Greater Valdosta United Way

What Greater Valdosta United Way does

Greater Valdosta United Way Inc. (GVUW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1954 and headquartered at 1609 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia. It serves as the regional United Way affiliate for an 11-county area of South Georgia, mobilizing charitable resources through workplace giving campaigns, grants and foundations, individual and leader-giver donations, community events, and disaster-relief contributions, then redistributing those funds to a network of Impact Partner nonprofits. In FY2024 the organization reported total revenue of $2,494,409 against total expenses of $2,315,355, including $1,386,500 directed to Impact Partner Nonprofits and $215,376 deployed for Hurricane Helene relief.

GVUW's core offerings are programmatic rather than technological: donation and fundraising programs, volunteer coordination (including Days of Caring), Impact Partner nonprofit funding, the United For ALICE research and advocacy initiative, disaster-relief services for hurricanes and wildfires, an online Tools and Resources Hub (211 referral hotline, ALICE Index, rural resource guides), and advocacy programs targeting public policy. Strategic and operational partners include Salvation Army of Valdosta, Valdosta-Lowndes County Family YMCA, American Red Cross of South-Central Georgia, and Girls on the Run South Georgia as core Impact Partners, with major corporate donors and workplace giving campaign participants including Walmart, Truist Financial, Publix, Georgia Power, Synovus, and South Georgia Medical Center. The organization also operates within the United Way Worldwide network for brand, infrastructure, and peer support.

The revenue model is exclusively donation- and grant-based (workplace giving, grants and foundations, leader givers, events, and disaster-relief giving); no products or services are sold. Distribution is delivered through workplace-giving channels at 30+ employer partners, an Impact Partner reseller network of regional nonprofits, the 2-1-1 direct-referral hotline, and digital channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, email newsletters). The organization holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025) and a Charity Navigator rating, and its reach is anchored by President & CEO Michael Smith, with no parent company or institutional owner.

Name

Greater Valdosta United Way

Legal name

Greater Valdosta United Way Inc.

Website

https://unitedwayvaldosta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Greater Valdosta United Way is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes workplace giving, grants, and donations across an 11-county South Georgia region to fund Impact Partner nonprofits delivering youth, health, disaster-relief, and social services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF)

Keywords

• Community fundraising programs
• Disaster relief coordination
• Nonprofit grantmaking services
• Volunteer coordination programs
• Community resource referrals

Headquarters

HQ city

Valdosta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Workplace Giving: Primary revenue stream from workplace giving campaigns through employer partnerships. In 2024, this was a major component of the $2,494,409 total revenue.
2. Grants and Foundations: Funding received from foundations and grant programs to support community initiatives and programs.
3. Leader Givers and Individuals: Major donor contributions from individuals and leaders within the community.
4. Events and Other: Revenue from community events and other miscellaneous income sources.
5. Hurricane Relief Donations: Specific disaster response donations for Hurricane Helene ($215,376 in 2024) and Hurricane Idalia support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Greater Valdosta United Way is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes community resources across an 11-county region in South Georgia. It raises funds through workplace giving campaigns, individual donations, and grants, then redistributes those funds to Impact Partner nonprofits delivering youth development, disaster relief, social services, and health programs. The organization also coordinates volunteers, conducts ALICE financial hardship research, and provides disaster response for events such as Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Idalia.

