United Way of Greater Milwaukee

What United Way of Greater Milwaukee does

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 39-0806190) that mobilizes charitable giving and volunteer engagement across four Wisconsin counties — Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha. The organization was formed in 2015 through the merger of United Way of Greater Milwaukee and United Way of Waukesha County, building on a Milwaukee-area United Way presence dating to 1909. It employs between 101 and 250 people and operates from a headquarters at 225 West Vine Street, Milwaukee, with a secondary office in Waukesha.

The organization's portfolio is organized around four core initiatives: Safe & Stable Homes (which achieved the goal of ending family homelessness across the four-county footprint in December 2025), Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement (targeting 15,000 people in stable careers by 2029), Techquity (50,000 computers distributed by 2027), and Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds (21,000 high school students reached by 2030). These initiatives are supported by a set of donor networks — including Women United (2,000+ members raising $19M+ annually), Technology United, Pride United, Emerging Leaders, LINC, and the Diversity Leadership Society — and by ongoing volunteer programs such as the Backpack Coalition, Diaper Bank (30,000+ diapers monthly through twelve hub sites), Project Homeless Connect, and the Holiday Giving Tree (8,000+ wishes matched in 2025).

The revenue model is a hybrid of workplace giving campaigns, corporate gifts and sponsorships, individual donations (including planned giving and endowments), and event revenue. Corporate matching programs are a significant multiplier: for the July 2025–June 2026 period, the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership offers a 6x match up to $2M for mental health, ManpowerGroup a 2x match up to $200K for employment, and several other corporate partners provide initiative-specific matches. The organization does not sell products or services; it is funded entirely through charitable contributions and operates as part of the United Way Worldwide federation under autonomous local governance.

Name

United Way of Greater Milwaukee

Legal name

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

Website

https://unitedwaygmwc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes workplace giving, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations to fund community programs across four Wisconsin counties (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha), focused on homelessness, employment, digital equity, and teen mental wellness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

Keywords

• Community fundraising campaigns
• Workplace giving programs
• Nonprofit social services
• Volunteer engagement programs
• Corporate philanthropy partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Workplace Campaigns: Annual workplace giving campaigns where employees pledge donations through their employers, which are then remitted to United Way.
2. Corporate Gifts & Sponsorships: Direct corporate donations and event sponsorships from business partners including annual campaign leadership gifts and program-specific contributions.
3. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals through the website, planned giving, and donor networks (Leadership Society, Tocqueville Society, Women United, etc.).
4. Planned Giving & Endowments: Legacy Society planned giving programs and endowment funds that provide long-term sustainable giving.
5. Event Revenue: Registration fees and sponsorship revenue from signature events like the annual Give & Win Sweepstakes, Women United Bruncheon, and other fundraising events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes workplace giving campaigns, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and volunteer engagement to fund and deliver community programs across Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties. Its portfolio centers on four key initiatives (Techquity, Safe & Stable Homes, Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds, and Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement), supported by donor networks, direct-service programs (Backpack Coalition, Diaper Bank, Holiday Giving Tree, kit packing), and grantmaking to community partner agencies.

Product overview

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County operates as a community nonprofit organization rather than a technology product company. Their portfolio consists of four interconnected Key Initiatives (Techquity for digital equity, Safe & Stable Homes for homelessness prevention, Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds for youth mental health, and Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement for workforce development) supported by multiple Donor Networks (Women United, Technology United, Pride United, Emerging Leaders, etc.). They offer volunteer programs including kit packing experiences, Backpack Coalition, Diaper Bank, and Holiday Giving Tree; campaign tools such as Impact Calculator, Campaign Planning Toolkit, Give & Win Sweepstakes, and Matching Dollars Program; and operate the Johnson Controls Volunteer Center. The organization does not offer a software product but provides community programs funded through workplace campaigns and individual donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Women United: A donor network and affinity group focused on women as philanthropists, volunteers, and change makers. Part of United Way's largest donor networks with over 2,000 members raising millions annually.
• Techquity
• Empowering Minds
• Backpack Coalition
• Diaper Bank
• Project Homeless Connect

