United Way of Merced County

What United Way of Merced County does

United Way of Merced County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization (Tax ID 94-2633265) founded in 1954 and headquartered at 531 West Main Street, Merced, California. It operates as a hyper-local affiliate of the national United Way network, providing a coordinated portfolio of health and human services to residents of Merced County (with select programs extending to Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties). Core programmatic offerings include 211 Mountain Valley referral hotline (24/7, bilingual across 150+ languages), VITA free tax preparation, ECM Supportive Services for Medi-Cal members under California's CalAIM initiative, Language Care medical interpretation (on-site 24/7 in partner hospitals), the RISE program providing fractional finance/admin/marketing staffing to local nonprofits, the Downtown Merced Storefront Program in partnership with the Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Community Resiliency Fund for disaster relief. In 2024 the organization reported $3 million in direct aid to 5,000 food and farmworkers, $5.3 million in disaster assistance, $1.3 million in VITA tax refunds, and $3.6 million to support low-income cultural workers across three counties.

The organization generates revenue through a mix of individual recurring monthly giving ($5–$200 tiers), major-gift and annual campaign contributions, corporate event sponsorships (Over the Edge rappelling fundraiser tiers from $1,000 to $10,000), program sponsorship by health plans (Central California Alliance for Health funds RISE and ECM contracts), Medi-Cal CalAIM service billing, business participation fees ($175 Storefront Program), and in-kind grants. Go-to-market is community-led via direct program delivery, healthcare-system referral partnerships (Dignity Health, Central California Alliance for Health, Merced County Behavioral Health), Spanish-language outreach, and annual events. Operations rely on standard nonprofit tools (211 resource database, QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct) rather than proprietary technology platforms.

The organization is led by CEO Robert Hypes, with executive officers covering transformation, programs, and operations, supported by approximately 40 staff plus an 11-member volunteer Board of Directors (Susan Walsh, Board President). Service delivery is concentrated in Merced, Livingston, Los Banos, and surrounding communities, targeting low-income families, food and farmworkers, Medi-Cal members with complex needs, limited-English-proficiency patients, and capacity-constrained nonprofit partners.

Name

United Way of Merced County

Legal name

United Way of Merced County

Website

https://unitedwaymerced.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Way of Merced County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1954 that delivers health and human services in Merced, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Counties through 211 referrals, VITA tax preparation, CalAIM ECM care management, medical interpretation, nonprofit capacity building, and disaster relief.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services / Community Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Community health services
• Nonprofit social services
• Human services programs
• Disaster relief assistance
• Free tax preparation

Headquarters

HQ city

Merced

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations at various monthly giving levels ($5-$200/month) supporting specific programs. Major gifts and annual giving campaigns. All donations stay local to Merced County.
2. Event Fundraising: Over the Edge rappelling event with individual fundraising minimums ($1,000), corporate sponsorships ($1,000-$10,000 tiers), and registration fees ($75). Sponsors receive rappel slots, marketing recognition, and event perks.
3. Program Sponsorship: Central California Alliance for Health sponsors RISE program providing fractional staffing services to nonprofits. CalAIM ECM and Community Supports services funded through Medi-Cal health plans.
4. Storefront Program Fees: $175 participation fee for businesses selected for the Storefront Program, which includes Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce membership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

United Way of Merced County is a community-based nonprofit that delivers coordinated health and human services programs to Merced County residents. Core offerings include a 24/7 bilingual 211 referral hotline, free VITA tax preparation, Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports for Medi-Cal members, 24/7 in-person medical interpretation through Language Care, fractional back-office support for local nonprofits through the RISE program, disaster relief via the Community Resiliency Fund, and storefront improvement grants for downtown Merced small businesses.

