United Way of the Capital Area

What United Way of the Capital Area does

United Way of the Capital Area is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1939 and headquartered at 843 N President Street in Jackson, Mississippi. It operates as part of the global United Way network (1,400+ affiliates) while maintaining local autonomy through a volunteer Board of Directors that includes representatives from Nissan, Regions Bank, Cadence Bank, Atmos Energy, Entergy Mississippi, and Butler Snow. The organization focuses resources on the most critical human care needs in the Hinds, Madison, and Rankin tri-county area, structured around four impact areas: Youth Opportunity (Soul Café, SOAR United, Imagination Library, Youth United Ambassadors, E²S² Symposium), Financial Security (VITA free tax preparation, financial coaching), Healthy Community (Good Project, Blackburn Learning Garden, prescription discount cards), and Community Resiliency (211 Helpline, disaster relief, Community Impact Grants).

UWCA does not develop proprietary technology products. Its operational technology stack consists of standard nonprofit management systems, the Get Connected volunteer portal (a third-party platform powered by Galaxy Digital), and the 211 Mississippi resource referral database covering all 82 Mississippi counties with approximately 3,091 calls per month. The organization operates with a lean staff of roughly 6–24 people and reports that approximately 91 cents of every dollar is invested in community programs.

The organization's revenue model is diversified across multiple nonprofit streams: individual donations via workplace payroll-deduction campaigns (5,000+ donors and $1.5M in overall giving reported in 2020), corporate contributions and event sponsorships (Women United Excellence Awards Luncheon tiers range from $100 individual tickets to $20,000 Title Sponsor), grant administration and fiscal sponsorship (including $50,000 Wells Fargo grants in 2021-22 and 2025, $40,000 JP Morgan Chase water crisis partnership in 2022, and $50,000 Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund in 2025), and government/foundation support for the VITA program (which returned over $3.3M in tax refunds). Community Impact Grants of up to $10,000 flow outward to eligible 501(c)(3) partner nonprofits. As a local United Way affiliate, UWCA pays nominal dues to United Way of America in exchange for shared services including staff training, community research, campaign products, and NFL advertising access.

Name

United Way of the Capital Area

Legal name

United Way of the Capital Area, Inc.

Website

https://myunitedway.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Way of the Capital Area is a Jackson, Mississippi-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes workplace giving, corporate sponsorships, and grants to fund youth opportunity, financial security, healthy community, and crisis-response programs across the Hinds, Madison, and Rankin tri-county area, with a lean staff and 91% program-spending efficiency ratio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Community fundraising services
• Nonprofit grant administration
• Youth development programs
• Financial literacy services
• Disaster relief coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

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 via Workplace Campaigns: Individual donors contribute through workplace payroll deduction campaigns. In 2020, over 5,000 individual donors contributed through workplace campaigns, with $1.5M in overall giving. One-time and recurring donation options are available online, with the Power of $10 child nutrition program and general giving pages accessible to individual donors.
2. Corporate Contributions and Sponsorships: Companies make corporate contributions and sponsor workplace campaigns. Corporate partners also sponsor events such as the Women United Excellence Awards Luncheon, with sponsorship tiers ranging from $1,000 to $20,000. In 2020, 80 companies ran employee workplace campaigns and/or made corporate contributions.
3. Grant Administration and Fiscal Sponsorship: United Way serves as fiscal agent for grants from foundations and corporations, administering funds to partner organizations. Examples include the $50,000 Wells Fargo investment for VA Freedom Foods (administered by UWCA as fiscal agent) and $50,000 from Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund for the United Community Response Fund. UWCA also awards Community Impact Grants of up to $10,000 to eligible nonprofits.
4. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program: Free tax preparation services for individuals with limited incomes, generating government or foundation support. The VITA program helped thousands of households receive over $3.3 million in tax refunds and save on preparation fees, supporting financial stability in the tri-county area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

United Way of the Capital Area is a community-impact nonprofit that mobilizes donations, grants, volunteers, and partner resources to address health, education, financial stability, and crisis-response needs across Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties in Mississippi. Its offerings span 24/7 information and referral (211 Mississippi), free tax preparation (VITA), youth literacy and leadership programs, financial coaching, disaster relief, fiscal sponsorship of corporate-funded programs, and competitive Community Impact Grants to partner nonprofits.

Product overview

United Way of the Capital Area is a nonprofit organization offering a diverse portfolio of community programs rather than a single unified product. The organization operates across four main impact areas: Youth Opportunity (including Soul Café, SOAR United, Imagination Library, Author's Summit, and Youth United Ambassadors program), Financial Security (VITA tax assistance, Financial Coaching, and E²S² symposium), Healthy Community (Health & Insurance Access, Community Schools, Good Project, Blackburn Learning Garden), and Community Resiliency (Disaster Relief, 211 Helpline). Additional offerings include Women United events, Community Impact Grants, Day of Action volunteer events, and the Get Connected volunteer portal powered by Galaxy Digital. The ALICE Project provides research and advocacy on financial hardship. The organization primarily serves Hinds, Madison, and Rankin counties in Mississippi.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Soul Café: A reading program that creates a calm, welcoming coffee house-style environment where youth can enjoy reading at partner sites, offering books and discussion activities.
• Soar United
• Youth United Ambassadors
• Entrepreneurship and Employability Skills Symposium (E²S²)
• VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
• Imagination Library

Products and services

• 211 Mississippi Helpline

Quantifiable outcome

• $666,590 invested in the community; 19,000 books donated; $1.19M saved from free tax services
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Bank partners with UWCA to deliver financial literacy workshops, providing presenters, lunch, and workbook materials. Workshop topics include budgeting, building credit, and banking essentials. Attendees are eligible to open no-fee checking or savings accounts.
• Bank On CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA partners with banks and credit unions from the Bank On Coalition to address diverse consumer financial needs, whether starting a business or making investments.
• SingleCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA collaborates with SingleCare to provide free prescription discount cards, helping individuals access significant savings on medications at participating local pharmacies, improving health outcomes and reducing financial burden.
• AARPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA maintains a partnership with AARP to deliver valuable resources and foster meaningful connections for eligible individuals throughout the communities served.
• YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA partners with the YMCA to host the 'Healthy and Alive' health campaign featuring nutrition workshops, fitness classes, health screenings, and activities to promote wellness and empower community members.
• City of JacksoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a partnership with the City of Jackson and Mississippi State Department of Health, UWCA participates in Save a Life Day, placing leave-behind naloxone boxes in the Hood Building to address the drug epidemic and reduce opioid overdose deaths.
• Mississippi State Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Mississippi State Department of Health for Save a Life Day, distributing free naloxone, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and resources to combat the overdose epidemic across ten Mississippi counties.
• Hopeful Community OutreachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA partnered with Hopeful Community Outreach for Day of Action, with corporate volunteers serving hot meals and distributing food to those in need. Hopeful Community Outreach is a food pantry and learning center founded by Marcus and Treona Landfair that has been feeding the homeless since 2013.
• Jackson State University TRIO ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJSU TRIO Program at the Mississippi e-Center was the first location to launch the Soul Café literacy initiative. UWCA and JSU collaborate on the Soul Café program at high schools, the Entrepreneurship Symposium (E²S²), and the Blackburn Learning Garden.
• We Are One United Methodist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partnership for The Good Project addressing food insecurity in Hinds County, focused on self-sufficiency and healthy living through community gardening and education.
• Alcorn State University 4-H ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlcorn State University 4-H Program partnered with UWCA on The Good Project, combining resources and expertise to support long-term community resilience and well-being through nutrition education.
• Mississippi Urban LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA collaborated with the Mississippi Urban League at the 2nd Annual Disaster Preparedness Fair held at the Jackson Medical Mall, providing the community with information on best practices and weather radios for natural disaster preparation.
• Walton Elementary (Community School)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWCA supports Walton Elementary, a designated Community School, by providing 100 students with fresh, nutritious meals to take home each week, promoting food security, student health, and academic success.
• Jackson State University TRIO Talent SearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJSU TRIO Talent Search partnered with UWCA to co-host the Entrepreneurship and Employability Skills Symposium (E²S²), where approximately 200 high school students received hands-on experience in career readiness, financial literacy, and business skills.
• NissanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNissan participates in UWCA workplace campaigns and is a corporate sponsor of the Women United Excellence Awards Luncheon. Nissan also attends the annual Employability Fair.
• Regions BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegions Bank participates in UWCA workplace campaigns and is represented on the Board of Directors through Stephanie Guidry. Regions is also a Legacy Sponsor for the Women United Excellence Awards Luncheon.
• C SpireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerC Spire is an Excellence Sponsor for the 2026 Women United Excellence Awards Luncheon and partners with UWCA on community initiatives.
• Cadence BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCadence Bank is represented on UWCA's Board of Directors through Jason Brooks and participates in community partnerships.
• Entergy MississippiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEntergy Mississippi is represented on UWCA's Board of Directors through David DuBey and participates in community partnerships.
• Atmos EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAtmos Energy is represented on UWCA's Board of Directors through Roy Moss and partners on The Good Project for food security initiatives.
• Butler SnowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerButler Snow is represented on UWCA's Board of Directors through JD Cooley and participates in community initiatives.
• Mississippi Center for JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMississippi Center for Justice is a Legacy Sponsor for the 2026 Women United Excellence Awards Luncheon and shares UWCA's mission of advancing equity and opportunity in Mississippi.
• Amazon, FedEx, Nissan, Jackson Public Schools, and 50+ other companiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 50 companies attended the annual Employability Fair, including Amazon, FedEx, Jackson Public Schools Human Resources, WAPT Channel 16 News, Holmes Community College, MS State Personnel Board, Jackson Fire Department, Mississippi Children's Museum, Cricket Wireless, American Medical Response, Zaxby's, Sonic Drive-In, and Nissan, connecting with over 1,300 students.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Community Foundation for Mississippi: A statewide community foundation in Mississippi administering charitable funds and grants to nonprofits. Comparable grantmaking, donor-advised fund, and fiscal sponsorship functions overlap directly with UWCA's Community Impact Grants and fiscal agent role.
• United Way of Northeast Mississippi: A regional United Way affiliate serving the Tupelo/North Mississippi area. Operates the same workplace giving, grantmaking, and community-impact model across a different Mississippi service area, making it a close functional and structural peer.
• United Way of Central Mississippi: A fellow United Way affiliate operating in the Jackson, Mississippi metro region. Direct peer in geography, mission, and fundraising model (workplace campaigns, 211, grant administration), competing for some of the same corporate donors.
• United Way of Greater Atlanta: A larger mid-size United Way affiliate operating the same workplace-giving, grantmaking, and 211-style resource hub model in a major metro. Closest analog for UWCA's potential scaled trajectory and operational structure.

