United Way of Central Maryland

What it reported doing in 2024

Impact strategies: for 100 years, united way of central Maryland (united way) has been a human service leader for the region, encouraging all central marylanders to give, advocate and volunteer. United way is dedicated to helping individuals and families facing poverty to meet their basic needs, stabilize and achieve self-sufficient lives. We do this through grantmaking, collaboration, promoting volunteerism and advocacy, and mobilizing resources as a trusted fundraiser. Additionally, united way addresses local needs and creates impact through targeted direct-service initiatives.united way uses expertise, data, and local knowledge to better understand the issues facing central marylanders and to make informed investment and programmatic decisions. As part of this work, united way convenes local stakeholders and actively works to develop collective impact strategies in partnership with other nonprofit organizations and government agencies. United way has moved beyond fundraising and grantmaking and into creating innovative direct-service initiatives that support family stability in high-need communities. United way implements evidence-based best practices and incubates promising ideas in the areas of education, housing, health, and workforce development.united way grantmakingthrough our grantmaking, united way works to sustain and grow the capacity of community-based partners to strengthen families and neighborhoods, underpinning the community safety net and improving the lives of central marylanders who work hard but still cannot make ends meet. We direct funding annually to over 100 nonprofit organizations through grants that target specific community needs, mostly through a competitive allocation process administered by our volunteer region united network advisory boards (run boards). Examples of grants provided by the united way in fy25 include the following: neighborhood grants are available through an open, competitive grant opportunity that focuses on amplifying the power of residents. Neighborhood grants were launched in fy21 and continued in subsequent years. United way has come to believe that the true path to real, lasting, and systemic change in our neighborhoods is one that is community-led, informed by their in-depth knowledge of their neighborhood's existing assets and needs and inspired by their desire for a healthier, happier community. Nonprofit organizations with annual operating budgets of $500,000 or less are eligible to apply for a neighborhood grant. Funding decisions are informed by our united way's six local region united network (run) boards, serving each of central Maryland's jurisdictions: baltimore city, and anne arundel, baltimore, carroll, harford, and howard counties. Funds are allocated among the six jurisdictions based on relative alice population. Run board members evaluate applications and recommend grants of between $2,500 and $10,000 each. In fy25, united way received 149 applications and awarded 80 neighborhood grants totaling $76,477. Changemaker challenge grants are available through an open, competitive grant opportunity that sparks social innovation to address challenges facing our communities. Changemaker challenge is held every other year. In fy24 we received 177 changemaker challenge applications. Fifty-one finalists across central Maryland were each provided a $1,500 stipend and support to further develop their ideas and create a two-minute pitch presentation. Five live events were held where applicants presented their ideas and responded to questions from a community panel, and changemaker awards were announced. In total, 31 changemaker awards were made totaling $445,000. For anne arundel, baltimore, harford and howard counties and baltimore city, the changemaker challenge is held every two years, with the next one scheduled for fy26. In fy24 united way continued to partner with the carroll county chamber of commerce to award a $2,000 changemaker grant through their annual biz cha

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 79.5%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.44 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • 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; 72nd 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: -22.9%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.26; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.53; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 17.2%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings