Brookings Area United Way

What Brookings Area United Way does

Brookings Area United Way (BAUW) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1955 in Brookings, South Dakota, and affiliated with United Way Worldwide. Originally incorporated as the Brookings United Charities Fund by a group of area businessmen, the organization has operated under its current name for decades and currently runs with a small core staff of approximately five full-time employees led by Executive Director Heidi Gullickson. Its mission targets the health, education, and financial stability of every resident of Brookings County, with explicit programming across children, families, seniors, and vulnerable populations.

BAUW operates two complementary lines of activity: a direct-service program portfolio and a funded-partner intermediary model. The direct-service portfolio includes Born Learning Trails (outdoor early-learning installations), Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (free monthly books for children birth to age 5), the Delta Dental Mobile Program (no-cost dental care for residents under age 21), Senior Boxes (USDA CSFP food distribution), SingleCare prescription discounts, the CPR Reimbursement Program, and a suite of mental-health training courses (QPR, MHFA, YMHFA, ACEs, ASIST). The intermediary model funnels donations to 31 local nonprofit partner agencies operating 49 distinct programs, with partner management conducted through the e-CImpact platform.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving across individual donations, workplace giving campaigns, planned giving and endowments (notably the Marshall Palmer Fund), and stock or securities gifts. Go-to-market is a hybrid of event-driven annual fundraising campaigns (including the Scoops & Loops ice-cream fundraiser), community-led coalition engagement (Monday Morning Minute radio, Basic Needs Task Force, Mental Health Coalition, Brookings Council of Nonprofits, Volunteer United), and direct donor outreach. The organization holds a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar (Candid) and is governed by a volunteer board of directors drawn from Brookings-area healthcare, banking, manufacturing, education, and public-sector institutions.

Name

Brookings Area United Way

Legal name

Brookings Area United Way

Website

https://brookingsunitedway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brookings Area United Way is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1955 that funds 31 partner agencies running 49 programs and operates direct-service initiatives in early childhood, food security, mental health, and senior support for residents of Brookings County, South Dakota.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community & Social Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community services
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Volunteer programs
• Social services
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Brookings

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals through various channels including online donations, mail-in checks, and monthly giving programs. Donors can give through the website, by phone, or through workplace campaigns.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Annual workplace giving campaigns where employers facilitate employee giving through payroll deductions or one-time gifts. Includes campaign materials, pledge cards, and coordinator toolkits.
3. Planned Giving & Endowments: Legacy gifts through wills/estate plans, charitable IRA rollovers for those 70.5+, and contributions to the Marshall Palmer Fund collective endowment supporting future generations.
4. Stock & Securities Donations: Donations of appreciated securities providing tax benefits including avoidance of capital gains tax and standard deductions on federal and state taxes.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Brookings Area United Way is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises and distributes funds to advance the health, education, and financial stability of Brookings County, South Dakota residents. It delivers direct community programs (e.g., Born Learning Trails, Senior Boxes, CPR Reimbursement), funds and supports 31 partner agencies running 49 programs, coordinates community coalitions (Basic Needs Task Force, Mental Health Coalition), and provides 211/988 referral services through the Helpline Center.

