Amplify your Impact™
Amplify Your Impact™ where it’s needed most
We improve our Kansas City region by focusing our attention and funding in three categories—enhancing educational opportunity, improving healthcare and empowering economic mobility—across six counties in Kansas and Missouri, for maximum impact. The nonprofits that we support are our community partners. We do this in three primary ways:
- Unrestricted grant funding to nonprofit partners through our Impact 100 and our Nonprofit Catalyst Fund. We believe in trust-based philanthropy. Researchers have found placing trust in our nonprofit community to be good stewards of the resources they are given is a good, evidence-based strategy. Organizations have shown that such grant-making gives them the flexibility to use funds for enhancing their foundational capabilities and organizational resilience, while also increasing their impact.
- Our 211 community resource line that’s free, confidential and available 24/7 to anyone in our community connecting you to more than 7,000 local resources for everything ranging from mental health resources to tax preparation assistance, utility and rent payment help, caregiver support and so much more.
- Investing in real-time solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges. Recently, we’ve stepped up funding to fight inflation by providing additional funding to food pantries which have seen records numbers of families needing assistance in the face of sky-high grocery prices, we’ve provided direct cash assistance to families in need, and continue to be on the front lines of fighting eviction in our community.
Our Pillars:
Each year, more than 25,000+ individuals and 250+ companies choose to support United Way financially. Because this group of leaders, CEOs, Employee Campaign Managers, employees, individuals and YOU choose to support United Way, we are able to serve 1 in 3 Kansas Citians through more than 1,000,000 service touchpoints in our six-county region. Through designated gifts and United Way’s Impact 100 investments, we pour into 700+ local nonprofit organizations.
How we impact 1 in 3 Kansas Citians:
2-1-1
Every hour of every day, residents of the 23 counties surrounding Kansas City call United Way 211 in search of essential human services. United Way’s 211 service is the only regionally accredited information and referral resource available locally. Simply dial 211 to connect with caring Community Resource Navigators who are trained to navigate a database of more than 7,000 community services. In 2022, navigators handled more than 300,000 contacts and met 90-percent of needs.
Impact 100
United Way’s Impact 100 is a diverse group of 100 community partners that we believe are addressing the most vital health and human service needs. Every Impact 100 organization maintains a high bar of organizational accountability and effectiveness in terms of finance, accountability, governance and impact in the community. Our rigorous selection process includes a variety of factors resulting in a diverse group of organizations—in terms of geographic regions served and human service domains, covering a robust cross-section of our community.
Strategic Initiatives
United Way works to bring people and resources together to solve community needs in real time. We work to address the most pressing issues and gaps in our community. Just as you would hire a financial advisor to make your dollars work harder for you; United Way is your giving advisor, we can help you amplify your dollar’s impact and make the most of your investment, working alongside a network of community partners to drive solutions that change lives, helping ensure everyone in our community has an opportunity to thrive.
Community Needs Index
An Assessment of what’s happening in Kansas City, the actions being taken, and how you can help.
This needs index serves as United Way’s commitment to staying attuned to the intricate ecosystem that is Kansas City, as we unite with our loved ones, friends, and neighbors to become Waymakers™ in the place we proudly call home. The document in it’s entirety can be viewed here.
Donor-Directed Designation
Whatever cause or organization you want to support, United Way can help you do that. Each year, donors designate their gifts to more than 700 organizations. When you make a gift to United Way, you can designate to any eligible 501c3 organization and 100% of your gift will go directly to that community partner.