United Way of Metropolitan Chicago

What it reported doing in 2024

Impact grantsfor more than 90 years, united way of metro chicago ("united way") has mobilized private and philanthropic support, as well as public sector resources, to build thriving communities. We invest in organizations across the region to provide the building blocks to stabilize households and achieve community-identified goals via access to health care, housing, safety from abuse, food assistance, early learning, workforce development, and legal assistance.united way of metro chicago grounds its grantmaking in local data, community input, and insights from organizations and leaders with deep knowledge of community needs. We focus on supporting (see schedule o) high-quality direct service programs that respond to the most pressing needs of community members across our key focus areas.we believe in a collaborative and community-led approach to philanthropy one that values the expertise of those delivering services and creates space for ongoing feedback, shared learning, and innovation. Our grants are unrestricted, so partners can apply funding where it is needed most from staffing and service delivery to organizational infrastructure and growth. United way of metro chicago's role is not only to fund but also to serve as a connector, capacity builder, and partner in advancing community-led change.more than $6 million was invested from july 1, 2024, to june 30, 2025, to support the outlined impact grant strategies across the chicago region.july 1, 2024 - june 30, 2025, investments / outcomesunited way of metro chicago ("united way") awarded impact grants according to the strategic focus areas outlined below. United way's 2024-25 funding supported four grant strategies: place-based wraparound services, place-based issue-focused services, regionwide wraparound services, and regionwide issue-focused services. These grant strategies each employ different approaches to achieving united way's ultimate goals of stabilizing low-income families in crisis and building stronger communities.in all united way impact grants, we are seeking to achieve goals in at least one of our focus areas:- basic needs: the focus area includes providing support for individuals and families to have access to healthcare, housing, safety from abuse, food assistance, and legal assistance support.- early learning: providing support so that children and families can build a strong foundation for the start of school.- workforce development: preparing individuals for success and long-term living wage employment opportunities.some outcomes for july 1, 2024 - june 30, 2025- food security: 260,000+ meals to people experiencing food insecurity- workforce development: # 19,000+ individuals participated in workforce development programs; # 5,000+ individuals were placed in living-wage jobs- health care: 24,000+ individuals received ongoing behavioral and mental health services leading to improvement- education: # 10,000+ children participated in early-learning programs; # 92% of children ages 0-5 in early learning programs improved across developmental domains, such as fine motor skills and communication

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.2%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 83.9%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $14.36 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd 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: 80.3%; rating input score 80; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 96.8%; rating input score 97; 31st 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: -3.8%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.25; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.2%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1.3% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.5% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings