statements.

See financial records

Use these buttons to download and view our most recent tax and financial documentation.

IRS Form 990 Audited Financial Statements

About United Way

United Way is a network of people and organizations working towards solutions for local problems in nearly 1,800 communities worldwide. Harnessing the power of donors, volunteers, and advocates, they focus on providing for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. United Way of Morgan County was founded in 1940 by a group of local community leaders including John Caddell and Barrett Shelton, Jr., who believed that the only way to solve local problems was to get involved. And because of their commitment and the commitment of thousands of people since, one out of three Morgan County residents benefits each year from a United Way funded program. And we couldn’t do what we do without the support of the entire community as well. From Decatur to Lacon, Trinity to Lacey’s Spring, and all points between, we are a grateful and generous community that believes in taking care of each other and giving back to the community that takes care of us. We all benefit when we Live United!