12.
What if I feel
pressured to give?
13.
Can I give to specific
agencies?
14.
How do designations to specific agencies affect overall funding to
that agency?
15.
I give through payroll
deduction. Why do I need to keep a copy of my pledge this year?
16.
If I stop working or
leave the company where I made my donation, what happens to my pledge?
17.
Why do some agencies
charge for services?
18.
How do people get help
from United Way?
19.
Someone I know didn't
receive help from an agency supported by United Way. Why?
20.
What is the United Way
of Greenville County's position on funding Boy Scouts?
21.
Does the United Way
support Planned Parenthood and agencies that promote abortion?
22.
How does United Way
pay for events and luncheons?
23.
Does United Way have a
formal financial audit procedure?
24.
How many paid staff
does United Way have?
25.
What is the
relationship between United Way of Greenville County and United Way of
America?
1.
Can you give me a brief description of United Way of Greenville County?
United
Way of Greenville County (UWGC) is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven
organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people
living and working in Greenville County. United Way unites donors,
companies, volunteers, partner agencies and other organizations to
improve lives and achieve measurable results in areas our community
has said matter most. These areas include: Nurturing Young Children,
Strengthening Families & Neighborhoods, Building a Healthy Community,
Helping Youth Succeed, and Caring for Neighbors in Crisis.
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2.
How
is United Way different from other nonprofit organizations?
United
Way exists for one reason: to help us come together as a community to
identify and address the issues that take everyone to solve. Those
issues, like making sure children are ready to start school and
helping families become self-sufficient, cross lines of race, gender,
geography, faith and economic status and can only be addressed with
collective focus and action. Everything United Way does is designed
to create positive community impact. Your contribution is combined
with those made by others to impact our community in ways no single
organization or individual can.
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3.
How
does United Way determine community needs?
In 2003,
United Way completed a survey of Greenville County residents,
conducted focus groups with local agencies, and examined local and
state data to determine the greatest needs of the community. Based on
this research, United Way and community partners identified the
following priority areas:
• Nurturing Young Children
• Strengthening Families & Neighborhoods
• Building a Healthy Community
• Helping Youth Succeed
• Caring for Neighbors in Crisis
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4.
Who makes program
funding decisions?
Deciding
which programs receive United Way funding is placed in the capable
hands of trained community volunteers who work together to carefully
invest Community Impact Fund dollars and other resources in programs
that are achieving the greatest impact on the community issues that
matter most (see question 3). Donor contributions are invested in
local programs to make our community stronger and safer and help
people live better lives. United Way of Greenville County currently
funds 95 programs in 52 local agencies.
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5.
Which agencies or programs may receive allocations from United Way of
Greenville County?
Any
tax-exempt, nonprofit organization which conducts health or human
service programs in Greenville County may apply. The agency must
provide programs that address one of the five community impact
priorities (see question 3) and agree to present its budget
information and a certified audit to United Way. The United Way Board
of Trustees makes the final decisions on all allocations.
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6.
What were the results
of the 2006 United Way campaign in Greenville County?
In 2006 United Way of Greenville
County raised $14,050,239; 380 companies contributed corporate gifts;
42,000 individuals contributed; and 759 workplace campaigns were
conducted.
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7.
How much of the money
raised by United Way is used for administrative purposes?
Only 12.6% of funds
raised by our United Way is used for fundraising and
administration—making it among the lowest overhead costs of any
nonprofit in the nation. For that reason, Charity Navigator, America’s
largest independent charity evaluator, has awarded United Way of
Greenville County its highest rating, a four-star (****) rating, for
maintaining sound fiscal management. United Way is this efficient
because community support keeps costs to a minimum—including extensive
volunteer leadership, executives "loaned" by companies, public service
advertising donations and more.
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8.
Why should I give?
I never use United Way services.
Inadequate health care, juvenile crime, neglect of the needy,
emergency assistance in times of crisis—these concerns affect everyone
in a community. There are no religious or economic boundaries.
Because United Way funded services are community-wide, they reach
beyond the care provided by a single group. A gift to United Way is a
clear expression of concern for your neighbor.
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9.
Since I live in another
county, why should I give here?
United
Way asks people to give where they work, but services can be used
where they work or live. If you wish, you may designate your gift to
United Way in the county where you live by completing a Donor Choice
Form. These are available from your campaign coordinator or the
United Way office.
