United Way of Alamance County
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 560599239
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Burlington, NC, USA
- Phone
- 3364382000
- Rating
- 74
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $739,352
- Expenses
- $788,264
- Assets
- $1,274,556
- Liabilities
- $187,744
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
17 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- LACEY DABBS (PRESIDENT THRU 10/03/25)
- ELIZABETH GORDON (INTERIM PRESIDENT THRU 08/24)
Highest reported compensation
- LACEY DABBS (PRESIDENT THRU 10/03/25): $75,313 total reported compensation
- ELIZABETH GORDON (INTERIM PRESIDENT THRU 08/24): $46,241 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
United way of alamance county envisions a community that comes together to break down barriers, eliminate inequities, and end poverty. See continuation on schedule o
What it reported doing in 2024
Nc 211, supported locally by united way of alamance county, nc 211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects individuals and families to health and human service resources within their community. Callers are assisted by trained community resource specialists who listen to their needs, assess individual circumstances, and provide referrals to verified local organizations offering support with basic needs, including housing and utility assistance, food, healthcare, transportation, and other essential services. During the 2025 calendar year, nc 211 data indicates that more than 5,700 calls were received from individuals seeking assistance with services in alamance county. In addition, local united way staff field dozens of calls each month from community members and their advocates seeking guidance and referrals to available resources.community partnerships and programshousing alamance is a collaborative initiative supported by united way of alamance county. In 2025, the initiative convened a diverse cross-section of community members, housing professionals, nonprofit organizations, and local partners through structured housing workgroups to foster thought leadership, policy development, and coordinated action aimed at advancing equitable access to safe, affordable housing in alamance county, with an emphasis on education and advocacy. Through collaboration across multiple teams, collective members identified priority housing challenges impacting the community, with eviction prevention and education emerging as a key area of focus. Beginning in december 2025, united way of alamance county advanced this eviction-related work through community engagement, educational programming, and data collection to inform future housing strategies and solutions.tax time is a free income tax preparation service that primarily serves the elderly, low-income, and individuals with disabilities living in alamance county. Tax preparation services were provided by trained community and student volunteers who support equitable access to essential financial services. The program's primary goal is to help individuals and families save time and money by ensuring accurate tax filing and maximizing eligible credits and refunds. During the most recent tax season, more than 800 individuals were served through the vita tax time program.community council is united way of alamance county's signature monthly convening designed to bring together leaders and stakeholders from multiple sectors to address critical community needs, promote volunteerism, share resources, and strengthen relationships. Each meeting is organized around a different theme and features a range of formats, including guest speakers, panel discussions, and facilitated networking. The program provides dedicated, recurring opportunities for community leaders and residents to deepen connections and collaborate on solutions. All community council meetings are open to the public. In addition to in-person convenings, united way of alamance county distributes regular community council email announcements to keep community members informed about local initiatives, events, and engagement opportunities across the county.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 55% for direct work, and 45% for grants.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 66
- Transparency & Controls: 88
- Accountability: 95
- Sustainability: 34
- Growth: 0
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 71.2%; rating input score 71
- Program expense ratio: 65.3%; rating input score 65
- Fundraising efficiency: $12.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: 92.3%; rating input score 92; 40th 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Fail
- 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: -6.6%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.62; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 15.4%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -6.7% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -6.1% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -7.4% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 71.2% of revenue deployed · 65.3% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $515K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $75K · 17 people listed
- Consistency: 32 of 33 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
- Filing history: 13 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 19 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: 17 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.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 44/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 21/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: CEO compensation review process not reported.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
- Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 22/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.