Emerging players

• Heart of America Foundation: A national nonprofit focused on literacy and education resource distribution in underserved schools. Comparable to UWCA's Soul Café, Soar United, and Imagination Library literacy programs targeting school-aged children in high-need communities.
• Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Capital Area: A regional Habitat affiliate addressing housing and community resilience in central Mississippi. Comparable as a community-development nonprofit operating in the same geography, but specializes in housing construction rather than UWCA's broader service portfolio.

Regional players

• Volunteer Mississippi: The state's commission on volunteer service, administering AmeriCorps and volunteer-matching programs. Comparable volunteer-mobilization mission to UWCA's Get Connected portal and Day of Action, but operates as a state government entity with different funding mechanics.
• Mississippi Food Network: Mississippi's largest food bank, addressing food insecurity through partner pantries and direct distribution. Overlaps with UWCA's Good Project, VA Freedom Foods fiscal sponsorship, and food-insecurity work, serving similar ALICE populations across the state.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Jackson MS (Mississippi Gulf Coast): A national faith-based social services organization with operations in Jackson providing emergency assistance, food, and shelter. Comparable emergency-relief and crisis-response mission to UWCA's Community Resiliency vertical.
• United Way Worldwide: The national umbrella organization overseeing the 1,400+ United Way affiliates including UWCA. Comparable as the governing network providing brand, training, and campaign infrastructure, but operates at a vastly larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedwayofthecapitalarea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-the-capital-area

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 the Capital Area