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10.
The United Way Fair Share Scale is too high. Do I have to give
that much?
Fair
Share is a guide, not a demand. Fair Share was designed to ask each
person for the same amount in proportion to his or her earnings. It
is a response to people who ask, “How much should I give?” Obviously,
only you know your own circumstances; your gift must be your
decision. The guide simply brings fairness to the ask.
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11.
My spouse and I both work. Why should we both give?
United
Way doesn’t ask families to give, but asks individuals to contribute
according to salary and ability. If both the husband and wife work,
each is asked to consider giving a Fair Share of what he or she earns.
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12.
What if I feel
pressured to give?
United Way has a non-coercion policy, so no one should be forced to
give. United Way is made possible because so many people give
voluntarily, and volunteerism is what United Way is all about.
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13.
Can I give to specific
agencies?
Yes.
Keep in mind that United Way volunteers have researched the community
and identified the areas of greatest need for Greenville County. A
gift to United Way’s Community Impact Fund will be used to support
programs and initiatives that are directly addressing these areas of
need. However, if a United Way funded agency or other nonprofit
501(c)(3) health and human service organization is especially
important to you, complete both a pledge card and a Donor Choice Form
which is available from your campaign coordinator or the United Way
office to designate your gift.
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14.
How do designations to specific agencies affect overall funding to
that agency?
Designated funds and the pool of undesignated funds available for
allocation are accounted for separately. The designated dollars for
agencies and other United Ways are deducted from the dollars available
to allocate and are set aside for those agencies. The designated
dollars are a separate stream of income from the allocation. For
example, XYZ agency receives $5,000 in designations from donors and
$50,000 in allocation from the United Way Community Impact Funds—total
dollars received by the agency will be $55,000. In some cases there is
a 12.6% fee for the processing of donor designated dollars. There is
no fee for a designation to other United Ways in Upstate SC.
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15.
I
give through payroll deduction. Why do I need to keep a copy of
my pledge this year?
Due to
changes in IRS regulations, individuals giving through payroll
deductions will be required to show a copy of their pledge form as
well as documentation from their employer with their charitable
deduction noted on it. This documentation is required for anyone who
itemizes charitable contributions on their income tax return. United
Way of Greenville County's 2007 pledge card has been modified, so that
the stub provides the information required by the IRS. This stub or a
copy of the entire form should be kept for tax records.
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16.
If I stop working or
leave the company where I made my donation, what happens to my pledge?
Should
you stop working, your payroll deduction pledge stops too. Your
pledge through United Way is made in good faith based upon your
employment. When you start a new job, ask to sign up for payroll
deduction again or call United Way for further details.
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17.
Why do some agencies
charge for services?
Agencies supported by United Way serve all of us. If there is a fee
for service, it is usually based on one’s ability to pay, and
represents another source of income for the agency. This is necessary
because United Way cannot cover the full cost of every agency’s
operation.
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18.
How do people get help
from United Way?
United Way supports more than 90
programs throughout Greenville County that help people every day.
While United Way does not provide direct services to individuals and
families, it does operate United Way Helpline (467-3300), which makes
free, confidential referrals to help callers contact organizations
that can assist with counseling, job training, emergency assistance
and other needs.
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19.
Someone I know didn't
receive help from an agency supported by United Way. Why?
It is
difficult to answer the question without the details of the specific
situation. First, get the facts: names, dates, and all pertinent
information. Then, call the United Way office at 467-3333. Any
concern will be explored fully, and a response will be provided to the
inquirer.
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20.
What is the United Way
of Greenville County's position on funding Boy Scouts?
United Way of Greenville County currently funds programs provided by
Boy Scouts of America, Blue Ridge Council at a level of $262,178
(includes allocation and donor-directed gifts). United Way of
Greenville County volunteer leaders have chosen to continue investing
in Boy Scout programs because they believe that thousands of local
boys—including hard-to-reach, low-income, at-risk youth—greatly
benefit from Scouting's proven record of safe, structured life skills
programs.
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21.Does
the United Way support Planned Parenthood and agencies that promote
abortion?
The money
raised in Greenville County stays in Greenville County. There is no
chapter of Planned Parenthood in Greenville County; United Way of
Greenville County does not fund Planned Parenthood. None of the
agency programs funded by United Way of Greenville County promote,
endorse, or make referrals on abortion.
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