Product overview

Brookings Area United Way operates as a nonprofit service organization rather than a technology product company. The organization offers a portfolio of community service programs organized around four pillars: Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency. Programs include Born Learning Trails, Connecting Kids, CPR Reimbursement, Delta Dental Mobile Program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Senior Boxes, SingleCare prescription discounts, Basic Needs Task Force, Brookings Council of Nonprofits, Communities That Care, Early Learner Brookings, Mental Health Coalition, and Volunteer United. The organization also provides mental health training programs (QPR, MHFA, YMHFA, ACEs, ASIST) and uses the e-CImpact online platform for managing funding applications and partner accountability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Born Learning Trails Evidence-based interactive outdoor learning trails with 10 signs offering developmental activities for children ages 0-8 and their families, promoting school readiness through free learn-through-play experiences in Brookings County.
• Connecting Kids Program that helps offset costs for children to attend local camps, programs, and clubs, ensuring all children in the community can participate regardless of financial ability.
• CPR Reimbursement Program Reimburses Brookings County residents up to $50 per person for CPR certification classes to increase community CPR training participation.
• Delta Dental Mobile Program Provides no-cost dental care for Brookings County residents up to age 21 through a mobile dental van, with appointments scheduled via the Helpline Center's 211 service.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Partners with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to deliver one free age-appropriate book per month to children up to age 5 in Brookings County, supporting early literacy and school readiness.
• Senior Boxes Distribution center for USDA's Commodity Supplemental Nutrition Program (CSFP), providing monthly pre-packaged boxes of non-perishable food to eligible seniors in Brookings County.
• SingleCare Prescription Discount Card Free prescription discount card program available as a mobile application or reusable coupon, providing savings on FDA-approved medications at pharmacies in Brookings County without forms, waiting periods, or registration.
• Mental Health Training Programs Suite of mental health training programs including Question Persuade Refer (QPR), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) for community members.
• e-CImpact Fund Management Platform Online system used by Brookings Area United Way for managing its annual resource investment processes, where funded partner agencies submit funding applications and provide reports and accountability documents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,400+ children received early education support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Dolly Parton's Imagination LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide one high-quality, age-appropriate book each month to children up to age 5 in Brookings County at no cost to families. Books delivered directly to children's doors. Funding ensures any child in Brookings County can sign up.
• Delta DentalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelta Dental Mobile Program provides no-cost dental care to anyone in Brookings County up to age 21. The dental van visits Brookings County for two to four weeks annually.
• SingleCarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree prescription discount card program available to all community members. Cards can be downloaded via app or obtained at the BAUW office. Accepted at Walmart, Hy-Vee, and Lewis Drug pharmacies.
• Helpline CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 211 referral services connecting community members to resources 24/7. Helpline Center also schedules Delta Dental appointments and maintains volunteer database.
• Feeding South DakotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for USDA Commodity Supplemental Nutrition Program (CSFP), distributing pre-packaged boxes of non-perishable food to eligible seniors monthly.
• United Way WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliation providing access to resources, best practices, and the United Way brand. Maintains Membership Requirements Certification. Part of global United Way network.
• Basic Needs Task Force MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition including Feeding Brookings, Harvest Table, Brookings County Emergency Food Pantry, Brookings Backpack Project, ICAP, Salvation Army, Jack's Cupboard (SDSU), and others coordinating food security efforts.
• Brookings Early Childcare Education Collaborative (BECEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Early Learner Brookings initiative working toward goal of all young children reaching their full potential. Guided by National League of Cities - Early Learner Nation Framework.
• National League of CitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly Learner South Dakota pilot grant and National League of Cities - Early Learner Nation Framework guidance for early childhood initiatives.
• SDSU Wellness CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Rabbit Ride (formerly SafeRide) program providing safe rides Friday and Saturday nights, eliminating risk of impaired driving.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heart of America United Way: Regional United Way affiliate based in Bismarck, North Dakota that runs the same workplace giving campaigns, funded-partner model, and community coalition approach as BAUW. Most directly comparable peer in terms of scale and rural/regional scope.
• United Way of Dane County: United Way affiliate serving Dane County, Wisconsin (Madison area). Operates the same federated giving, workplace campaign, and community coalition model as BAUW, providing a comparable peer with greater geographic and donor scale.
• United Way of the Black Hills: South Dakota-based United Way affiliate serving the Black Hills region. Operates the same federated giving, workplace campaign, and funded-partner model as BAUW, providing a directly comparable peer within the same state.
• United Way of Sioux Falls: Regional United Way affiliate serving the Sioux Falls, South Dakota metro area with the same federated giving model, workplace campaign structure, funded-partner network, and coalition-building approach as Brookings Area United Way. Comparable in mission and operating model, larger in scale and geography.
• Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation: South Dakota-based community foundation offering grantmaking, donor-advised funds, and endowment services. Comparable to BAUW as an alternative giving vehicle competing for the same regional donor dollars while pursuing similar community impact objectives.
• United Way of the Midlands: United Way affiliate serving the Omaha, Nebraska metro area. Operates the same federated giving, workplace campaign, and community impact model as BAUW, providing a directly comparable regional peer with greater scale.
• South Dakota Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation administering charitable funds, endowments, and grants across South Dakota. Comparable to BAUW in function (intermediating philanthropic capital to community needs) and geography (overlapping service footprint).

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National umbrella organization that defines the United Way brand, methodology, and Membership Requirements Certification under which BAUW operates. Most directly comparable as the parent federated giving network setting the model BAUW executes locally.

Emerging players

• Dakota Medical Foundation: Regional foundation based in Fargo, North Dakota focused on healthcare, mental health, and community well-being initiatives. Comparable to BAUW's mental health coalition and health-focused programming through shared philanthropic mission and overlapping regional donor base.

Others

• Feeding South Dakota: Statewide hunger-relief nonprofit that is both a BAUW partner (for the USDA CSFP Senior Boxes program) and a thematic peer in food security and basic-needs service delivery. Comparable through shared mission focus on food insecurity, though operating at statewide scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyG-knyDcXHojPXBs6sKnpA
• Facebookfacebook.com/sdbauw
• Instagraminstagram.com/sdbauw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sdbauw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Brookings Area United Way