United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Where gaps in critical services exist, united way coastal and western Connecticut develops direct service programs to meet the needs of alice households. United way's direct service program activities are focused on education, health, financial stability, and collective action. Education: united way of coastal and western Connecticut supports early childhood education and literacy through several initiatives. Since 2018, the cora's kids family child care network has added over 900 licensed child care slots, supported 150 licensed providers, and served more than 1,000 children from low- to moderate-income families in greater danbury and new milford. To build community leadership and awareness, cora's kids also leads the community messenger program, which has trained and mobilized over 170 individuals in danbury and new milford. In 2024, cora's kids launched seedlings to sprouts, a farm-to-school initiative that has planted 12 home gardens and served hundreds of providers and families through access to fresh produce and nutrition education. A back to school programs across greater danbury, southern litchfield county, and bridgeport deliver much needed school supplies to low- and moderate-income families. Health: launched in 2023, the food farmacy of greater danbury is a food as medicine initiative designed to improve outcomes for patients experiencing food insecurity and diet-related chronic conditions such as hypertension. This initiative is operated in partnership with nuvance/northwell health and Connecticut institute for communities. In 2024-25, 120 patients received fresh produce benefits, nutrition education, cooking classes, and personalized support from dietitians and community impact workers. United way also coordinates the danbury and stamford food collaboratives, which unite over 80 organizations - including food pantries, meal providers, nonprofits, public agencies, funders, and faith-based groups - to strengthen the region's response to food insecurity. Volunteers support these collaboratives through food distribution, logistics, and community outreach.financial stability: in 2024-25, united way provided direct financial support to alice households through a combination of programs, including the healthy savings program, the alice enrichment fund, and the alice critical needs fund. In total, over $360,000 was distributed to 1,418 households to cover essential expenses such as food, housing, child care, enrichment activities, healthcare, transportation, technology, and utilities. Collective action: united way serves as the backbone organization for three cradle-to-career collective action initiatives - bridgeport prospers, stamford cradle to career, and the danbury collective - and is a founding partner of the Connecticut cradle to career coalition, which includes norwalk acts and waterbury bridge to success. The three place-based partnerships in stamford, bridgeport, and danbury focus on building equitable systems that support more than 47,000 students in urban communities where alice rates are highest. United way provides strategic resources, data support, and convening power to align partners around shared goals and measurable outcomes from early childhood through postsecondary success. Each initiative is tailored to meet the unique needs of its community. Examples of current collective efforts include work in bridgeport to improve maternal health outcomes for black and latina mothers, shared strategies in danbury to address chronic absenteeism through family and school supports, and expansion of full-service community schools in stamford to provide academic, wellness, and basic needs support. These examples reflect a broader, ongoing commitment to advancing equity, strengthening community infrastructure, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive from cradle to career.volunteerism: volunteerism is also a vital component of these direct service programs. United way actively engages community membe

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 99.9%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 83.7%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $15.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • 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: 36.3%; rating input score 36; 14th 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 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • 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: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -18.1%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.94; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11.4%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings