Sioux Empire United Way Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
460233701
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone
6053362095
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$10,654,220
Expenses
$8,853,954
Assets
$14,205,716
Liabilities
$170,831

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

32 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LISA ROMKEMA (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • LISA ROMKEMA (CEO): $191,652 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTINA RISS (COO): $148,396 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To lead, sustain, and nurture a unified, effective response to community needs.

What it reported doing in 2025

The impact noted below reflects outcomes reported by sioux empire united way partner programs through the annual funding application process. In 2025, sioux empire united way funding helped to ensure this type of impact is possible within the sioux empire. Helping childrenquality childcare & early childhood education:- 1,296 children attended quality childcare and early education programs. 12,564 children aged 0-5 received 119,304 books though dolly parton's imagination library program.support for parents:- 6,071 individuals received information and resources to support their parenting journey and enrich the lives of their children.out of school time care andopportunities:- 2,501 youth were provided with access to services to fill out of school time with safe and educational programming.youth outreach & development opportunities:- 13,212 youth were provided with mentoring and enrichment opportunities through community programming.physical & mental wellbeing:- 6,492 children and youth were provided access to mental and physical health services like counseling, advocacy, food, dental, and speech and language therapy.helping vulnerable adultscommunity connections & quality of life experiences:- 6,977 adults benefited from services and programs aimed at fostering stronger community ties, enhancing their quality of life, and broadening their range of experiences.stabilize health & lengthen independent living:- 7,339 individuals received supervised care, transportation, or services to allow for continued independent living.helping people in crisisfamily support:- 2,967 at-risk families receive intensive case management, legal services, nursing services and support.housing stability, financial care, & career empowerment:- 17,090 individuals and 1,637 families utilized services that provide access to transitional and stable housing, community resources like financial literacy training, and more.care & prevention for victims of violence & sexual assault:- 2,110 individuals were provided access to safe shelter, crisis intervention, counseling services, or community education opportunities on issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. In addition, 14,108 naloxone kits and 4,648 fentanyl testing strips were distributed to expand life-saving overdose prevention resources in the community.mental health care:- 4,199 individuals were provided access to mental health care, counseling, and support services.community crisis resources:- 50,325 inquiries were answered and provided information, resources referrals, and volunteer opportunities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 89% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 98
  • Sustainability: 64
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 72.5%; rating input score 72
  • Program expense ratio: 86.2%; rating input score 86
  • Fundraising efficiency: $20.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96.8%; rating input score 97; 26th 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: 16.9%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.6; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.8%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.7% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.5% per year; rating input score 100; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 72.5% of revenue deployed · 86.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 30 of 31 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $7.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $192K · 32 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 54 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 52 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 56/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 44/100.