United Way Of South Mississippi
United Way of South Mississippi is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997, serving Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties through education, health, and financial stability programs including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, PreK4Ward, 2-1-1, and Community Impact Grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersGulfport, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What United Way Of South Mississippi does
United Way of South Mississippi (UWSM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1997 and headquartered at the Knight Nonprofit Center in Gulfport, Mississippi. It serves the four-county South Mississippi region covering Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties, focusing on measurable community outcomes in education, health, and financial stability. The organization operates as a local affiliate of United Way World Wide and serves as the designated Harrison County Call Center for disaster response coordination.
UWSM's core programs include Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (enrolling 2,000+ children from birth to age 5 in free monthly book distribution), PreK4Ward (11 tuition-free pre-kindergarten classrooms serving 220 students in partnership with Harrison County and Gulfport School Districts), the 2-1-1 confidential community referral helpline, Community Impact Grants ($400,000 distributed to 14 local agencies in the most recent cycle), and the ALICE in Mississippi research initiative documenting financial hardship among working households. The organization also runs signature fundraising events including the Dragon Boat Festival, Nifty 50 Raffle ($100 tickets, $50,000 grand prize), and CEO Talent Show.
UWSM's business model centers on charitable donations and workplace giving campaigns conducted with hundreds of employer partners, supplemented by fundraising events, corporate sponsorships (The First Bank, CenterPoint Energy, MGM Resorts), and foundation grants (W.K. Kellogg Foundation for ALICE). The organization states that 98.5 cents of every dollar stays local. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The GTM motion is primarily event-driven (workplace campaigns) and community-led (volunteer programs, disaster response). Technology infrastructure consists of standard nonprofit tools for donation processing, email, and web-based program delivery, with no proprietary technology or AI capabilities disclosed.
United Way Of South Mississippi firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United Way Of South Mississippi
- Legal name
- United Way of South Mississippi, Inc.
- Website
- https://unitedwaysm.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- United Way of South Mississippi is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997, serving Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties through education, health, and financial stability programs including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, PreK4Ward, 2-1-1, and Community Impact Grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United Way Of South Mississippi industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Social Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro industry
- Early Childhood Education & Childcare NonprofitsBusiness & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development NonprofitsPublic Health & Health Equity OrganizationsCommunity Engagement & Service-Learning PartnershipsEducation/Student Services & Campus Operations/Alumni Relations, Development & Campus Community Engagement
Keywords
Where United Way Of South Mississippi is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gulfport
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
United Way Of South Mississippi business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations and Workplace Giving: Primary revenue stream from individual and corporate donors through annual workplace giving campaigns. Employees pledge donations via payroll deduction, enabling sustained giving throughout the year. The organization emphasizes that 98.5 cents out of every dollar stays local.
- Fundraising Events: Revenue generated through special events including the Dragon Boat Festival, Nifty 50 Raffle (tickets at $100 each with grand prize of $50,000), and CEO Talent Show. These events serve dual purposes of fundraising and community engagement.
- Community Impact Grants: In the last grant cycle, United Way of South Mississippi awarded $400,000 in Community Impact Grants to 14 local agencies. Grant funding ranges from $15,000-$40,000 per year for the 2025-2027 cycle, supporting programs in education, health, and financial stability.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Nifty 50 Raffle - $100 per ticket with grand prize of $50,000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | PreK4Ward - Tuition-free program with $250 registration fee |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
United Way Of South Mississippi product offering
Product offeringCore offering
United Way of South Mississippi is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes community resources to address education, health, and financial stability across Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties in South Mississippi. The organization coordinates programs such as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (free books for children ages 0–5), the 2-1-1 community helpline, PreK4Ward pre-kindergarten initiative, MLK Jr. Day of Service diaper drive, and distributes Community Impact Grants to local partner agencies. Operations are funded through workplace giving campaigns, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events such as the Dragon Boat Festival, CEO Talent Show, and Nifty 50 Raffle.
Product overview
United Way of South Mississippi operates as a nonprofit charitable organization rather than a technology product company. Its offerings consist of community service programs focused on education, health, and financial stability: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library provides free monthly books to young children; 2-1-1 offers a 24/7 helpline for community resources; PreK4Ward delivers tuition-free pre-kindergarten; and various fundraising events (Dragon Boat Festival, CEO Talent Show, Nifty 50 Raffle) and grant programs support these initiatives across Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: A 60-volume set of books mailed monthly to children from birth to age 5, provided free of cost to families in Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties.
- PreK4Ward
- 2-1-1
Products and services
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,000+ children enrolled in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at no cost to families
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use United Way Of South Mississippi
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
United Way Of South Mississippi technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
United Way Of South Mississippi partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Harrison County School DistrictcoreHarrison County School District partners with United Way of South Mississippi to host PreK4Ward classrooms at schools including Crossroads Elementary, Bel-Aire Elementary, Harrison Central Elementary, D'Iberville Elementary, Saucier Elementary, North WoolMarket Elementary and Middle, Lizana Elementary, River Oaks Elementary, and North Gulfport Elementary & Middle School.
- Gulfport School DistrictcoreGulfport School District partners with United Way of South Mississippi to host PreK4Ward classrooms at Bayou View Elementary School, serving 4-year-old children in the district.
- Dolly Parton's Imagination LibrarycoreUnited Way of South Mississippi is the local sponsor of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, distributing free books to children from birth to age 5 in Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties. Over 2,000 local children are currently enrolled.
- Local Sponsor Agencies (14 Community Impact Grantees)core14 local agencies receive Community Impact Grants totaling $400,000 in the last grant cycle, supporting programs for early childhood education, literacy, health access, financial stability, youth opportunity, and community resiliency in the four-county service area.
- Corporate Sponsors (The First Bank, CenterPoint Energy, MGM Resorts)minorCorporate sponsors supporting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program include The First Bank, CenterPoint Energy, and MGM Resorts, providing funding to support the free book distribution program for local children.
- Harrison County GovernmentcoreUnited Way of South Mississippi serves as the official Harrison County Call Center in times of disaster, coordinating emergency response and taking over 4,000 documented damage reports following Hurricane Zeta.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
United Way Of South Mississippi competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- United Way Worldwide: The national parent federation of which UWSM is an independent local affiliate. Operates broadly across all U.S. markets, sets brand standards, and provides shared services and infrastructure to local United Ways.
- American Red Cross Mississippi Region: Operates a much broader national footprint with overlapping disaster response and emergency assistance capabilities. UWSM's Harrison County Call Center role directly competes with and complements Red Cross disaster services.
Others
- Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (national program): The national program that UWSM locally administers in four South Mississippi counties. Functions as both an upstream program licensor and a model for how UWSM operates its flagship early childhood literacy initiative.
- Volunteer Mississippi: State-level volunteer infrastructure organization connected to UWSM's volunteer programs. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but engages the same volunteer pool and community service audience.
Direct peers
- United Way of Central Mississippi: A regional United Way affiliate serving central Mississippi. It operates the same federated workplace giving model, Community Impact Grants, and 2-1-1 helpline as UWSM, making it the most directly comparable peer in the same state.
- Catholic Charities of South Mississippi: Regional faith-based social services nonprofit providing case management, food assistance, and emergency relief in overlapping Mississippi geographies. Competes for grants, donations, and volunteer engagement.
- United Way of the Capital Area (Jackson, MS): Another Mississippi-based United Way affiliate using the same workplace giving, community impact grants, and 2-1-1 service delivery model. Directly comparable in mission, programs, and operating structure.
- Salvation Army of the Mississippi Gulf Coast: Operates in the same South Mississippi geography providing disaster relief, social services, and emergency assistance. Competes for similar donor dollars and engages in many of the same community programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
United Way Of South Mississippi social profiles
Digital presenceUnited Way Of South Mississippi financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United Way Of South Mississippi leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
United Way Of South Mississippi funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United Way Of South Mississippi M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United Way Of South Mississippi
What does United Way Of South Mississippi do?
United Way of South Mississippi is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that mobilizes community resources to address education, health, and financial stability across Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties in South Mississippi. The organization coordinates programs such as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (free books for children ages 0–5), the 2-1-1 community helpline, PreK4Ward pre-kindergarten initiative, MLK Jr. Day of Service diaper drive, and distributes Community Impact Grants to local partner agencies. Operations are funded through workplace giving campaigns, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events such as the Dragon Boat Festival, CEO Talent Show, and Nifty 50 Raffle.
Is United Way Of South Mississippi a public or private company?
United Way Of South Mississippi is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was United Way Of South Mississippi founded?
United Way Of South Mississippi was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is United Way Of South Mississippi based?
United Way Of South Mississippi is headquartered in Gulfport, United States, in the North America region.
How does United Way Of South Mississippi make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations and Workplace Giving is the primary driver. The others are fundraising Events and community Impact Grants.
Who are United Way Of South Mississippi's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are United Way Worldwide and American Red Cross Mississippi Region. Others are Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (national program) and Volunteer Mississippi. Direct peers are United Way of Central Mississippi, Catholic Charities of South Mississippi, United Way of the Capital Area (Jackson, MS) and Salvation Army of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Does United Way Of South Mississippi have an API?
No public API is recorded for United Way Of South Mississippi.
What industry is United Way Of South Mississippi in?
United Way Of South Mississippi's product category is Community Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAA, Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGACAL, Public Health & Health Equity Organizations. Its NAICS code is 8134 and its SIC code is 8300.