United Way of Southwest Virginia

What United Way of Southwest Virginia does

United Way of Southwest Virginia is a 501(c)-style nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, that addresses health, education, and financial stability needs across 17 counties and 4 cities spanning more than 20% of Virginia's geography, including the New River Valley. Its core programmatic portfolio includes the United Recovery Force (disaster preparedness, rapid response, and long-term recovery), the Flourish Maternal and Infant Health Project, Stuff the Bus (annual school supply drive serving 73,000+ students in 150+ schools), the YALL youth leadership program, Community Investment grant-making, Workplace Campaigns, and Volunteer Programs. In February 2024, the organization restructured by spinning off a separate nonprofit, EO (Endless Opportunity), to manage a $10 million portfolio of cradle-to-career programs including the Ignite Career Expo, Ready Regions, and Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub.

The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its infrastructure consists of a website, an online donation platform (givebutter.com), and partnerships with 211 Virginia (resource referral), SingleCare (prescription discounts), and MyFreeTaxes (free tax filing). Revenue is generated entirely through charitable mechanisms: individual donations, workplace giving campaigns run with regional employers via payroll deduction, foundation and corporate grants (Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Appalachian Helene Fund, The Rapha Foundation, The Anne Mullen Orrell Charitable Trust, and Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation), and disaster-driven community fundraising. The organization reports a 10:1 capital leverage ratio — ten dollars in grants secured for every dollar donated — and is recognized as one of the top 10 United Ways nationally. Recent leadership transition placed Megan Parks as Executive Director in mid-2024, with Travis Staton having previously served as CEO and President, and a refreshed Board of Directors governing the combined entity.

Name

United Way of Southwest Virginia

Legal name

United Way of Southwest Virginia

Website

https://unitedwayswva.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Way of Southwest Virginia is a nonprofit charitable organization serving 17 counties and 4 cities in Southwest Virginia and the New River Valley through health, education, financial stability, and disaster recovery programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Services Nonprofit

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community services
• Disaster recovery programs
• Youth development services
• Maternal infant health
• Workplace giving campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Abingdon

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: Individual donors contribute through direct online donations via the organization's website, event participation, and ongoing engagement. The organization runs annual fundraising campaigns and accepts one-time and recurring gifts.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: The organization partners with employers to facilitate workplace giving campaigns where employees can make charitable contributions through payroll deduction. Top workplace campaign partners include Food City, Ballad Health, Universal Fibers, Utility Trailer Manufacturing, Carter Bank & Trust, and others.
3. Disaster Recovery Grants: United Way receives grants from disaster-focused funders including Center for Disaster Philanthropy ($500,000), Appalachian Helene Fund ($150,397), and Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation ($100,000) to support disaster recovery and preparedness efforts in Southwest Virginia.
4. Program Grants: The organization receives grant funding for specific programs such as the Flourish Maternal and Infant Health Project, funded by The Anne Mullen Orrell Charitable Trust ($200,000), Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation ($300,000), and The Rapha Foundation ($75,000).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

United Way of Southwest Virginia is a nonprofit charitable organization that mobilizes community resources to deliver programs across health, education, financial stability, and disaster recovery. It operates direct service programs including disaster case management, school supply drives, youth leadership development, maternal and infant health support, workplace giving campaigns, and community investment grants across 17 counties and 4 cities in Southwest Virginia and the New River Valley.

Product overview

United Way of Southwest Virginia operates as a community services nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and initiatives focused on health, education, and financial stability. The organization provides direct services through programs including the United Recovery Force (disaster response), Flourish Maternal and Infant Health Project, Stuff the Bus (school supplies), YALL Program (youth leadership), Community Investment (grant funding), Workplace Campaigns (employee giving), and Volunteer Programs. In 2024, the organization restructured to create EO (Endless Opportunity), a separate nonprofit to manage programmatic delivery including Ignite Career Expo, Ready Regions, and Rural Summit. The organization also launched the Bridge Funding Program and Southwest Virginia Regional Disaster Rapid Response Fund in 2025 to address regional needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• United Recovery Force: Disaster Division focused on emergency preparedness, rapid disaster response, and long-term recovery efforts for Southwest Virginia communities.
• YALL Program
• Flourish Project
• Stuff the Bus

