UNITED WAY OF DOUGLAS & POPE COUNTIES

What UNITED WAY OF DOUGLAS & POPE COUNTIES does

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating under the public brand United Way Lakes and Prairie, headquartered in Alexandria, Minnesota with a regional office in Fergus Falls. The organization delivers community social services across a four-county service area (Douglas, Pope, Otter Tail, and Wadena) through a portfolio of established programs including monthly food distribution, school supply drives (Stuff the Bus), winter clothing (Warm Winter Wear), holiday gift programs, backpack meal programs, summer learning (Traveling Tree House), workforce development (Work United), family navigation (CREW), and early childhood literacy (Dolly Parton Imagination Library). It also serves as a fiscal intermediary and grantmaker to local nonprofit partners and operates the 211 information and referral service for the region.

The organization is funded entirely through charitable contributions rather than commercial revenue. Its revenue model centers on an annual fundraising campaign supplemented by corporate Live United partnerships (Sanford Health, Otter Tail Power, Old National Bank, Douglas Machine, Sourcewell, and others), workplace giving, individual donations, and special events (Golf Classic, Dine United, Live United Luncheons). Programs are delivered through direct program distribution, school partnerships (Weekend Backpack Meals), and a funded partner network of local nonprofits. Volunteer engagement is coordinated through the GetConnected platform and a set of "Speed Volunteering" kits.

The organization operates with a staff of 7 employees and is governed by a local board of directors. It uses the multinational United Way brand affiliation as a fundraising and credibility asset while maintaining local operational autonomy. No technology products, AI capabilities, or commercial revenue streams are part of the operating model.

Name

UNITED WAY OF DOUGLAS & POPE COUNTIES

Legal name

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties

Website

https://uwdp.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties (dba United Way Lakes and Prairie) is a 7-employee Minnesota nonprofit that delivers food, clothing, education, and workforce programs across Douglas, Pope, Otter Tail, and Wadena counties, funded through annual campaigns, corporate partnerships, and workplace giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), 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 fundraising
• Social service programs
• Nonprofit community support
• Volunteer engagement
• Food assistance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

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. Donations and Fundraising Campaigns: The organization generates revenue through annual fundraising campaigns, individual donations, business partnerships, and workplace giving programs. The yearly campaign is the primary fundraising mechanism.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties is a local United Way affiliate that raises charitable donations through annual workplace and community campaigns, corporate sponsorships, and special events, then reinvests those funds in direct social service programs such as food distribution, school supply drives, winter clothing, holiday gifts, summer learning, family navigation, and workforce development. It also makes grants to other local nonprofits and provides a volunteer matching platform for the service area.

Product overview

United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties operates as a nonprofit community organization offering a portfolio of social service programs rather than a unified technology product. The organization provides community support through various programs including Stuff the Bus (school supply distribution), Traveling Tree House (summer learning), United Way Food Drop (food distribution), Warm Winter Wear (cold-weather clothing), Holiday Gift Program, Day of Caring (student volunteering), Work United (employment support), CREW (family navigation), Dolly Parton Imagination Library (early childhood literacy), ALICE awareness, Poverty Simulation, Weekend Backpack Meals, and the SingleCare prescription savings resource. The organization also utilizes GetConnected as a volunteer opportunity platform and Speed Volunteering kits for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• United Way Lakes and Prairie: The operating brand name used for the local United Way affiliate serving Douglas, Pope, Otter Tail, and Wadena Counties in Minnesota.

