United Way of Pierce County

What United Way of Pierce County does

United Way of Pierce County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, founded in 1921 and operating as an autonomous local chapter of the broader United Way network. The organization's stated mission is to mobilize community resources to lift 15,000 Pierce County households out of poverty and into financial stability by 2028. Programming is organized around four impact areas: Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency.

Core programmatic offerings include the Center for Strong Families (a family self-sufficiency program), Growing Resilience Tacoma/GRIT (a direct cash assistance program), South Sound 211 (a regional resource and referral hotline that handled 55,815 contacts in 2024), United for ALICE (a research and advocacy initiative targeting asset-limited, income-constrained, employed households), Workplace Giving campaigns, Women United giving circles, and From Poverty to Possibilities (an annual summit). The Dolly Parton's Imagination Library early-literacy program operated as a local partnership serving 9,000+ children from 2023 until United Way announced in 2025 it would step away from the role effective October 2025, with deliveries pausing November 2025 due to local funding constraints.

Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships and workplace giving campaigns (with major partners including BECU, Bank of America, MultiCare, City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Tacoma Public Utilities, Puget Sound Energy, Costco, FedEx, DaVita, and others), event-based fundraising (Sip, Serve & Celebrate, MLK Day of Service), and gifts-in-kind. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization operates a regional community-impact model rather than a productized service, and is governed by a local Board of Directors within the federated United Way structure.

Name

United Way of Pierce County

Legal name

United Way of Pierce County

Website

https://uwpc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

United Way of Pierce County is a Tacoma-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1921 as a local United Way chapter, that mobilizes community resources to lift Pierce County households out of poverty through direct programs, workplace giving, and the South Sound 211 resource hotline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services Nonprofit — Community Poverty Alleviation

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community poverty programs
• Workplace giving campaigns
• Family self-sufficiency services
• Early childhood literacy
• Cash assistance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Revenue generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and community contributions supporting the organization's mission to lift households out of poverty in Pierce County.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Employee workplace giving programs where individuals donate through payroll deductions to support United Way initiatives in Pierce County.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue generated through events such as Sip, Serve & Celebrate, MLK Day of Service, and other community fundraising activities.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships supporting specific programs, events, and initiatives including the Suit Her Up career wear drive and various community summits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

United Way of Pierce County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes community resources in Pierce County, Washington to lift households out of poverty and into financial stability. It delivers direct community programs (Center for Strong Families, Growing Resilience Tacoma/GRIT cash assistance, South Sound 211 resource hotline, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, United for ALICE research), while raising funds through workplace giving campaigns, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and special events.

Product overview

United Way of Pierce County is a nonprofit organization operating as a single integrated community impact organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization mobilizes community power to lift 15,000 households out of poverty into financial stability by 2028. Its programs span four impact areas: Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency. Core programs include the Center for Strong Families for family self-sufficiency, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (paused 2025) for early childhood literacy, Growing Resilience Tacoma (GRIT) for cash assistance, and From Poverty to Possibilities for poverty advocacy. Engagement pathways include workplace giving, volunteer programs, Women United giving groups, and South Sound 211 resource referrals. The organization also manages annual events like Suit Her Up and Sip, Serve & Celebrate, plus the Willie Stewart Scholarship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Local Program): A program providing free, high-quality books monthly to children from birth to age five, operated in partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Washington.

Products and services

• Center for Strong Families A support program helping families in Pierce County achieve self-sufficiency and stability through comprehensive services and resources, including coaching and wraparound support.
• Growing Resilience Tacoma (GRIT) A direct cash assistance program providing financial support to help Pierce County families build resilience and work toward financial stability.
• South Sound 211 A 211-style resource referral service connecting Pierce County residents to essential services including food, shelter, and other basics; handled 55,815 contacts in 2024.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Pierce County local program) Local program providing free, high-quality books monthly to children from birth to age five to foster early literacy and a love of reading; delivered to over 9,000 children in Pierce County.
• Community Collaborations Partnership initiatives that bring together community organizations, businesses, and stakeholders to address collective challenges and maximize regional impact.
• Workplace Giving Campaigns Corporate workplace giving campaigns that enable employees of Pierce County employers to contribute to community impact through payroll deductions and workplace fundraisers.
• Volunteer Programs Opportunities for community members to give back through direct service, advocacy, and participation in giving groups serving United Way of Pierce County's mission.
• Women United A network of women dedicated to improving the Pierce County community through philanthropy, advocacy, and collective giving in support of United Way priorities.
• From Poverty to Possibilities An annual summit and ongoing initiative addressing poverty in Pierce County, convening stakeholders to create pathways from poverty to financial stability.
• United for ALICE A research and advocacy initiative highlighting households that earn above the Federal Poverty Level but below the cost of living (ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), used to inform United Way program and policy work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,802 families moving towards self-sufficiency and building wealth
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Asia Pacific Cultural CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing cultural programming and services to the Pierce County community.
• BECUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor corporate sponsor and community partner supporting United Way initiatives in Pierce County.
• Bethel School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting youth programs and community initiatives.
• Bank of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting community programs and workplace giving campaigns.
• Brown & BrownminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting United Way community initiatives.
• City of TacomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner and major sponsor supporting community programs and initiatives.
• Coordinated CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner supporting community health initiatives.
• CostcominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting community programs and donations.
• DaVitaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner supporting community wellness initiatives.
• Enterprise HoldingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting community initiatives.
• FedExminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting logistics and community programs.
• Franklin Pierce School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting youth opportunity programs.
• Harborstone Credit UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial partner supporting community financial security initiatives.
• Heritage BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial institution partner supporting community programs.
• KeyBankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner supporting community financial initiatives.
• McGranahanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting community initiatives.
• MultiCarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner supporting community health programs.
• Puget Sound EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtility partner supporting community resiliency and energy assistance programs.
• Pierce TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransit partner supporting community transportation access.
• ParametrixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and consulting firm sponsor supporting community programs.
• RegenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare insurer partner supporting community health initiatives.
• Pierce CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner supporting regional community programs and initiatives.
• Sumner-Bonney Lake School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting youth programs.
• Tacoma Public UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal utility partner supporting community services and programs.
• Titus WillminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting community initiatives.
• Tacoma-Pierce County Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic health partner supporting community health initiatives.
• Umpqua BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner supporting community financial programs.
• U.S. BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner supporting community financial initiatives.
• WaFd BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner supporting community programs.
• Washington State Employees Credit UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredit union partner supporting community financial security initiatives.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational literacy program partnership providing free books to children from birth to age five. United Way served as local program partner since 2023, with book deliveries pausing October 2025 due to local funding challenges.
• Imagination Library of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partner managing the Imagination Library program in Washington. Working to identify new local program partners for Pierce County.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: The national umbrella organization for the United Way federation. Provides brand standards, shared infrastructure, and global reach; UWPC operates as an autonomous local chapter under this broader system.
• Washington State Community Action Partnership: Statewide network of Community Action Agencies delivering anti-poverty programs. Operates in similar service domains (financial stability, housing, food access) with comparable federal and state funding channels.

Regional players

• Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce: Business membership organization in the same region, of which UWPC is a member. Overlaps in convening local employers, civic advocacy, and community economic initiatives relevant to UWPC's workplace giving network.
• MultiCare Health Foundation: Healthcare-affiliated foundation that is both a UWPC partner and a peer in regional health-focused community programming. Comparable in mobilizing philanthropic capital for community health initiatives in Pierce County.

Direct peers

• United Way of King County: A larger sibling United Way chapter serving King County (Seattle metro). Operates the same federated model with workplace giving, 211-style resource hotlines, and community impact programs, making it the closest comparable peer in scale and operating approach.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Tacoma/Pierce County: Local youth development nonprofit serving the same Pierce County geography and overlapping in Youth Opportunity programming, with shared corporate sponsor pools and youth-focused outcome metrics.
• 211 of Washington: Statewide coordinator of 211 information and referral services, including the South Sound 211 operated by UWPC. Directly comparable on the 211 hotline delivery model and resource referral infrastructure.
• United Way of Greater Seattle: Regional United Way affiliate serving the greater Seattle area with a comparable mix of workplace giving, donor-advised funds, and poverty-fighting programs. Highly comparable in mission and operating model, with somewhat larger scale.
• Greater Tacoma Community Foundation: Local Pierce County philanthropic foundation that mobilizes charitable giving and funds community programs. Comparable in geography, donor base, and grantmaking orientation, with overlap in nonprofit and community development work.
• Habitat for Humanity of Tacoma/Pierce County: Local housing-focused nonprofit serving the same Pierce County market. Comparable in mission-driven nonprofit operations, volunteer mobilization, and corporate partnership model for addressing poverty and housing instability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UWPC
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnitedWayofPierceCounty

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United Way of Pierce County