Products and services

• United Recovery Force Disaster division program providing emergency preparedness, rapid disaster response, and long-term recovery support, including the Citizen Recovery Program for home repairs and case management for residents impacted by natural disasters in Southwest Virginia.
• Flourish Maternal and Infant Health Project Maternal and infant health initiative providing financial assistance, prenatal care connections, social supports, education and advocacy for expectant mothers in rural Southwest Virginia, including a Mommy Mentorship Program and Doula Scholarship Program.
• Stuff the Bus Annual school supply fundraiser and distribution drive providing essential supplies to over 73,000 students across more than 150 schools in 21 localities.
• YALL Program (Youth Action in Local Leadership) Year-round leadership and civic engagement initiative for middle and high school students built around three core pillars: Leadership Development, Civic Engagement and Democracy Education, and Community Impact.
• Community Investment Grant funding program investing in vetted partner nonprofit agencies serving Southwest Virginia and New River Valley communities in areas such as affordable childcare, food security, domestic violence prevention, and financial literacy.
• Workplace Giving Campaigns Employee giving campaigns that enable workplaces to support local communities through one-time or recurring gifts, payroll deduction, employer-sponsored contests, and corporate partnerships.
• Volunteer Programs Coordinated volunteer engagement program offering short-term projects, long-term opportunities, internships, and focus areas in education, health, financial stability, disaster response, and administrative support.
• Bridge Funding Program One-time stopgap funding program of $188,164.18 to help regional nonprofit organizations maintain sustainability and continue providing vital services during funding uncertainty.
• Southwest Virginia Regional Disaster Rapid Response Fund Financial resource fund designed to provide immediate assistance following natural or humanitarian disasters, ensuring swift support for emergency needs such as food, shelter, and medical care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,300+ children served through Stuff the Bus
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 flagship, major, core and supporting.

• Food CityflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner; Stuff the Bus sponsor for 2026; supports community engagement and charitable giving campaigns.
• Ballad HealthflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner; Elite Partner award recipient; supports community health initiatives.
• Universal FibersflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner; Elite Partner award recipient; VP Brendan McSheehy serves as Board Chairman.
• Utility Trailer ManufacturingflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner with locations in Atkins and Glade Spring; Elite Partner award recipient.
• Carter Bank & TrustflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner; Workplace Campaign of the Year award recipient.
• First Community BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStuff the Bus sponsor for 2026; Emerging Partner of the Year award recipient.
• Virginia TechmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership enabled by combining forces with United Way of New River Valley; supports workforce development and collaborative regional projects.
• Radford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership enabled by combining forces with United Way of New River Valley; Leia King is a Radford University graduate; supports workforce development.
• United Way of New River ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined resources with United Way of Southwest Virginia to better serve Montgomery County, Pulaski County, Giles County, Floyd County, and Radford City under the United Way of Southwest Virginia banner.
• GO Virginia Region IImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-regional workforce and economic development projects through collaboration enabled by combining forces.
• EO (Endless Opportunity)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewly established nonprofit to deliver cradle-to-career continuum programs; managing $10 million portfolio including Ignite Career Expo, Ready Regions, Rural Summit, and Regional Workforce and Child Development Hub.
• CorningmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner.
• National BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner.
• H H HuntflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTop 10 workplace giving campaign partner.
• 211 VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting individuals with essential community resources including housing, food, healthcare; available 24/7 through dial 211, website, or text.
• SingleCaresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree prescription savings program offered through United Way providing up to 80% discounts on medications; accepted at CVS, Walmart, Walgreens.
• MyFreeTaxessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree tax filing service provided in partnership with IRS through United Way; helps individuals and families file federal and state tax returns without preparation fees.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics: Statewide network of free clinics addressing health access gaps in rural Virginia. Comparable on the maternal/infant health and rural health-access dimensions of the Flourish Project.
• Feeding America Southwest Virginia (Virginia Federation of Food Banks affiliate): Regional food bank serving the same Southwest Virginia service area. Comparable in nonprofit food security, ALICE household support, and disaster-related food distribution.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: The national umbrella organization for the United Way network. UWSWVA is an affiliated member ranked among its Top 10, making this the natural parent-network comparable for governance, branding, and fundraising framework alignment.
• American Red Cross - Tennessee Valley Region: National humanitarian organization with regional chapters performing disaster relief and emergency preparedness in the same geographic footprint as UWSWVA's United Recovery Force. Overlaps on disaster case management and rapid response fundraising.

Direct peers

• United Way of the Bluegrass: Regional United Way serving central Kentucky with similarly rural/Appalachian-adjacent populations. Comparable in workplace giving, disaster response, and community investment grantmaking model.
• United Way of Central Virginia: Another regional United Way affiliate serving central Virginia. Directly comparable in mission, workplace-giving model, and community investment portfolio structure, differing mainly by service geography.
• The Community Foundation of Southwest Virginia: Local community foundation serving the same Southwest Virginia geography. Comparable as a regional grantmaker, convener, and disaster-response intermediary with overlapping employer and foundation funder relationships.
• Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Virginia: Local Habitat affiliate serving the same Southwest Virginia region. Overlaps on disaster recovery home repair (United Recovery Force Citizen Recovery Program) and on workforce/financial stability programming for low-income families.

Emerging players

• Appalachian Community Fund: Regional grantmaker focused on social, economic, and environmental justice in Appalachia. Comparable in focus on Southwest Virginia/North Carolina/Tennessee communities and in grantmaking for community-based nonprofits.

Others

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee: Food bank where incoming UWSWVA Executive Director Megan Parks previously led strategy. Comparable in nonprofit scale and Southwest Virginia/Appalachia food security mission, and a direct leadership-pipeline reference.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-southwest-virginia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Southwest Virginia