At United Way, we know that people individually support many organizations: our alma maters, religious affiliations, children’s schools, and personal charities of our choice. We respect those commitments while asking you to consider supporting United Way of Greater New Bedford, which supports numerous organizations and programs that serve the growing needs of our community. When you give to UWGNB, you are touching many lives and having a positive impact on many vital programs and services.
When you invest in the Community Fund, you are investing in the entire community. Your one gift helps people with basic needs like food, shelter and clothing and subsidizes the cost of childcare so families can afford to work. Your investment not only provides people with preventative health screenings, but also ensures nursing care is available when they need it. Also, your one gift helps makes sure the support services exist to help people live independently. Your gift to United Way ensures your investment in the community will have a larger impact over the long term United Way also works to ensure your dollars are used as effectively and efficiently by holding the programs we support accountable.
Yes. United Way offers flexible giving options, so that your donation can support all of our programs or a specific agency or program. You can even designate your gift to a nonprofit, human service agency, we will honor your gift to any 501(c)(3) organization.
You may never use United Way supported programs or services, but 50,000 people in our community will use a United Way program during the next year and many will never even know they are doing so. If you aren’t currently using a United Way service, you can ensure that those services will be there if and when you, a family member, or a friend may need them.
We help everyone in our service area (New Bedford, Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, Freetown and Wareham) who needs or wants help through information and referral services, as well as direct agency programs. Currently, 50,000 people use United Way funded programs and services.
Individuals who volunteer to serve on our Citizens Review Committee carefully review programs and budget information. Volunteers collectively make funding recommendations based on United Way initiatives and community priorities, and send those funding recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors for their approval. If you would like additional information or would like to volunteer on this committee, please contact us.
UWGNB’s overhead is approximately 14%, which includes fundraising, marketing, and administrative costs. This is a lower percentage than most nonprofits nationwide and well below the 35% standard suggested by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. We are fortunate to have many of our costs absorbed by local corporate sponsors and local foundations covering some of our operating costs.
United Way Worldwide, located in Alexandria, VA, provides training and services to the nearly 1,400 independent United Ways across America. It does not do any fundraising, nor does it make any policy for local United Ways. In exchange for national advertising and educational development support, United Way of Greater New Bedford pays dues of less than one-tenth of one percent of the total campaign dollars raised.