Frequently Asked Questions

United Way of Northeast Louisiana is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) agency that works with volunteers, donors, and other local organizations to envision a community where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, financial stability, and healthy lives.

Together, our work is focused on:

• Children, Youth, and Young Adults Successful in School and Life
• Economic Opportunity for All
• Healthy and Safe Individuals, Families, and Community

Our mission is focused around Helping People and Improving Our Community.

Our values are Inclusiveness, Compassion, Integrity, Respect and Dignity, and Positive Impact.

Read more about these community aspirations here.

All United Ways are locally run and governed in each community. Our staff works with knowledgeable, well-trained volunteers representative of our community here in Northeast Louisiana. The current President & CEO of United Way of Northeast Louisiana is Kim Lowery.

A volunteer-led Board of Directors sets policy and strategic direction. Our complete Executive Committee and Board of Directors can be found here.

Various volunteer committees oversee financial practices and provide counsel on operational issues.

According to the most recently filed 990, 74.4% of United Way of Northeast Louisiana’s total expenses supported programs and services. This percentage includes services we deliver ourselves and funding for community partner programs, along with the staff and resources needed to provide those services. The remaining 25.6% supported fundraising and administration, helping us raise funds and manage community resources responsibly.

Overhead costs include important investments we make to sustain and improve our work: investments in training, planning, evaluation, internal systems, and a professional staff, as well as our efforts to raise money so we can operate programs across Northeast Louisiana.

Our public reporting can be found here.

United Way of Northeast Louisiana is a regional organization serving 12 parishes. These parishes are Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, and West Carroll. Parish-wide information on funded programs is available from your United Way staff person and here on our website.

United Way Worldwide is the leadership and support organization engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories. It provides national media advertising including television Public Service Announcement. It also sets national impact goals and provides brand leadership for local United Ways. Use of the United Way logo is based on United Way Membership Requirements regarding governance and fiscal accountability. In addition, United Way Worldwide conducts a vast array of research to assist member organizations in the development and implementation of their local community impact agenda. United Way Worldwide DOES NOT provide funding of day-to-day operations for any local United Ways. United Way of Northeast Louisiana pays 1.2% of its annual campaign dollars to United Way Worldwide for dues.

When you give your undesignated gift to United Way of Northeast Louisiana, you are allowing local volunteers, representing all segments of the community, to determine how to invest the money in the issues and areas that need it most, ensuring our work is both focused on our community’s aspiration and achieving measurable results. The recommendations for funding are reviewed and approved by our volunteer Board of Directors.

An undesignated gift supports the work that we invest in across Northeast Louisiana. For more information, see here.

By completing a Specific Care Form and submitting it with the pledge form, a designated gift restricts your gift to a specific 501(c)3 non-profit health and human service agency.

• Designated gifts must be $100 or greater.
• Gifts of less than $100 will be directed to the general fund.
• These gifts will be adjusted for pledge loss and an administrative fee of 12%.
• Specific Care Forms must be turned in to your Campaign Coordinator or directly to United Way of Northeast Louisiana with the pledge amount.

United Way of Northeast Louisiana is committed to the highest standards of accountability and transparency when investing donor dollars. As a matter of practice, no single staff member is able to process any transaction from start to finish and all checks must be signed by two authorized signers. The Finance Committee and Board of Directors review financial statements monthly to ensure adherence to the budget. An independent accounting firm audits United Way of Northeast Louisiana once a year and the Finance Committee and Board of Directors must review and approve this audit each year.

Our annual reports, audits, and 990s are accessible to the public here.

In order to receive funding from United Way of Northeast Louisiana, a partner agency program or organization must demonstrate that it is meeting the following strict accountability requirements:

• Be a tax exempt, non-profit corporation
• Be governed by a volunteer board whose members are elected and supported by trained, professional staff
• Meet reasonable standards of financial responsibility and efficiency
• Quantify or measure the changes that the agency/program is making in the lives of the people it serves
• Financial reporting requirements are based on the level of United Way NELA funding.
  • Up to $25,000: Latest Financial Records
  • $25,000 to $50,000: Financial Compilation
  • $50,000 to $100,000: Financial Review
  • Over $100,000: Independent Audit

Any registered nonprofit agency in our service area that provides health and human services and is aligned with our Community Aspirations and goals identified by United Way may submit an inquiry here to receive information regarding available funding opportunities. Funding availability is posted at unitedwaynela.org/our-partners each year. 

While United Way of Northeast Louisiana has standards for Partner Agencies, each agency is autonomous and is governed by a Board of Directors. The agencies determine the programs they provide to the community and their criteria for receiving services.

Agencies are not totally funded by United Way of Northeast Louisiana dollars and may depend on service or membership fees for financial support. Frequently, agencies offer sliding fee schedules so that people who are unable to pay the total fee can be charged based on their ability to pay. For more information about the Partner Agency Program Funding Process, visit here.

Some agencies choose to discontinue their partnership with United Way of Northeast Louisiana; others do not continue to meet partnership standards and program funding is not continued in future funding cycles. Every effort is made to help interested organizations meet the partnership criteria and standards.

The fastest and most efficient way to find out what resources are available in our community is to call 211. With just one call to 211 by cell or landline, anyone who needs help can speak with a caring, highly trained Specialist who will listen, assess their needs, offer emotional support, and get them connected to local services that could meet their needs. Call Specalists have access to a vast array of community and social service resources. For more information, visit the 211 Resource Database, or simply call 211.

YES! United Way of Northeast Louisiana is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Donations to United Way are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by an individual’s or corporation’s circumstances.