How to Donate to the United Way

The United Way is a coalition of charitable organizations that join together to pool fund raising efforts for non-profit groups. The national United Way organization serves as an umbrella for over 1,300 United Ways throughout the U.S., and each follows this basic model, with most United Way fund raising focusing on the workplace through employee payroll check-off and employer matching funds. United Way giving across the country totals about $4 billion annually.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Funds to donate, or an employer that participates in the United Way Payroll Deduction Program

Learn About the United Way and Your Local United Way

1. Read the United Way website to learn about the kind of work that United Way supports and how the organization operates (see Resources below).
2. For more information, read about the United Way with the help of your favorite Internet search engine.
3. Enter your ZIP code at the "Find a Local United Way Organization" webpage to locate the United Way nearest you (see Resources below). This tool will help you navigate directly to your United Way's website.

Find out What Groups Are Funded By Your United Way and Arrange to Donate

4. Review the data on your local United Way website to see if United Way funds groups you want to fund. Divide your giving budget accordingly.
5. Speak with your human resources or payroll department at work to see if you can donate to United Way or any other groups by arranging a regular payroll deduction.
6. Donate through your paycheck, or if that option does not exist for you, donate to United Way online at your local United Way's website or the National United Way Donation webpage, where you can also designate that your funds be used locally in your area (see Resources below).

Follow up on Your Contribution and Participate in the Process

7. Maintain copies of your check stubs and the other payroll records relating to your donations, so that you can deduct the donations from your taxes when the time comes.
8. See if your employer has a United Way Committee where you can influence how donations are used in your community.

Tips & Warnings

• Your local United Way may also serve as a volunteer clearinghouse to help direct you to worthy causes that could make good use of some of your time.
• The United Way is a very effective, very convenient way to donate, but there are some kinds of groups that it does not cover. If you wish to fund activist and advocacy groups, environmental or peace groups or lobbying efforts, you may have to do contact them directly.