Raising Americans

What Raising Americans does

United Way of Ulster County is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 14-1409654) headquartered at 450 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY, operating continuously since 1954. It serves residents of Ulster County, New York through a coalition model that connects individuals and families with housing assistance, food security, healthcare navigation, childcare, mental health support, financial stability programs, and skills training. Its flagship operational technology is the 211 referral service, a free, confidential helpline available 24/7, 365 days a year in over 150 languages, which connects callers to local resources. Direct service programs include the Health Helpdesk, Skills for Success, VITA free tax preparation (serving 300+ clients annually), the HELPS emergency-assistance grant program, and the Associates Leadership Group and Youth Council for young-professional and youth engagement. Capacity-building programs (NonProfits United, Incubator Program, Community Impact Program) support 20+ local nonprofits with governance, operational, and financial-systems guidance.

The organization is led by President & CEO Stephanie Kearns, supported by Business Manager Steve Markert and Administrative Coordinator Steph Marks, with a total staff of 1-10. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and is not owned by or affiliated with a parent entity beyond the national United Way network. Its revenue model relies entirely on donations and contributions across three streams: individual donations (with 100% retained locally in Ulster County), workplace giving campaigns run with local employers (including Ulster Savings Bank and the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce), and planned giving facilitated through the FreeWill platform (covering stocks, securities, cryptocurrency, donor-advised funds, and bequests). All services to residents are delivered free of charge, and the organization reports administrative costs of approximately 15%, well below the 35% BBB guideline for charitable organizations.

The go-to-market motion is community-led and trust-based, anchored on the 211 helpline as the primary access point, complemented by the ulsterunitedway.org website, Instagram and Linktree channels, email newsletter, and participation in community events (Pride, Unity Cup, local gatherings). Distribution is hybrid: direct community access via phone, web, and in-person for residents, and employer-mediated fundraising via workplace campaigns for donor acquisition. Outcomes cited include 640+ families kept in their homes annually and 100% of donations remaining in Ulster County.

Name

Raising Americans

Legal name

United Way of Ulster County

Website

https://ulsterunitedway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United Way of Ulster County is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1954, that connects Ulster County, NY residents with housing, food, healthcare, childcare, mental health, and financial stability resources via a 24/7 multilingual 211 helpline, direct service programs, and local-nonprofit capacity building, funded by donations and workplace campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Nonprofit coalition programs
• Housing assistance referrals
• Free tax preparation
• Workplace giving campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

West Kingston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donations from community members, with 100% of funds staying local in Ulster County to support community programs.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Partnerships with local employers offering payroll pledge programs, enabling employees to give directly from their paychecks. Companies host workplace campaigns that invest thousands of dollars into nonprofit partners.
3. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts including stocks, securities, cryptocurrency, donor-advised funds, and charitable bequests through FreeWill platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Raising Americans operates a community-based nonprofit coalition in Ulster County, NY, providing free direct services (housing assistance, free tax preparation via VITA, healthcare navigation, skills training, emergency financial grants, youth and leadership programs) and capacity-building support for local nonprofits. Services are funded through individual donations, workplace giving campaigns, planned giving, and grants, with 100% of donations staying local.

Product overview

United Way of Ulster County operates as a nonprofit coalition offering multiple interconnected community service programs. The organization provides direct service programs including the Health Helpdesk for healthcare navigation, Skills for Success for practical life and work skills training, and VITA for free tax preparation. Additionally, the organization supports youth and professional development through the Associates Leadership Group for young professionals ages 25-39 and the Youth Council for students ages 8-15. The organization also runs nonprofit capacity-building programs including NonProfits United and the Incubator Program, alongside emergency assistance through the HELPS Program. The 211 Referral Service serves as a 24/7 information and resource connection hub available in over 150 languages. All programs are designed to address community needs in housing, food security, health, financial stability, and youth opportunity within Ulster County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 211 Referral Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 640+ families kept in their homes every year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ulster Savings BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUlster Savings Bank hosts United Way of Ulster County workplace campaigns, providing employees opportunities to support the community through payroll giving programs.
• Ulster County Regional Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting local business community engagement and collaboration in addressing community needs.
• Ulster County TourismminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for community events such as the Ulster Future Stars Unity Cup, bringing young athletes together for community engagement.
• 211 New York / United Way HELPLINEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide 211 service connecting New Yorkers with local resources 24/7. United Way of Ulster County directs community members to this service for referrals to housing, food, healthcare, childcare, mental health, and financial assistance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Family of Woodstock: Ulster County-based social services nonprofit providing emergency housing, food, and case management. Comparable as a community-level provider addressing overlapping client needs (housing insecurity, ALICE households) in the same geography.
• Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley: Community foundation serving Ulster and surrounding counties with grantmaking, donor-advised funds, and nonprofit support. Comparable model — pooling charitable capital and deploying locally — though structured as a foundation rather than a federated campaign.
• Ulster County Community Action Committee: County-administered anti-poverty agency addressing similar issues (housing, heating assistance, weatherization, food) for low-income residents in Ulster County. Comparable in mission and target population.
• United Way of Dutchess-Orange Region: A nearby Hudson Valley United Way affiliate with a similar mid-sized county footprint and mixed urban/rural service area. Most directly comparable peer given geographic proximity and overlapping donor/employer base.
• Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster: Faith-based social services nonprofit serving the same tri-county Hudson Valley region with housing, food, and case management programs. Comparable in client base and service mix.
• Habitat for Humanity of Ulster County: Local Habitat affiliate addressing housing stability in the same Ulster County geography. Comparable in housing-stabilization mission and local donor base, though focused on homeownership pathways rather than emergency rental support.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National umbrella organization for the United Way network. Not a direct competitor but a strategic parent/network that provides branding, standards, and 211 infrastructure used by United Way of Ulster County.
• 211 New York: Statewide 211 service operated as a partnership with United Ways across New York. Comparable in that it delivers the core referral technology layer that United Way of Ulster County leverages for its 24/7 helpline.

Regional players

• United Way of the Greater Capital Region: Another New York State United Way affiliate operating in an adjacent region (Capital Region). Directly comparable as a fellow independent 501(c)(3) United Way running workplace campaigns, 211 referrals, and community impact funds.

Emerging players

• Volunteer New York: Regional volunteer-center nonprofit connecting residents with service opportunities across the Hudson Valley. Partially comparable as a community-engagement infrastructure peer, with overlap in corporate volunteer partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ulsterunitedway
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/raising-hope

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Raising Americans