United Community Services of Johnson County

What United Community Services of Johnson County does

United Community Services of Johnson County (UCS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 9001 W. 110th Street, Suite 100, in Overland Park, Kansas. Founded in 1981, UCS operates as a backbone coalition for Johnson County, providing data analysis, leading collaborative planning, and mobilizing resources for health and human services. The organization is not a direct service provider; individuals seeking assistance are redirected to United Way 211, while UCS itself focuses on the upstream drivers of community need. UCS administers two principal grant programs — the Human Service Fund (HSF), a city/county partnership that awarded $410,830 to 19 programs serving more than 61,000 Johnson County residents in 2022, and the Substance Use Continuum of Care Fund — and co-leads the statewide Kansas Housing Advocacy Network.

UCS generates revenue through a grant-driven, nonprofit operating model. Funding sources include Johnson County and its municipal jurisdictions (via the HSF), United Way of Greater Kansas City's Impact 100 unrestricted funding pool, and partner contributions to specialized initiatives. UCS's programmatic surface spans equity and engagement (Racial Equity in Communities, Racial Equity Roundtables, Sister's Circle, Advocacy Academy), annual convenings (Human Service Summit with nearly 150 attendees in 2025, Public Policy Forum), community data publications, and a podcast (JoCo's One Small Step) produced with NPR's StoryCorps. No proprietary technology, commercial products, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or pricing models are disclosed; the organization's IP base is its longitudinal community datasets, convener role, and institutional reputation built over more than four decades.

Its primary customer segments are Johnson County nonprofit organizations (grant recipients), Johnson County residents (downstream beneficiaries served by funded programs), and Kansas Housing Advocacy Network members (Continuums of Care, faith-based organizations, and local governments). UCS's named partners span core strategic relationships — United Way of Greater Kansas City, Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, and Johnson County Planning, Housing and Community Development — and grantee partners including CASA of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, GateWay of Hope, Growing Futures Early Education Center, and NAMI Johnson County. Leadership transitioned in July 2023 when Kristy Baughman was named Executive Director after serving as Director of Education and Planning, succeeding retiring ED Julie Brewer; Christina Ashie Guidry concurrently moved from Director of Resource Allocation to Director of Policy and Planning.

Name

United Community Services of Johnson County

Legal name

United Community Services of Johnson County

Website

https://ucsjoco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United Community Services of Johnson County is a 1981-founded 501(c)(3) backbone coalition providing data analysis, collaborative planning, and grant administration for health and human services in Johnson County, Kansas, serving local nonprofits, residents, and Kansas Housing Advocacy Network members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and Human Services Coalition Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health) (HLAJALAI)

Keywords

• Community coalition services
• Grant administration nonprofit
• Human services planning
• Community data analysis
• Collaborative planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Overland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Human Service Fund Grant Program: UCS administers the Human Service Fund (HSF), a city/County partnership that awards operating grants to nonprofit programs providing health and human services. In 2022, HSF awarded $410,830 to 19 programs, including 5 new programs through a Small Grants Pool.
2. Substance Use Continuum of Care Fund: UCS administers the Substance Use Continuum of Care Fund, providing grants to address substance use services in Johnson County.
3. United Way of Greater Kansas City Impact 100: UCS is part of United Way of Greater Kansas City's Impact 100, a group of nonprofit organizations receiving unrestricted funding from United Way based on organizational accountability and community impact.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

UCS administers the Human Service Fund and Substance Use Continuum of Care Fund, awarding competitive grants to nonprofit programs providing health and human services in Johnson County. It conducts community data analysis, leads multi-sector collaborative planning, advances racial equity through programs such as Racial Equity in Communities (REIC), Racial Equity Roundtables, Sister's Circle, and the Advocacy Academy, and co-leads the statewide Kansas Housing Advocacy Network. The organization also convenes annual events including the Human Service Summit and Public Policy Forum and produces the JoCo's One Small Step Podcast in partnership with NPR's StoryCorps.

Product overview

United Community Services of Johnson County is a nonprofit organization providing data analysis, collaborative planning, and resource mobilization services to enhance health and human services in Johnson County, Kansas. The organization operates as a coordination hub offering multiple interconnected programs including grant administration (Human Service Fund, Substance Use Continuum of Care Fund), equity initiatives (Racial Equity in Communities, Racial Equity Roundtables, Sister's Circle), advocacy training (Advocacy Academy), statewide housing policy work (Kansas Housing Advocacy Network), community events (Human Service Summit, Public Policy Forum), a podcast (JoCo's One Small Step), and public data resources. UCS is part of United Way of Greater Kansas City's Impact 100 and is not a direct service provider.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Human Service Fund (HSF) Grant Program
• Substance Use Continuum of Care Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• HSF grantees served more than 61,000 Johnson County residents in 2022
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Way of Greater Kansas CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCS is part of United Way of Greater Kansas City's Impact 100, a group of high-accountability nonprofits working on critical health and human service needs. United Way provides unrestricted funding to Impact 100 organizations based on organizational accountability in finances, governance, and community impact. UCS also refers community members to United Way 211 for direct services.
• Kansas Statewide Homeless CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCS co-leads the Kansas Housing Advocacy Network (KHAN) with the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition. KHAN researches, provides data, education, and evidence-based policy recommendations to address Kansas' housing shortage, increase housing security, and end homelessness.
• CASA of Johnson and Wyandotte CountiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuman Service Fund grantee providing court-appointed special advocates for children in foster care. HSF funding enables training and support for volunteer advocates.
• GateWay of HopeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuman Service Fund grantee providing counseling and therapy services for women, particularly women of color, with a focus on mental health and trauma recovery.
• Growing Futures Early Education CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuman Service Fund grantee providing Wrap Around Care program for working families, supporting workforce stability while ensuring quality childcare.
• NAMI Johnson CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health advocacy partner featured in UCS Minority Mental Health Month editorial. NAMI Johnson County works to reduce stigma, expand mental health education, and create welcoming pathways to care through initiatives like Sharing Hope.
• Johnson County Department of Health and EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCS partners with Johnson County DHE on community health assessment surveys and health improvement planning, collaborating on data collection and community health initiatives.
• Johnson County Planning, Housing and Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on housing initiatives including Fair Housing Month recognition, homelessness data, and housing stability programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• REACH Healthcare Foundation: Regional healthcare foundation serving Johnson, Wyandotte, and other KC metro counties. Comparable mission: grantmaking, convening, and advocacy for health access and equity, with overlapping grantee networks.
• Health Forward Foundation: Regional health foundation serving Kansas City region including Johnson County. Both UCS and Health Forward invest in health equity, fund nonprofit service providers, and engage in policy advocacy on upstream health drivers.
• Kansas Health Foundation: Statewide grantmaking foundation that funds health and human services initiatives in Kansas. Comparable operating model: data-driven grant administration, collaborative planning, and advocacy for community health — but at state scale rather than single-county.
• Johnson County Community Foundation: Local community foundation serving Johnson County. Comparable grantmaking, data, and community coordination functions, focused on Johnson County donors and nonprofits.
• United Way of Greater Kansas City: UCS is part of United Way of Greater Kansas City's Impact 100 cohort. Both organizations coordinate cross-sector health and human services funding in the Kansas City region, share donor pools, and refer clients to United Way 211. Closest comparable peer.
• Communities Creating Opportunity: Kansas City-based multi-issue community organizing and advocacy organization. Comparable in advocacy training, civic engagement, and equity-focused systems change work overlapping UCS's Advocacy Academy and REIC.
• Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition: Co-lead of KHAN with UCS. Closest operating partner and most direct peer in housing advocacy and homeless services coordination across Kansas.
• Sunflower Foundation: Kansas-based health foundation funding community health, behavioral health, and equity initiatives. Like UCS, it prioritizes upstream, prevention-focused grantmaking in Kansas communities.

Regional players

• Wyandotte County United Way: Adjacent-county United Way with similar backbone grantmaking and Impact 100 structure. Geographically adjacent and a logical partner or replicator for UCS's collaborative model.
• Community Action Partnership of Johnson County: Johnson County counterpart addressing poverty through direct services and advocacy. While CAP is more direct-service-oriented than UCS, both work in anti-poverty human services in the same county.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ucsjoco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ucsjoco
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucsjoco
• Xx.com/ucsjoco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United Community Services of Johnson County