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Thoughts on the United Way? (self.nonprofit)

submitted ago by Rocky_Face

I know this seems a bit from left field, but it is Reddit after all! Just wanted to see what people's general impression of the United Way is.

Are they are well respected charity organization? On both the national and local level?Are they generally viewed favorably? Do people know if the money they collect goes to good causes? Any thoughts on the staff/people who represent this org?

In short, how does the United Way stack up against other charitable orgs? Thanks in advance, helpful citizens!

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[–]theplayerpiano 0 points1 point ago

United Way has a narrow scope of organizations that they invest in. Visit your local United Way's website and see their Partnering Organizations or Agencies. You will see a list of what the money the United Way collects get funneled to. Could you just donate to those agencies directly? Sure. What United Way offers as a granting entity is holding the organizations it grants accountable and measuring the impact in the community. UW is known on an academic level for "Measuring Program Outcomes: A Practical Approach." They work with the grantees to make sure that the money is used efficiently.

All that being said - I do not contribute to the United Way, I prefer having a close relationship with the organization I donate to since the amount of money I give is so small.

[–]civex 0 points1 point ago

I used to be on the board of one of our local United Ways. The people I was involved with were all honest and had good intentions. They cared about where the money went, and when they gave money to a cause, they followed up on it and made sure the money was used for the stated intentions. The gifts allowed specific percentages for overhead (salaries, office space, and the like), and our United Way checked to make sure money went where it should.

I don't know how it stacks up against other charities. I'd check Charity Navigator to see how various charities compare in where their donations go. If you want to compare American Charities, the FTC has some links in its "Charity Checklist" section you can use to make some judgments. The links I've provided will give you some information on how much of the donations go to good works and how much goes to overhead.

Here's my problem: go to Google and search for "nova haiti ngos" and look at the results. After Haiti's huge earthquake, charities poured staff and money into the country to help alleviate the suffering. (NOVA is a PBS program, for those that don't know.)

Then Google "the nation ngos have failed haiti" and look at the results. Despite pouring millions of dollars and countless staff-hours into the nation of Haiti, nothing has been done. Nothing. The people are still under blue tarps, without water, power, and sanitation. Nothing has been accomplished. Don't just scan the headlines, follow those links and read the heart wrenching stories.

I've become convinced that despite the good intentions and the good efforts of national charities, I'm better off contributing to local charities where I can confirm that good actually results from donations.

It's a choice we all get to make, and people disagree. So educate yourself and make your educated decision. Good luck.