United Way of Saginaw County
United Way of Saginaw County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels donor contributions into Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs programs for ALICE and below-poverty residents of Saginaw County, Michigan, via grants to 11+ partner agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1919
- HeadquartersSaginaw, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What United Way of Saginaw County does
United Way of Saginaw County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Saginaw, Michigan, founded around 1919 and operating as part of the broader United Way network. The organization functions as a community backbone and grantmaking entity, channeling donor contributions into programs spanning Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs, with a stated focus on lifting the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population and households below the poverty line. Nearly 50% of Saginaw County residents struggle to meet basic needs and over 64% live at or below the ALICE threshold, framing the demand base. There is no traditional technology product; the platform layer is a OneEach Technologies-built website supporting donations, volunteer registration, and resource access.
The operating model combines biennial Community Impact Grants to 11+ local nonprofit partner agencies (reviewed by a 14-member Community Change Team), multi-year program commitments including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library ($90,000 annual investment for children birth to age 5) and VITA free tax preparation for residents earning under $57,000 annually (returning over $2 million per year into the local economy over 15+ years of operation), and direct service initiatives such as Project Independence (home accessibility modifications) and Catchafire capacity building for 200+ regional nonprofits. Seasonal initiatives include Plates for People, Summer Stock-Up, Food Box Distributions, Christmas Wishlist, and School Supply Support to Shelters. Volunteer hours coordinated total 10,676 with $19,653,506 cumulatively deployed toward homelessness prevention and $1,255,169 reinvested into Saginaw County.
Revenue is sourced from individual donor contributions, corporate workplace giving campaigns (Run A Campaign), IRS funding for VITA, donor-designated gifts to affiliate agencies across Michigan, and grants administered through the nine-funder Great Lakes Bay Region Funders Collaborative. There is no pricing model; all programs and volunteer services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Leadership comprises President and CEO Audra Davis and a board drawn from major regional employers including Nexteer Automotive, Bank of America, Consumers Energy, Covenant HealthCare, DOW, Hemlock Semiconductor, and Frankenmuth Insurance, plus representatives from labor (UAW), local government, education, and faith-based institutions.
United Way of Saginaw County firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United Way of Saginaw County
- Legal name
- United Way of Saginaw County
- Website
- https://unitedwaysaginaw.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1919
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- United Way of Saginaw County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels donor contributions into Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs programs for ALICE and below-poverty residents of Saginaw County, Michigan, via grants to 11+ partner agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United Way of Saginaw County industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Impact and Nonprofit Social Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food Services (62421), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF)
Keywords
Where United Way of Saginaw County is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saginaw
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
United Way of Saginaw County business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donor Contributions and Charitable Giving: United Way of Saginaw County raises funds through individual donor contributions, workplace giving campaigns, and direct donations via their website platform. The organization serves as a vehicle for charitable giving for those who live and work in Saginaw County, channeling resources to community programs.
- Community Impact Grants: The organization allocates funding to local nonprofit agencies through a competitive Community Impact Funding process every two years. A Community Change Team (CCT) of 14 community members and leaders reviews and scores grant submissions to support community programs aligned with their mission of addressing financial instability.
- Multi-Year Grants: United Way of Saginaw County manages multi-year grant programs including Dolly Parton Imagination Library ($90,000 annual investment for children birth to age 5), VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) returning over $2 million annually to residents earning less than $57,000, and Catchafire capacity building partnership supporting 200+ nonprofits.
- Donor Designated Gifts: The organization provides an avenue for donor designated gifts to affiliate agency partners and nonprofits across the state of Michigan, with millions invested in local communities for over 100 years.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
United Way of Saginaw County product offering
Product offeringCore offering
United Way of Saginaw County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes donor contributions, workplace giving campaigns, and grantmaking to fund community programs addressing Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs for Saginaw County residents. The organization serves as a backbone for hundreds of volunteer initiatives, operates direct service programs including free tax preparation (VITA) and early childhood literacy (Dolly Parton Imagination Library), and channels multi-year grants to local nonprofit agencies addressing financial instability among the ALICE population.
Product overview
United Way of Saginaw County operates as a nonprofit community organization offering a portfolio of social service programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Community Impact Grants funding local nonprofits, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for early literacy, VITA free tax preparation, and Project Independence home accessibility modifications. The organization backbones hundreds of volunteer initiatives through its volunteer coordination services, provides financial stability programs targeting the ALICE population, and operates initiatives including Plates for People, Summer Stock-Up, Food Box Distributions, Christmas Wishlist, and School Supply Support to Shelters. These programs work together under the organization's mission to increase organized capacity for community members to care for one another, focusing on Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Impact Grants
- VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
- Dolly Parton Imagination Library
- Project Independence
- Volunteer Coordination Services
- Financial Stability Programs
- Catchafire Capacity Building
- Seasonal Community Initiatives
Quantifiable outcome
- $19,653,506 provided to prevent homelessness
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use United Way of Saginaw County
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
United Way of Saginaw County technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
United Way of Saginaw County partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- PartnerShift NetworkcoreFunding recipient for Project Transportation program addressing transportation barriers faced by ALICE residents in Saginaw County.
- Child Abuse and Neglect Council Great Lakes Bay RegioncoreFunding recipient for Parent Cafes program supporting families and addressing child welfare in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
- Child and Family Service of Saginaw CountycoreFunding recipient for The Counseling Center and Sexual Assault Center providing critical mental health and crisis services.
- Habitat for Humanity International Inc (Saginaw-Shiawassee)coreFunding recipient for Critical Home Repair Program addressing housing stability and homeownership in Saginaw-Shiawassee area.
- Hidden HarvestcoreFunding recipient for Food Rescue and Hunger Relief programs addressing food insecurity in Saginaw County.
- Houghton Jones Neighborhood Task Force InccoreFunding recipient for All Around the Neighborhood community development initiative serving Saginaw County residents.
- READ Association of Saginaw CountycoreFunding recipient for READ Mentor Program, Raising Readers Academy, and Family Literacy Center addressing literacy challenges.
- Saginaw County Youth Protection CouncilcoreFunding recipient for Teen Parent Services and Innerlink for Runaway and Homeless Youth programs.
- YWCA Great Lakes Bay RegioncoreFunding recipient for Women's Economic Empowerment Program supporting economic self-sufficiency for women.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay AreacoreFunding recipient for Community Based Mentoring program providing youth mentorship services.
- Underground RailroadcoreFunding recipient for Counseling & Advocacy Program providing support services to community members in need.
- CatchafirecoreCapacity building partnership providing operational support to 200+ nonprofits and school districts across the Great Lakes Bay Region through connections with skilled volunteers.
- Dolly Parton Imagination LibrarycoreMulti-year grant program providing monthly books to children from birth to age 5, with $90,000 annual investment into Saginaw County.
- Great Lakes Bay Region Funders CollaborativemajorNine funders from Great Lakes Bay Region including: United Way of Saginaw, Saginaw Community Foundation, United Way of Bay County, Bay Area Community Foundation, United Way of Midland County, Midland Area Community Foundation, United Way of Gratiot Isabella Counties, Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, and GreenLeaf Trust providing operational support to 200+ nonprofits.
- Dolly Parton Imagination LibrarycoreChildren from birth to age 5 receive monthly books through this program. Current annual investment into Saginaw County is $90,000.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
United Way of Saginaw County competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- American Red Cross: Large national humanitarian organization addressing disaster relief, emergency assistance, and community support. Operates with comparable volunteer-driven service delivery model in Saginaw County and overlaps with United Way's emergency food and shelter programs.
- United Way Worldwide: National umbrella organization for all United Way affiliates, providing brand, standards, and centralized support. United Way of Saginaw County operates as an independent local affiliate within this network, leveraging the national brand for fundraising credibility.
Direct peers
- United Way of Gratiot Isabella Counties: Regional United Way affiliate serving adjacent counties with the same model of community impact grants and workplace giving. Direct co-funder in the Great Lakes Bay Region Funders Collaborative addressing similar rural and small-community needs.
- Saginaw Community Foundation: Local community foundation operating in Saginaw County with grantmaking, donor advised funds, and community investment programs. Co-funder in the Great Lakes Bay Region Funders Collaborative and addresses overlapping needs through slightly different philanthropic structures.
- United Way of Midland County: Direct peer organization serving Midland County, Michigan with the same United Way model of community impact grants, workplace giving campaigns, and ALICE-focused financial stability programming. Co-funder in the Great Lakes Bay Region Funders Collaborative.
- United Way of Bay County: Direct peer organization serving Bay County, Michigan as part of the same regional United Way ecosystem. Both operate community impact grant programs, workplace campaigns, and volunteer coordination within the Great Lakes Bay Region, participating together in the Great Lakes Bay Region Funders Collaborative.
- Midland Area Community Foundation: Regional community foundation serving Midland County with grantmaking capacity and community programs. Co-funder with United Way of Saginaw County in regional collaborative serving Great Lakes Bay Region nonprofits.
- Bay Area Community Foundation: Regional community foundation serving Bay and surrounding counties with grantmaking and community impact programs. Direct collaborator with United Way of Saginaw County through the Great Lakes Bay Region Funders Collaborative serving similar populations.
Emerging players
- Catchafire: Tech-enabled capacity building platform connecting nonprofits with skilled volunteers. United Way of Saginaw County partners with Catchafire to support 200+ regional nonprofits, representing an emerging digital approach to volunteer coordination that complements traditional models.
- Habitat for Humanity International: National affordable housing nonprofit with a Saginaw-Shiawassee affiliate that receives United Way funding. Operates the Critical Home Repair Program addressing housing stability, a key ALICE priority that overlaps with United Way's homelessness prevention focus.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
United Way of Saginaw County social profiles
Digital presenceUnited Way of Saginaw County financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United Way of Saginaw County leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles24 records
United Way of Saginaw County funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United Way of Saginaw County M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Saginaw County
What does United Way of Saginaw County do?
United Way of Saginaw County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes donor contributions, workplace giving campaigns, and grantmaking to fund community programs addressing Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs for Saginaw County residents. The organization serves as a backbone for hundreds of volunteer initiatives, operates direct service programs including free tax preparation (VITA) and early childhood literacy (Dolly Parton Imagination Library), and channels multi-year grants to local nonprofit agencies addressing financial instability among the ALICE population.
Is United Way of Saginaw County a public or private company?
United Way of Saginaw County is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was United Way of Saginaw County founded?
United Way of Saginaw County was founded in 1919. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is United Way of Saginaw County based?
United Way of Saginaw County is headquartered in Saginaw, United States, in the North America region.
How does United Way of Saginaw County make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donor Contributions and Charitable Giving is the primary driver. The others are community Impact Grants, multi-Year Grants and donor Designated Gifts.
Who are United Way of Saginaw County's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are American Red Cross and United Way Worldwide. Direct peers are United Way of Gratiot Isabella Counties, Saginaw Community Foundation, United Way of Midland County, United Way of Bay County, Midland Area Community Foundation and Bay Area Community Foundation. Emerging players are Catchafire and Habitat for Humanity International.
Does United Way of Saginaw County have an API?
No public API is recorded for United Way of Saginaw County.
What industry is United Way of Saginaw County in?
United Way of Saginaw County's product category is Community Impact and Nonprofit Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAL, Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8300.