Product overview

United Way of Merced County operates as a nonprofit health and human services organization offering multiple interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include 211 Mountain Valley (24/7 resource referral), VITA tax assistance, ECM Supportive Services for Medi-Cal members, RISE (fractional staffing for nonprofits), Language Care interpreting services, the Storefront Program for downtown businesses, and the Community Resiliency Fund for disaster relief. These programs work together to address community needs around housing, healthcare, financial stability, and emergency support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISE: A United Way of Merced County initiative designed to strengthen health and human service organizations by providing fractional staffing, shared systems, and hands-on operational support to nonprofit partners.
• VITA Program
• ECM Supportive Services
• Language Care Program
• Storefront Program

Products and services

• 211 Mountain Valley

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000 food and farmworkers received $3,000,000 in financial aid
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Dignity HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership providing 24/7 medical interpretation services in emergency rooms and healthcare centers. Dignity Health's local facilities rely on UWMC's Language Care program for limited English proficiency patients.
• Central California Alliance for HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary sponsor of RISE program providing fractional staffing to nonprofits. Also partners on ECM and Community Supports services for Medi-Cal members. Collaborative relationship supporting healthcare access across Merced, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Counties.
• Merced County Hispanic Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Merced Downtown Storefront Program to help local businesses improve storefronts, increase visibility, and strengthen economic activity. Provides Chamber membership and resources to selected businesses.
• Cultiva Central ValleysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering six-week grant writing workshops for nonprofits and community-based organizations. Free workshops with expert guidance and one-on-one support, backed by Central California Alliance for Health funding.
• Over The EdgesecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical event partner providing industrial rope access setup, certified technicians (IRATA/SPRAT), safety equipment, and rappelling operations for annual Over the Edge fundraiser at Tioga Apartments.
• Tioga-SequoiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery providing complimentary drink tickets for block party at Over the Edge event. Sponsorship includes recognition at event and drink tickets for rappellers and attendees.
• CAPK (Community Action Partnership of Kern)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandles 211 calls during evenings, weekends, and holidays when UWMC 211 Contact Center is not operating. Ensures 24/7 coverage for Merced County residents.
• Merced County Behavioral HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination on CalAIM Community Supports including Transitional Rent program implementation. Partnership to help Medi-Cal members experiencing or at risk of homelessness access housing and care services.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• 211.org / United Way Worldwide: National umbrella for United Way affiliates, owner of the 211 brand; relevant as the parent affiliation that confers brand recognition and shared platforms (e.g., Common Impact, Mission Impact) on local chapters like UWMC.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fresno / Merced: Large incumbent social-services nonprofit serving Merced County with comparable housing, immigration, and food assistance work; competes for CalAIM contracts and individual donors across the same geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• United Way of Stanislaus County: Neighboring United Way chapter serving Stanislaus County with the same mixed portfolio of 211, VITA, and community-impact programs. Most directly comparable in scope, funding model, and donor base, and currently a geographic expansion partner for UWMC.
• United Way of Tuolumne County: Adjacent Central California United Way chapter where UWMC already extends service delivery (RISE, ECM). Comparable in mission and program mix to UWMC but smaller in headcount and funding base.
• United Way California Capital Region: Regional United Way serving a multi-county California footprint with a similar blend of 211, ECM/Community Supports, and nonprofit capacity-building work. Same operating model and aligned CalAIM revenue strategy.
• Community Foundation for San Benito County: Central California community foundation model that competes for the same donor dollar in a nearby region, with comparable local grantmaking, capacity-building, and place-based economic development work.
• Stanislaus Community Foundation: Community foundation in Stanislaus County with parallel programs in nonprofit capacity building, disaster response, and economic development; competes with UWMC for regional donor funds and CalAIM-style contracts.
• Volunteer Stanislaus / 211 Stanislaus: Operators of a regional 211 referral hotline and volunteer mobilization; an overlapping rather than directly competing peer since United Ways often partner with Volunteer Centers on 211 delivery.
• Central Valley Community Foundation: Multi-county Central Valley foundation providing disaster response, capacity-building, and small-business/economic development grants; directly comparable to UWMC's Storefront and Community Resiliency programs.
• Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK): Regional Community Action agency providing 211 coverage, energy assistance, and head-start style programs; an explicit operational partner of UWMC for off-hours 211 coverage and a comparable direct service peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UnitedWayMerced
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-merced-county-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Merced County