United Way of Westchester and Putnam

What it reported doing in 2024

During the 2024-25 fiscal year, united way's 211 helpline (which serves the hudson valley, long island, capital region, and adirondacks) continued to play a vital role connecting families and individuals to the basic needs programs that can assist them. United way's 211 helpline and online referral database offers free information, referral, assessment, and crisis support to help people access the health and human services they need to address everyday challenges. Uw's 211 also works with local social service departments and government agencies to provide referrals and resources to residents. These relationships have been vital to solving very complicated social service needs. 211 is a confidential, multilingual, and comprehensive service with a database of more than 25,000 services and programs that are updated throughout the year. Trained call specialists are available 24/7, 365 days a week through the uw's 211 and can assist callers in 200+ languages (through transperfect) as well as the hearing-impaired. United way's 211 helpline is an informusa-accredited call center which ensures that the resource database used to refer callers to programs and services is organized according to the nationally-standardized problems and needs categories and includes resource listings for services that range from childcare to food pantries; shelters to specialized services for veterans and military families; and mental health to transportation. The database is also available online at www.211hudsonvalley.org and since 2019, texting capabilities are available from 9 a.m. To 5 p.m., monday friday. Texting offers options for those less likely to want to make a phone call and is particularly helpful in sending outgoing messages to confirm tax appointments or provide information during times of a disaster (like a hurricane or during the covid-19 pandemic). The call center, run by united way and located in white plains, ny, managed over 727,000 interactions (across call, text, email and web search options) during 2025 from twelve counties in New York state in which over 19,623 calls were tax related which resulted in refunds and credits of over $26 million (from lini's most recent report and charmaine's 211 enews). 211 operates as programs of the united way and is underwritten by local united ways, government agencies, and corporate foundations. United way runs the 211 helpline for the hudson valley region, which includes dutchess, orange, putnam, rockland, sullivan, ulster, and westchester counties. It also runs the 211 helpline for the long island region, which includes nassau and suffolk counties. In addition, united way contracts with the united way's in the capital region and adirondack region to provide call center services in support of their 211 efforts.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 91.5%; rating input score 91
• Program expense ratio: 93.2%; rating input score 93
• Fundraising efficiency: $34.41 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 97.1%; rating input score 97; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 3.7%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.58; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.4%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -1.4% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings