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United Way is known for its collective giving initiatives that address the needs of local communities. In Greater Charlotte, United Way fine-tuned its priorities in recent years to focus on grassroots and neighborhood-based organizations, particularly those helmed by women and minorities.
“Issues like poverty are easy to paint with a broad brush, but how to effectively approach issues that perpetuate poverty can vary greatly by neighborhood,” says President and CEO Laura Yates Clark, a Charlotte native who has led United Way of Greater Charlotte since 2018. The needs of a largely refugee population, for example, may differ than a predominately Black community. Issues like affordable housing, early childhood education, and mental health are all taken into consideration when determining the most impactful avenues for a particular neighborhood.
Small Nonprofits, Big Impacts
Under this new, hyper-focused model, the funded organizations are often smaller and less recognized by the public at large. In some cases, United Way is the first grant they’ve received. “We want to identify the leaders in our community who are doing incredibly important work but may not have the right connections to access funding yet,” says Yates Clark. “We put our heft behind these nonprofits to help them become brand-name organizations in the future.”
The United Way name, she notes, often serves as “a seal of approval”—a signal to other philanthropic organizations that these nonprofits have been vetted and approved. The rigorous selection process includes a formal application with financial statements and business plans. Every funded organization is then required to track and report its progress.
“If an organization is so new that they don’t have these tools, we work with them to develop this capacity so that they can create the necessary proposal for now and future grants,” Yates Clark says. “For some of our female-led nonprofits, they went from receiving their very first grant from United Way to securing six- and seven-figure awards from other donors.”
Outcomes Oriented
For 2024, United Way of Greater Charlotte is investing $16 million into the community. The investment includes $9 million in grants to 132 local nonprofits, 64% of which are women led and 74% of which are led by BIPOC. United Way is uniquely positioned to stand at the intersection of philanthropists, corporate communities, and elected officials, helping connect the right funds to the right organizations at the right time.
“I believe that the heart of poverty is about children, and children’s issues are women’s issues. As a country, if we made important policy decisions through the lens of how it impacts women and children, we would see better outcomes for society at large,” says Yates Clark. “Running a nonprofit as a woman can be a lonely place, but it’s an honor to be surrounded by so many brilliant female leaders who have dedicated their lives to improving our community.”
Contact Info:
Name: Cassie Boesch
Email: Send Email
Organization: United Way of Greater Charlotte
Address: 601 East 5th Street, Suite 350 Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: 704-372-7170
Website: https://www.unitedwaygreaterclt.org
Release ID: 89133510
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