United Way of Marion County

Name

United Way of Marion County

Legal name

United Way of Marion County, Inc.

Website

https://uwmc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Community impact programs
• Early literacy mentoring
• Free tax preparation
• Disaster recovery services
• Workplace giving campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocala

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through various giving programs including workplace giving, individual giving, leadership giving, and planned giving. The organization leverages community campaigns and donor designation programs.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Corporate workplace campaigns where employees contribute via payroll deduction or one-time gifts. Major workplace campaign partners include Publix, Marion County Public Schools, E-ONE, HCA Healthcare, Signature Brands, City of Ocala, and Marion County Sheriff's Office.
3. Event Fundraising: Signature community events including the Children's Charity Classic equestrian fundraiser and Seventh Annual Golf Scramble. The Children's Charity Classic raised $100,000 in 2025.
4. Government Grants: Federal and state grants including FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds ($106,737), CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds ($1.5 million), Emergency Rental Assistance ($10.8 million), and other government-funded programs administered by UWMC.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate gifts and sponsorships from companies like Custom Window Systems ($30,000), Publix ($500,000+ annually), HCA Florida Healthcare, AdventHealth Ocala, and other local businesses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

United Way of Marion County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes community resources to deliver free programs across Education (ReadingPals early literacy mentoring, Community Partnership Schools wraparound services), Financial Stability (Strong Families coaching, VITA free tax preparation), and Health (2-1-1 information and referral helpline, community wellness initiatives, disaster recovery). The organization serves as a community convener, directly operating flagship programs and funding 24+ partner nonprofit agencies to support Marion County, Florida residents, particularly the ALICE population.

Product overview

United Way of Marion County operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of community programs rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include: ReadingPals (early literacy mentoring), Strong Families (financial stability and poverty alleviation), Community Partnership Schools (wrap-around school services), VITA (free tax preparation), 2-1-1 information/referral hotline, Success By 6 (early childhood support), Workplace Giving Campaigns (corporate fundraising), Disaster Recovery & Resiliency, Advocacy, Women's United affinity group, and the Children's Charity Classic signature event. These programs collectively focus on three pillars: Education, Financial Stability, and Health, with the organization serving as a community convener and funding allocator for local partner agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Strong Families: A program focused on helping families develop financial stability and ending generational poverty through education, skill, and career development. Connects 80-90 adults and children to personal success coaches each year.
• VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
• ReadingPals
• Community Partnership Schools

Products and services

• ReadingPals Early literacy initiative providing volunteer mentors for students from Voluntary Prekindergarten to 3rd grade through one-on-one or small group settings in kindergarten classrooms across Marion County schools. Served 10% of district kindergarteners through 213 volunteers across 16-18 elementary schools.
• Strong Families Program focused on helping families develop financial stability and ending generational poverty through education, skill, and career development, connecting 80-90 adults and children annually to personal success coaches. Has assisted over 300 families to date.
• Community Partnership Schools Comprehensive community school model providing wrap-around services for students and families including after-school activities, vision/medical/dental screenings, and family engagement at elementary schools. Operated jointly with Marion County Public Schools, College of Central Florida, and Ocala Health.
• VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) FREE income tax preparation program where IRS-certified volunteers offer basic income tax return preparation and electronic filing at no cost to eligible low-to-moderate-income taxpayers. Helps clients access the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.
• 2-1-1 Information and Referral 24/7 helpline providing callers with information and referrals to over 2,000 local human services, assisted by multilingual operators who help with housing, family, childcare, healthcare, employment, tax, veteran, and elder services. Handles over 25,000 requests annually via phone, text, email, and online chat.
• Workplace Giving Campaigns Corporate workplace giving programs enabling organizations to run customizable fundraising campaigns with flexible options including payroll deduction to support education, financial stability, and health initiatives. Major partners include Publix, Marion County Public Schools, E-ONE, HCA Healthcare, Signature Brands, City of Ocala, and Marion County Sheriff's Office.
• Disaster Recovery & Resiliency Long-term disaster recovery program managing the Marion County Long Term Recovery Group, preparing community recovery plans, coordinating case management among nonprofit, government, and private sector partners. Administered $10.8 million in Emergency Rental Assistance funds and $1.5 million in CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Funds.
• Advocacy / Speakers' Bureau Public policy advocacy program with trained speakers who represent United Way at community groups, focusing on education, health, financial stability, and nonprofit strengthening issues at local, state (Florida), and federal levels.
• Children's Charity Classic Annual equestrian fundraising event benefiting local children's charities, raising funds through competition and distributing proceeds to organizations supporting Marion County children. Raised $100,000 in 2025 with $225,000+ raised over two years. Beneficiaries include Kimberly's Center for Child Protection, Episcopal Children's Services, and 10+ other child-focused nonprofits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 29,641 meals provided to individuals and families in need
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and notable.

• HCA Florida HealthcareflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2025HCA Florida Healthcare is Grand Prix Sponsor of the Children's Charity Classic and workplace campaign partner with a $15,000 campaign goal. The organization invested $10,000 as corporate sponsor of the Children's Charity Classic benefiting local children's charities.
• AdventHealth OcalacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 April 2021AdventHealth Ocala provided sponsorship to support ReadingPals program for Kindergarten through 3rd Grade students in 19 Marion County schools. Provided 300 students with 'Eating the Alphabet' book-in-a-bag packets including community resources for parents.
• Custom Window Systems (Pella Company)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2021Custom Window Systems, a Pella Company, provided a $30,000 corporate gift to support Marion County residents with health, education, financial stability, and basic needs. The partnership began when UWMC assisted CWS employees with emergency shelter and housing needs in 2020. This gift supports 1,524 Marion County individuals and families.
• College of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2021College of Central Florida is one of four core partners in the Community Partnership School model alongside Marion County Public Schools, United Way of Marion County, and Ocala Health. Dr. James Henningsen serves as UWMC Board Chair and Immediate Past Board Chair.
• Marion County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2021Marion County Public Schools is a core partner in the Community Partnership School model and consistently one of the top two organizational contributors to UWMC campaigns, collectively raising over $500,000 during the 2021 campaign.
• Ocala HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2021Ocala Health is one of four core partners in the Community Partnership School model alongside Marion County Public Schools, College of Central Florida, and United Way of Marion County.
• Public Education Foundation of Marion CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2021Public Education Foundation of Marion County is a Community School Partner in the Community Partnership School initiative. Received $50,000 from Publix Tools for Back to School campaign for Tools 4 Teaching program.
• Publix Super MarketsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2020Publix Super Markets is UWMC's #1 supporter, donating over $500,000 annually providing over 28,288 direct services to Marion County residents. Publix conducted Tools for Back to School fundraiser raising nearly $30,000 and issuing 1,500 gift cards ($20 each) to UWMC for local nonprofits aiding underserved children.
• Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership (CEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2020CEP partnered with UWMC to establish $150,000 COVID-19 Assistance Fund and is working with Marion County and Ocala City Council on a $500,000 Local Working Capital Loan Program for small businesses impacted by COVID-19.
• Marion County GovernmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2020Marion County Government provided $10.8 million in Emergency Rental Assistance funds to UWMC to support individuals/families impacted by COVID-19. Also provided $1.5 million in CARES Act funds and $106,737 FEMA EFSP Phase 40 funds.
• Marion County Literacy CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarion County Literacy Council is a Financial Stability Partner receiving UWMC support. The council teaches adults to read and write, empowers GED achievement, and helps English language learners. R.J. Jenkins serves on the UWMC PR & Marketing Committee.
• E-ONEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerE-ONE, headquartered in Ocala, partnered with UWMC workplace campaign raising nearly $19,000 from employees and corporate matching. E-ONE was also a $10,000 corporate sponsor of the Children's Charity Classic. President Mike Virnig notes E-ONE has been vital to Marion County for over half a century.
• Signature BrandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSignature Brands is a workplace campaign partner and Annual Giving Cabinet member. CEO Jared Konstanty served as 2022 Annual Giving Chair. The company has been blessed with incredible team and outstanding business performance and feels called to serve Marion County.
• HITS Post Time FarmnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerHITS Post Time Farm serves as the venue for the annual Children's Charity Classic equestrian event. The event honors Ocala's equestrian heritage while raising funds for local children's charities.
• United Way WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way Worldwide provides training, resources, research, and consulting services to UWMC. One percent of annual revenue is paid to United Way Worldwide for these services. UWMC participates in state-wide advocacy representing 32 local United Ways in Florida through United Way of Florida.
• CareerSource Citrus Levy MarioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCareerSource Citrus Levy Marion provides computer access for CAP program applicants and case management services for COVID assistance programs. Also provides space for applicants to meet with case managers.
• United Way of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Florida represents 32 local United Ways in Florida. UWMC partners on state-wide advocacy for public policy priorities in Education, Health, and Financial Stability.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Way of Central Florida: Regional United Way affiliate operating the 2-1-1 hotline, fund distribution across multiple counties, and similar workplace campaign model. Peer on funding mechanisms, beneficiary demographics, and program mix.
• Salvation Army of Marion County: Provider of emergency shelter, food, and rent/utility assistance in Marion County, also receiving UWMC pass-through funding (FEMA EFSP Phase 40). Peer on emergency social services and faith/community-supported funding model.
• Heart of Florida United Way: Sister United Way affiliate serving adjacent Central Florida counties (Lake, Sumter, Hernando, Citrus) with the same federated model, workplace campaigns, and three-pillar structure (Education, Income, Health). Directly comparable on organizational form, revenue streams, and donor base.
• Boys & Girls Club of Marion County: Local nonprofit partner that receives UWMC funding and serves overlapping at-risk youth (after-school programming, mentorship, meals). Comparability is in target population, geographic footprint, and grant-funded operating model.
• Habitat for Humanity of Marion County: Affordable housing nonprofit active in Marion County that overlaps UWMC's community stability and ALICE-focused mission. Comparable donor base and volunteer-driven operating model.
• Marion County Children's Alliance: Local child welfare-focused nonprofit that has received FEMA EFSP pass-through funds from UWMC and serves similar vulnerable populations. Most directly comparable in mission scope and grant funding channels.
• Interfaith Emergency Services: Local faith-based emergency services nonprofit that has received FEMA EFSP pass-through funds from UWMC. Comparable in target population (homelessness, hunger), volunteer model, and reliance on UWMC administered grants.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: Global umbrella organization providing UWMC with training, resources, and branding in exchange for 1% of revenue. Defines the federated operating model and shared standards under which UWMC operates.
• Catholic Charities of Central Florida: Regional social services nonprofit offering emergency assistance, financial stability counseling, and case management across Central Florida. Comparable in serving the same ALICE and at-risk populations with a faith-affiliated funding base.
• Goodwill Industries of Central Florida: Larger regional nonprofit covering Central Florida with workforce development, financial stability, and job-readiness programming — overlapping UWMC's ALICE-focused economic mobility mission but with broader scale and revenue diversification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UWMarionCounty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 United Way of Marion County