Products and services

• Stuff the Bus Annual school supply collection and distribution program serving K-12 students in the service area.
• Traveling Tree House Free summer learning program for children staffed by licensed educators; hosted at designated locations across Douglas, Pope, Otter Tail, and Wadena Counties.
• United Way Food Drop Monthly free food distribution events in Douglas or Pope County for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity, requiring advance registration.
• Warm Winter Wear Annual collection and distribution of donated coats and cold-weather essentials to families in the service area.
• Holiday Gift Program Program that anonymously matches gift givers with children ages 0-18 in families in Douglas and Pope counties during the holidays.
• Day of Caring Student volunteer service day where middle school students partner with United Way to complete community volunteer projects.
• Work United Employment support program delivered in partnership with Rural Minnesota CEP, connecting individuals with career exploration resources, support, and job-transition guidance.
• CREW Family navigation program where United Way team members help families connect with essential resources such as food, housing, and transportation.
• Dolly Parton Imagination Library Free book gifting program that mails age-appropriate books monthly to children from birth to age five in Otter Tail and Wadena Counties.
• ALICE Awareness program educating the community about Minnesota households that earn above the federal poverty line but still struggle to afford housing, food, childcare, healthcare, and transportation.
• Poverty Simulation Interactive experience in which participants role-play the lives of real low-income families over one month to build empathy and understanding of poverty.
• Weekend Backpack Meals School-year program that provides supplemental bags of food to students over weekends, distributed through participating local schools and the Feeding America Backpack Program.
• SingleCare Prescription Savings Card Free prescription savings card offered at the United Way office that provides discounts on prescription medications for insured and uninsured individuals.
• GetConnected Online volunteer opportunity platform hosted by Galaxy Digital that aggregates volunteer opportunities from United Way and other area nonprofits, allowing users to create profiles and receive email updates.
• Speed Volunteering Coordinated volunteer kit program (Adult Care Kit, Birthday in a Bag, First Aid Kit, Household Baskets, Meal in a Bag, Positivity Packs) designed for completion by groups, families, or coworkers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000+ community members receive warm winter wear annually
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

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 minor and core.

• AagardminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• MassmanminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Douglas MachineminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• KLN BrandsminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Old National BankminorOthersLive United partner - financial institution supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Vector WindowsminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• CalvaryminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• MarthalerminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Geneva CapitalminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Fast Global SolutionsminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Otter Tail PowerminorOthersLive United partner - utility company supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Sanford HealthminorOthersLive United partner - healthcare provider supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• DohertyminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• SourcewellminorOthersLive United partner - corporate supporter of United Way Lakes and Prairie community programs
• Rural Minnesota CEPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Work United program connecting individuals with employment resources, support, and guidance for workforce development. Also partners on CREW program for family navigation services.
• Discovery Middle SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with United Way for Day of Caring student volunteer program where students perform community service projects
• Feeding America Backpack ProgramminorOthersProgram providing supplemental food bags to students over the weekend, distributed through participating schools

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: The global umbrella organization for the United Way network. Comparable as the parent brand and standards-setter under which Douglas & Pope Counties operates, providing brand recognition, fundraising frameworks, and network resources.
• Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin: Regional arm of a national nonprofit delivering social services including housing, food, and family support across the same Upper Midwest geography. Comparable as a broader social-services portfolio with similar fundraising and donor-mix dynamics.
• Feeding America (via Channel One Food Bank): Channel One is the Feeding America regional food bank serving southeast and west-central Minnesota, partnering with United Way on the Weekend Backpack Meals program. Comparable as a mission-adjacent food-security partner with overlapping program scope.
• Salvation Army Northern Plains Division: Regional division of the Salvation Army providing food, holiday, and emergency assistance in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Comparable as a multi-program social services nonprofit fundraising from the same regional donor base and competing for holiday gift and food-security dollars.

Direct peers

• United Way of Central Minnesota: Local United Way affiliate serving Stearns, Benton, and surrounding counties in central Minnesota. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized community-based United Way operating fundraising campaigns, workplace giving, and funded-partner grants across multiple programs.
• United Way of West Central Minnesota: United Way affiliate serving west-central Minnesota counties adjacent to Douglas and Pope. Operates the same mix of annual campaigns, workplace giving, and community programs, and is the most direct geographic peer for the Lakes and Prairie affiliate.
• Central Minnesota Community Foundation: Community foundation operating in central Minnesota, distributing grants to local nonprofits and running donor-advised funds. Comparable in the same community-foundation/grantmaking space, competing for the same regional donor dollars.

Regional players

• Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota: Statewide affordable housing nonprofit with local affiliates across rural Minnesota. Comparable as a federated, donation-driven nonprofit serving similar rural Minnesota communities and competing for the same corporate sponsors and workplace giving campaigns.
• Initiative Foundation: Central Minnesota community foundation providing grants, loans, and programming across a multi-county rural region. Comparable as a regional grantmaking and community-development organization competing for the same donor base and grant partnerships.
• Hunger Solutions Minnesota: Statewide hunger-relief organization coordinating food-assistance programs across Minnesota. Comparable because food distribution (Food Drop, Weekend Backpack Meals) is one of United Way's flagship programs and Hunger Solutions operates in the same policy and partner ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unitedwaylakesandprairie
• Facebookfacebook.com/unitedwaylakesandprairie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-douglas-&-pope-counties

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 DOUGLAS & POPE COUNTIES