United Way of the Midlands

What it reported doing in 2024

Education. Education is key to an individual's long-term success and financial stability. Uwm focuses on early education and key transitions in school to improve on-time graduation. During the 2024-2025 school year, midlands reading consortium. (mrc) served a total of 4,652 students across all initiatives, including: 127 students through one-on-one reading sessions, 940 through classroom readings and literacy events, 120 through stem summer camps, and 3,455 students through stem engagement events and activities. One-on-one sessions were supported by 118 mrc volunteers with 578 hours of reading support. Mrc had a presence in 18 schools, 9 school districts, and five counties. Uwm also supported children in after-school and school-based programs. A total of 8,058 students between kindergarten and 12th grade were enrolled in youth education and development programs supported by uwm. Young men united. (ymu) is an evidence-informed initiative designed to create barrier-free pathways for young men to reach their academic and career goals. Ymu offers wraparound supports to young men starting in the tenth and eleventh grade, supporting them until they graduate from a college program and/or enter the workforce. In 2024-2025, ymu expanded from 75 students at two schools to 105 at five schools: eau claire high school, richland northeast high school, irmo high school, columbia high school, and westwood high school. The second group of ymu seniors graduated high school this year with a 100% graduation rate.leadership and capacity building supports the mission of uwm and community impact by providing capacity building activities that support strong nonprofit partners and encouraging civic engagement in the community. Capacity building activities include training and support in the development and reporting of common outcomes and indicators, and training and technical assistance in governance and other nonprofit best practices. In 2024-2025, uwm staff and volunteers renewed partnership with 21 nonprofit organizations and initiated a partnership with one new organization. Staff and volunteers reviewed 45 funding applications and assessed 23 end-of-year program reports. Through our blueprint for leadership program, we trained 23 community members for board and committee service. The uwm volunteer center managed the community portal for volunteering and organized or facilitated 49 volunteer projects in the community. The total number of volunteers associated with uwm during the fiscal year was 2,371.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.3%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 80.1%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.07 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • 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: 64.4%; rating input score 64; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 77.1%; rating input score 77; 14th 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: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -8.8%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.93; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.3%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.7% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings