United Way of the Lowcountry

What United Way of the Lowcountry does

United Way of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1964 and headquartered in Beaufort, South Carolina, serving Beaufort and Jasper counties. It operates as a hybrid community foundation, functioning simultaneously as a direct service provider, a grant-maker, and a coalition convener across a regional network of more than 1,700 nonprofits. Its direct service portfolio includes a 24/7 HELPLINE referral service tied to SC211, IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for households earning under $75,000, the Showers of Dignity mobile shower and laundry trailer, Read Indeed! tutoring for Pre-K through 3rd graders, the Summer Book Distribution program, and the Becky Francis Dignity Project. It also runs community connector programs such as Operation Holiday Heroes, the Long-Term Recovery Group, CharityTracker case-management network, and the Lowcountry Movement on Self-Sufficiency (Lowcountry MOSS) coalition.

The organization's business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: individual donations processed through the CharityProud platform, corporate workplace giving campaigns with payroll pledge integration, pooled Community Impact Grants (including a $75,000 annual Housing Continuum Matching Grant with 50% recipient match), federal partnerships (IRS for VITA, American Red Cross for LTRG), in-kind contributions, and special events. It maintains two offices (Beaufort and Bluffton), a 16+ named leadership and board structure under President/CEO Dale Douthat, and serves customer segments including ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households, children Pre-K through 3rd grade, individuals and families in crisis, and non-traditional female students. All services to community members are provided free of charge.

The technology backbone is intentionally minimal: no proprietary platform is operated. CharityTracker (a HIPAA-compliant third-party cloud database) is facilitated rather than built by UWLC to enable cross-agency case sharing among partner agencies; CharityProud handles donation processing; and operational delivery is human- and volunteer-driven rather than automated. UWLC's competitive differentiation rests on its dual grant-maker + direct service role, its ecosystem convening authority through coalitions like Lowcountry MOSS, and its regional brand presence as a 4-star Charity Navigator-rated affiliate of the United Way network.

Name

United Way of the Lowcountry

Legal name

United Way of the Lowcountry

Website

https://uwlowcountry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Way of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Beaufort and Jasper counties in South Carolina through direct services (HELPLINE, VITA tax prep, mobile showers), education programs, community grants, and coalition-building across more than 1,700 regional nonprofit partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Human Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Community human services
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Disaster recovery coordination
• Early literacy tutoring
• Free tax preparation

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaufort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization raises funds through individual donations via its website (CharityProud platform), one-time gifts, recurring monthly donations, and legacy/planned giving options.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Corporate workplace campaigns allow employees to make gifts via cash, credit card, or payroll pledge deductions, generating collective giving from organizations.
3. Community Impact Grants: United Way of the Lowcountry issues grant funding to partner agencies in the community. The Housing Continuum Matching Grant invests $75,000 annually with a 50% cash match requirement from recipients.
4. Volunteer-Driven Programs: Programs such as VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), Read Indeed! tutoring, and Showers of Dignity are delivered primarily through volunteer labor, reducing operational cost and enabling service delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

United Way of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free direct community services and grant funding to individuals, families, and partner agencies across Beaufort and Jasper counties in South Carolina. Core offerings include the HELPLINE/211 referral line, IRS-certified VITA free tax preparation, the mobile Showers of Dignity hygiene unit, Read Indeed! early literacy tutoring, Summer Book Distribution, Women United scholarship and Mimi's Closet school supply programs, and the CharityTracker case management network used by partner agencies.

Product overview

United Way of the Lowcountry operates as a direct service nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected community programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the HELPLINE referral service, VITA free tax preparation, and Showers of Dignity mobile hygiene facilities. Education initiatives span Read Indeed! tutoring, Summer Book Distribution, and Women United with its scholarship fund and Mimi's Closet school supply closets. Community support programs include CharityTracker (a cloud-based case management database for partner agencies), the Long-Term Recovery Group for disaster coordination, Lowcountry MOSS self-sufficiency coalition, Operation Holiday Heroes, Poverty Simulation, and The Basics early childhood initiative. These programs work together to address basic needs, economic mobility, and education across Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Women United: A powerful network of women leaders dedicated to advancing educational outcomes for children in Beaufort and Jasper counties through collective giving, volunteerism, and advocacy.
• HELPLINE
• Read Indeed!
• Showers of Dignity
• Mimi's Closet
• Lowcountry MOSS
• Benefits Cliff

Products and services

• HELPLINE / 211 One-call referral service that connects community members in Beaufort and Jasper counties to local health and human services, housing assistance, healthcare, childcare, and financial support through trained specialists. It is free, confidential, and available by phone (843-524-4357), text, and online, with after-hours coverage from SC211.
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Free in-person and virtual tax preparation and e-filing service delivered by IRS-certified volunteers in partnership with the IRS, available to individuals and families earning less than $75,000 annually, including non-English speakers, people with disabilities, and seniors age 60 and older.
• Showers of Dignity Mobile shower and laundry service that brings dignity-centered hygiene facilities directly to people experiencing homelessness or disaster recovery, using a self-contained 24-foot trailer with private ADA-compliant bathrooms that operates without external power or water.
• Read Indeed! One-on-one in-person early literacy tutoring program for pre-K through third grade students identified by school literacy specialists as needing reading support, delivered by trained volunteers in partner schools across Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Summer Book Distribution Annual book distribution program that provides free, age-appropriate books to children in Beaufort and Jasper counties during summer months through schools, camps, and community partners to prevent summer learning loss.
• Women United Membership and giving network of women leaders advancing educational outcomes for children in Beaufort and Jasper counties through collective giving, volunteerism, advocacy, quarterly networking events, the Women United Scholarship Fund, and Mimi's Closet school supply initiative.
• Lowcountry MOSS (Movement on Self-Sufficiency) Cross-sector coalition initiative launched in 2024 with the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Coastal Community Foundation, and Beaufort County Human Services to build a shared vision and community-wide strategic plan that breaks down barriers to self-sufficiency in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) Disaster recovery coalition that convenes nonprofits, community leaders, and local agencies to coordinate case management, resource connection, and long-term recovery support for individuals and families impacted by disasters in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties.
• Operation Holiday Heroes Annual holiday assistance program delivered with Toys for Tots and area nonprofits that provides Christmas gifts and meals to children and families in need across Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Mimi's Closet School supply closet program that stocks donated school and personal items at six elementary schools in the Lowcountry so that underserved students can access essential supplies.
• Women United Scholarship Fund Scholarship program established in 2020 that awards funding to non-traditional female students residing or working in Beaufort or Jasper County who are pursuing higher education degrees at USC Beaufort or the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
• Housing Continuum Matching Grant Annual $75,000 grant program that funds collaborative housing solutions addressing shelter challenges in the Lowcountry and requires a 50% cash match from each recipient agency.
• The Basics Lowcountry Community education initiative that gives parents and caregivers research-based tools and five everyday practices to support healthy child development from birth to age five.
• Becky Francis Dignity Project Dignity-centered initiative that meets immediate needs through basic necessities, hygiene facilities, and support services while connecting individuals to longer-term resources for stability.
• Women United Quarterly Networking Events Free quarterly networking events and workshops featuring inspiring women in the Lowcountry community, designed to develop, encourage, and support women leaders as part of the Women United network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,936 referrals provided through HELPLINE in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Foundation of the LowcountrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, United Way of the Lowcountry partnered with the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Beaufort County Human Services, and Coastal Community Foundation to launch the Lowcountry Movement on Self-Sufficiency (Lowcountry MOSS), a coalition building a shared vision and community-wide strategic plan to break down barriers to self-sufficiency through collaboration, advocacy, and real solutions.
• Coastal Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership within the Lowcountry MOSS coalition (Movement on Self-Sufficiency) launched in 2024, focused on building a shared vision and community-wide strategic plan to break down barriers to self-sufficiency through collaboration, advocacy, and real solutions in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Beaufort County Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership within the Lowcountry MOSS coalition (Movement on Self-Sufficiency) launched in 2024, focused on building a shared vision and community-wide strategic plan to break down barriers to self-sufficiency through collaboration, advocacy, and real solutions in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• American Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) is funded in part by a grant from the American Red Cross, supporting disaster preparedness and recovery coordination for Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program is powered by United Way of the Lowcountry in partnership with the IRS, which provides training, certification, and program guidelines for free tax preparation services.
• Toys for TotsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperation Holiday Heroes is a partnership between United Way, Toys for Tots, and area nonprofits that provides Christmas gifts and meals to children and families in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPre-service teachers from Technical College of the Lowcountry collaborate with United Way of the Lowcountry's Read Indeed! Early Grade Reading Program, designing engaging and interactive lesson plans for the program.
• University of South Carolina BeaufortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Women United Scholarship Fund supports non-traditional female students pursuing higher education degrees at University of South Carolina Beaufort or Technical College of the Lowcountry.
• Palmetto State BankminorOthersPalmetto State Bank proudly donates snacks and drinks to VITA sites, supporting the free tax preparation volunteers.
• CharityTrackercoreTechnology or IntegrationUnited Way of the Lowcountry facilitates a free CharityTracker membership network for nonprofits and churches in Beaufort and Jasper County. CharityTracker is a cloud-based, HIPAA-compliant database that enables case sharing, referrals, and outcome tracking among partner agencies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National umbrella organization for the United Way network. UWLC is a local affiliate; United Way Worldwide sets brand standards, workplace giving infrastructure, and national campaign messaging that UWLC leverages and competes with for donor mindshare.

Direct peers

• American Red Cross - South Carolina Region: National humanitarian organization that partners with UWLC through the Long-Term Recovery Group and operates in the same region on disaster preparedness and recovery - directly comparable disaster response capability and donor overlap.
• The Salvation Army of the Lowcountry: Comparable faith-based direct service nonprofit serving the same Beaufort/Jasper region with overlapping programs in emergency assistance, homeless services, and basic needs. Direct competitor for donor dollars and volunteer capacity.
• Coastal Community Foundation: Regional foundation partner in Lowcountry MOSS. Comparable regional scope, donor base, and grantmaking focus in the South Carolina Lowcountry; directly collaborates with UWLC on self-sufficiency initiatives.
• United Way of Greenville County: A larger South Carolina-based United Way affiliate operating a similar direct-service-plus-grantmaking model in Greenville County. Most directly comparable in mission scope, service mix, and governance structure within the same state.
• United Way of the Midlands (SC): Another South Carolina United Way affiliate serving the Columbia-area Midlands region with comparable direct service and grantmaking programs. Comparable in structure, funding mix, and program portfolio to UWLC.
• Community Foundation of the Lowcountry: Regional community foundation that co-leads the Lowcountry MOSS coalition with UWLC. Operates in the same Beaufort/Jasper geography with overlapping donor base and grantmaking activities focused on community self-sufficiency.
• Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry: Regional Habitat affiliate operating affordable housing programs across Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, and Colleton counties. Comparable nonprofit scale, volunteer-driven model, and donor base in the same Lowcountry geography, with overlapping focus on housing stability.
• Beaufort County Human Services Alliance: Local government-affiliated human services coordination body serving Beaufort County. Directly collaborates with UWLC on Lowcountry MOSS and shares overlapping focus on basic needs, housing, and economic mobility for ALICE households.

Emerging players

• Goodwill of the Upstate / Lowcountry: Regional nonprofit with overlapping workforce development, economic mobility, and basic needs services in parts of the South Carolina coastal region. Comparable nonprofit scale and mission overlap on ALICE household economic self-sufficiency.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uwlowcountry
• Facebookfacebook.com/WomensLeadershipCouncilUnitedWayOfTheLowcountry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-the-lowcountry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United Way of the Lowcountry