United Way of Acadiana Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Through a federal grant awarded by the administration for children and families, department of head start, the united way of acadiana operates an early head start program serving 103 children and families. The center-based program serves children 6 weeks to three years old and the home-based program serves pregnant women and children up to 3 years old. The program operates two (2) early childhood education centers; one in abbeville serving vermilion parish and the other in lafayette serving families in the 70501, 70503, 70506 and 70507 zip code areas. The program provides high-quality early childhood education services to ensure all children enter school ready to learn. Additionally, we help every family by connecting them to resources to overcome challenges and achieve their goals for education, employment, and housing. This approach plays a transformative role across generations. Every child completing a complete program year exceeded the school readiness goals by 85% in overall growth in areas of social-emotional development, literacy, mathematics, science and cognitive development. Children are selected into our program through a rating system that gives priority to children who have a disability, who are homeless or those in foster care. In response to covid-19, uwa ehs developed a plan of action that outlined specific strategies to support overall safety and wellness of our children, families, and staff. Our top priorities were the ongoing educational support needed as parents were engaging with their children at home, along with the commitment to helping families meet their basic need for food during these challenging times. During center closures, uwa ehs provided all children, center-based and home based with a week's worth of frozen, pre-packed healthy meals to include breakfast, snack, and lunch. The staff created daily lesson plans that were easy, effective and engaging, allowing learning and development to continue within the home. The team provided supplies needed to complete activities in the lesson plan and books to help build home libraries. The ehs leadership team identified resources to educate our parents on the pandemic and helped them understand the importance of reminaing safe and healthy.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 93.8%; rating input score 94
• Program expense ratio: 79.1%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 88.2%; rating input score 88; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 83.9%; rating input score 84; 29th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -16.2%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.74; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3%; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -3.8% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -1.1% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings