United Way of Central Ohio

More than 80 years ago, concerned and compassionate citizens created United Way of Central Ohio to help people in need and, ultimately, make our community a better place to live and work. Today, United Way represents the hopes and ambitions of thousands of individual investors and central Ohio employers who want to make a real impact by improving people's lives and shaping a stronger community. Together, we can do more than any one donor or charity can do alone.

Why We Are Different.

United Way of Central Ohio is unique in its focus on community impact. We no longer simply raise and distribute money to non-profits. Today's complex problems require proactive, permanent solutions. Our history of leadership enables us to spearhead comprehensive, community-wide change. We are a catalyst, a convener, a collaborator and a change agent. Our work brings people together to determine the root causes of our community's most challenging problems and to do whatever it takes to achieve lasting results.

What We Do Together.

Through our community assessment, we reach out to our investors to identify the issues that matter most. We research the problems, craft smarter solutions, invest funds, deploy resources and evaluate the results. We collaborate with social service providers and identify the best, most cost-effective ways to respond to problems. We maximize the value of your investment by leveraging partnerships, government funding, grant support and people. And, we measure our success, not by the number of services we fund, but by the lives we change.

Why It Works.

Without investors like you, there would be no United Way. That's why we work hard to earn your trust every day, not just during our annual campaigns. We use benchmark measurements and proven practices to protect your investment and deliver the best return. We set performance standards for the programs and services we fund and measure the impact of each dollar invested. Bottom line, together, we deliver results that change lives because we know that's what really matters most.

Getting Results: Community Impact

We are a catalyst, a convener, a collaborator and a change agent. Our work brings people together to determine the root causes of our community's most challenging problems and do whatever it takes to achieve lasting results. We research problems, craft smarter solutions, invest funds, deploy resources and evaluate the results. We collaborate with social service providers and identify the best, most cost-effective ways to respond to problems.

We maximize the value of your investment by leveraging partnerships, government funding, grant support and people. And, we measure our success, not by the number of services we fund, but by the lives we change.

For more information on the conditions of our community and how United Way's work is changing lives, visit the links below:

Community Conditions
Community Impact - Our Work
Supporting Our Work

Finding and Giving Help

United Way of Central Ohio is committed to helping provide the basic needs of central Ohio while at the same time working towards long-term, community-wide change. We understand there are thousands of people in need every day and we will continue to fund programs that fill those needs.

The following are links to resources or information that provide assistance to those in need and opportunities to volunteer:

Service Directory of Member and Partner Agencies
Information and Referral
Volunteer Opportunities
Training & Technical Assistance

Campaign Resources

Campaign Chair's Corner

We are honored to serve as general chairs of the 2005 United Way of Central Ohio Campaign. We believe, together with donors and organizations, that we can improve people's lives and build a stronger community.

United Way of Central Ohio's work is community impact. United Way brings people together to determine the root causes of our most critical community needs and invests in programs and initiatives working to solve those needs to achieve lasting results.

United Way is your best shot at making a real difference in this community. We ask that you take the time to learn about United Way of Central Ohio, its community impact work and how it is getting real results. For example, Start Smart, a United Way-funded initiative, helped 12,000 children receive improved early childhood education. We are also getting results in the area of Housing with the Rebuilding Lives initiative. This unique program provides affordable housing with supportive housing for long-term homeless adults.

Ask yourself the question "What if my investment could prevent a problem before it happened?" It can. Every single investment, no matter the size, will assist in making a positive impact in our community.

Thank you for your generosity to this year's campaign. Together, we do what works. Together, we do what matters.

News and Events

At United Way of Central Ohio, there is always something going on. From launching new initiatives, to announcing award winners to organizing volunteer events, we are working hard to do what matters. Below are links to pages that will provide you with the most up-to-date information on United Way of Central Ohio happenings.