Products and services

• Techquity Digital equity initiative that connects job seekers, students, seniors, and community members to laptop computers and digital skills training to bridge the digital divide and ensure technology access and digital literacy across the four-county service area.
• Safe & Stable Homes Initiative focused on ending family homelessness in the four-county footprint, delivering housing stability services to families in need.
• Teen Mental Wellness: Empowering Minds School-based youth mental wellness initiative that brings mental health resources, support systems, and coping tools directly into high schools to support student mental health.
• Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement Initiative helping people overcome employment barriers including transportation, childcare, criminal history, and lack of credentials, with a goal of 15,000 people starting stable careers by 2029.
• Women United Donor network of over 2,000 women philanthropists raising more than $19 million annually, focused on community impact and women's leadership through events and the Empowering Minds initiative.
• Technology United Leadership donor network for technology professionals focused on bridging the digital divide, offering technology support to nonprofits, and inspiring the next generation of tech professionals.
• Backpack Coalition Program providing backpacks and school supplies to K-12 students with financial constraints, serving the community for over 20 years and distributing thousands of backpacks annually.
• Diaper Bank Program distributing 30,000+ diapers per month across a network of twelve hub sites to families in Milwaukee, Waukesha, southern Ozaukee, and Washington Counties.
• Holiday Giving Tree Annual holiday gift program matching donors with wishes from families in need, offering workplace engagement through gift tags, nonprofit sponsorship, or online giving. In 2025, the program matched over 8,000 wishes.
• On-Site Kit & Resource Packing Customizable volunteer experiences for workplace teams to pack basic supplies including pencil pouches, personal care kits, learning success kits, snack packs, house & home kits, and teen mental wellness kits. United Way manages ordering, facilitation, and distribution.
• Pride United Donor network for the LGBTQ+ community and allies, hosting events including the Pride United Homecoming.
• Project Homeless Connect Annual event removing service barriers for people experiencing homelessness and connecting them to free services and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ended family homelessness across four-county footprint - achieved December 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kunes Auto & RV GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 February 2026Kunes Auto & RV Group announced a community initiative to donate up to $100,000 to United Way's program aimed at reducing barriers to employment, specifically transportation access and driver's licenses. The donation is tied to sales of 1,000 vehicles at participating dealerships in March 2026.
• Vantage Data CenterscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 December 2025Vantage Data Centers partnered with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County for broadband and digital skills access (Techquity programs) as part of their Lighthouse campus development in Port Washington, Wisconsin. This builds on Vantage's community investment strategy in regions where they operate hyperscale data centers.
• WRTP | BIG STEPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner providing career pathways into skilled trades - part of Vantage Data Centers' community investment portfolio with United Way collaboration.
• BairdcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing corporate partner and Leading Corporate Partner award winner (2025). Baird engages employees through annual campaigns and volunteer events including backpack packing at annual meetings, contributing significantly to United Way's fundraising and community impact.
• Johnson ControlscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner with Executive Committee leadership driving community engagement through United Way campaigns. Named the Johnson Controls Volunteer Center and sponsors company campaigns.
• Northwestern MutualcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate supporter running workplace campaigns with incentive programs including daily drawings that have achieved 60-65% of dollar goals in first two days. Supports Give & Win Sweepstakes and Holiday Giving Tree programs.
• We Energies FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate campaign partner with department champions program to engage geographically vast organization. Supports Holiday Giving Tree and other United Way initiatives.
• Milwaukee Health Care PartnershipcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides 6x matching for new and increased gifts to Mental Health Improvement Fund, up to $2 million (July 2025 - June 2026).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• United Way of Chicago: Another large Midwestern regional United Way affiliate serving a major metropolitan area with a similar model of workplace campaigns, donor networks, and key initiatives. Closest direct comparable in scale and operating context.
• United Way of New York City: Large regional United Way affiliate operating in a major metro area with comparable workplace giving, corporate partnerships, and a multi-issue community impact strategy. Useful benchmark for scale and program structure.
• Greater Milwaukee Foundation: The major community foundation serving the same four-county Milwaukee region. Operates with a similar model of grantmaking, donor funds (including DAFs), and community impact initiatives — directly competes for corporate philanthropic dollars.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: The umbrella organization for the global United Way network. Comparable as the system parent and as a benchmark for best practices, governance standards, and brand-level support provided to local affiliates.
• American Red Cross (Wisconsin Region): National humanitarian organization with local presence in Wisconsin. Overlaps with United Way on disaster response volunteer mobilization, basic-needs programs, and corporate partnership engagement.

Regional players

• United Way of Dane County: Wisconsin-based regional United Way affiliate serving the Madison/Dane County area. Comparable operating model, similar state-level regulatory and funding environment, but in a different metro region.

Emerging players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee: Local youth-services nonprofit serving similar populations (children, teens, families) in the same Milwaukee geography. Competes for corporate giving, foundation grants, and volunteer engagement in the same donor pool.
• Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin: Regional food bank serving eastern Wisconsin with comparable scale and a focus on basic-needs distribution. Competes for corporate giving, food-industry partnerships, and volunteer engagement in the same region.
• Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin: Regional workforce-development nonprofit with overlap on the employment barriers / vocational rehabilitation mission. Comparable funding model, donor base, and beneficiary population in the same geography.
• Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity: Local housing-focused nonprofit with overlap on the Safe & Stable Homes / homelessness mission. Comparable in operating model (donor-funded, volunteer-driven) and competes for housing-related philanthropic dollars in the same region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unitedwaygmwc
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedwaygmwc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-greater-milwaukee-&-waukesha-county
• Instagraminstagram.com/unitedwaygmwc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Way of Greater Milwaukee