Product overview

Greater Valdosta United Way operates as a nonprofit charitable organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings consist of community programs: fundraising and workplace giving campaigns that generate approximately $2.5M annually to fund an 11-county regional portfolio; volunteer coordination including Days of Caring events; Impact Partner nonprofit funding ($1.39M in 2024); the United For ALICE research program providing financial hardship data; disaster relief services for wildfires and hurricanes; and an online Tools and Resources Hub featuring 211 resource connections, rural resource guides, and community data tools. The organization also publishes annual impact reports documenting financial statements and community outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donation and Fundraising Programs Workplace giving campaigns, leader giver programs, and individual donation processing that funds community impact initiatives across an 11-county region in South Georgia, generating $2,494,409 in total revenue in 2024.
• Volunteer Coordination Recruitment and coordination of volunteers for community service, including Days of Caring events and ongoing volunteer opportunities across the South Georgia service area.
• Impact Partner Nonprofit Funding Investment of $1,386,500 in 2024 to partner nonprofits providing services including youth development, disaster relief, health programs, and social services across South Georgia.
• United For ALICE Research Program Research and advocacy initiative measuring financial hardship for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households, providing data-driven insights showing 47% of Georgia households fall below the ALICE Threshold.
• Disaster Relief Services Emergency response and recovery programs including South Georgia Wildfire relief and Hurricane Helene ($215,376 in 2024) and Hurricane Idalia ($142,581 in 2023) recovery assistance, providing donations and resources to affected communities.
• Tools and Resources Hub Online resource center providing access to community guides, data tools (GAFCP), ALICE Index, 211 resource hotline, housing rights information, and rural resources for the 9-10 counties served.
• Annual Impact Reports Annual financial and impact reporting documenting revenue sources ($2,494,409 in 2024), expenses ($2,315,355), community investment breakdowns, and measurable outcomes for transparency and accountability.
• Advocacy Programs Community advocacy initiatives raising awareness about causes affecting critical public policies to create positive, sustainable change in South Georgia communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2024 Total Revenue: $2,494,409 with $2,315,355 in expenses directing funds to community impact
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Girls on the Run South GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development program serving 34 counties in South Georgia. In 2023, 397 girls participated with 65% receiving partial scholarships and 40% receiving full scholarships. United Way funding provides after-school snacks, running shoes, and program scholarships.
• Salvation Army of ValdostacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency providing emergency shelter, hunger relief, and utility assistance. Received $33,500 for utility assistance in 2023. Distribution of 11,594 meals including 4,237 after Sunday worship. Active in Hurricane Idalia disaster response.
• Valdosta-Lowndes County Family YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes over 22,000 children, teens, and adults through after-school programs, gymnastics, swimming, and health initiatives. United Way funding supports after-school programs, summer camps, swim lessons, and water safety programs for children in need.
• American Red Cross of South-Central GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResponded to 246 disasters and assisted 322 families in 2023. United Way provides Walmart gift cards for hurricane relief. Active in disaster preparedness and blood drives (5,120 units collected in 2023).
• WalmartmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner providing support for disaster relief efforts and workplace giving campaign participant.
• Truist FinancialmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner and workplace giving campaign participant.
• PublixmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner and workplace giving campaign participant.
• Georgia PowermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner and workplace giving campaign participant.
• SynovusmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner and workplace giving campaign participant.
• South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner and workplace giving campaign participant.
• United Way WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization providing network support, resources, and brand affiliation. Part of the global United Way network.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Way of Greater Atlanta: The largest United Way affiliate in Georgia, operating the same community-Impact Partner model across a metro region. Directly comparable in governance structure, workplace giving motion, and grantmaking intermediary role, though at substantially greater scale.
• United Way of the Coastal Empire: Georgia-based United Way affiliate serving the Savannah region with the same nonprofit grantmaking and community impact model. Closest geographic and structural peer to Greater Valdosta United Way.
• United Way of Central Georgia: Macon-area United Way affiliate operating the same workplace giving campaign and Impact Partner funding model. Comparable in scale, regional scope, and reliance on corporate donors in the South Georgia/Middle Georgia corridor.
• Coastal Georgia United Way: Brunswick-based United Way affiliate operating with the same community grantmaking and volunteer coordination framework. Directly comparable peer given similar coastal Georgia service area and disaster exposure profile.
• United Way of Northeast Georgia: Athens-area United Way affiliate employing the identical community impact model of workplace giving, Impact Partner funding, and disaster response. Comparable in scale and operating structure.
• Community Foundation of South Georgia: Regional community foundation serving South Georgia with grantmaking to local nonprofits. Operates a similar donor-advised and pass-through funding model and competes for the same corporate and individual donor base in the Valdosta service region.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army of Valdosta: Major national nonprofit with direct service delivery in emergency shelter, hunger relief, and utility assistance — areas where GVUW funds but does not directly operate. Acts both as Impact Partner recipient and broader competitor for disaster relief donations.
• American Red Cross of South-Central Georgia: National humanitarian organization with direct disaster response capacity in the same South Georgia region. Comparable in disaster relief scope but operates at national scale with direct service delivery rather than grantmaking.

Regional players

• Feeding America Coastal Georgia: Regional food bank serving the South Georgia area, comparable in scale and community service focus. Operates the same donor-supported, community-impact model and competes for some of the same ALICE-household donor base.
• Habitat for Humanity of South Georgia: Regional Habitat affiliate serving South Georgia with community-focused, donor-supported programming. Comparable nonprofit operating model and regional footprint, addressing adjacent affordable housing needs in the same service area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/greatervaldostaunitedway1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greater-valdosta-united-way-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/greatervaldostaunitedway

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Greater Valdosta United Way