United Way of Southwest Louisiana

What United Way of Southwest Louisiana does

United Way of Southwest Louisiana is a regional nonprofit charitable organization (501(c)(3)) headquartered in Lake Charles, Louisiana, that mobilizes community resources across four focus areas: Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Healthy Community, and Community Resiliency. The organization serves residents of Southwest Louisiana through a portfolio of community programs including the 211 information and referral line, VITA free tax preparation, ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) financial stability programs, Bank On SWLA, the Matched Savings Program, literacy initiatives (WriteStart Project, Literacy Kits), summer enrichment camps and Summer Impact Grants, United Against Child Hunger, Teen Text Hotline, SingleCare prescription discounts, and disaster recovery coordination through Build Back The Block, the Disaster Fund, Hurricane Relief, Power to Care, and Strong Homes. The organization reports serving 165,820 individuals in the past year, preparing 29,565 free tax returns, and distributing 41,398 books through literacy programs.

Name

United Way of Southwest Louisiana

Legal name

United Way of Southwest Louisiana

Website

https://unitedwayswla.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

United Way of Southwest Louisiana is a Lake Charles-based nonprofit that mobilizes donors, volunteers, and partners to deliver youth, financial security, health, and disaster-resilience programs across the Southwest Louisiana region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Nonprofit Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community nonprofit services
• Disaster recovery support
• Free tax preparation
• Volunteer engagement programs
• Community fundraising campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Charles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations through direct appeals, memorial gifts, and general fund contributions made via the organization's website donation portal.
2. Annual Fundraising Campaign: Annual workplace giving campaigns and community fundraising initiatives including corporate sponsorships, Leadership Giving programs, and 365 Small Business Circle membership.
3. Grant Funding: Grant funding from government and private foundations including EFSP/FEMA disaster relief grants and partner grants to support community programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

United Way of Southwest Louisiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that drives community impact across four focus areas: Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Healthy Community, and Community Resiliency. The organization delivers programs such as 211 information and referral services, free VITA tax preparation, disaster response coordination, and volunteer mobilization. It also conducts workplace giving campaigns and grants funding to local partner agencies serving the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana region.

Product overview

United Way of Southwest Louisiana operates as a nonprofit charitable organization mobilizing communities to take action so all can thrive. The organization offers a portfolio of social impact programs organized around four impact areas: Community Resiliency (addressing urgent needs and disaster recovery), Financial Security (helping families achieve economic stability), Youth Opportunity (supporting children's education and development), and Healthy Community (improving health outcomes). Additional services include the 211 referral hotline, volunteer programs for tax preparation and disaster response, and annual fundraising campaigns. This is not a technology product/platform but a collection of community service programs and initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 211 Information and Referral Service
• VITA Free Tax Preparation
• Annual Workplace Giving Campaign
• Community Resiliency Programs
• Youth Opportunity Programs
• Healthy Community Programs
• Community Investment Grants to Partner Agencies

Quantifiable outcome

• 165,820 individuals served last year through various programs and initiatives
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• CITGOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor acknowledged on the organization's website, representing one of several corporate partners supporting United Way of Southwest Louisiana's community initiatives.
• WestlakeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor acknowledged on the organization's website, representing one of several corporate partners supporting United Way of Southwest Louisiana's community initiatives.
• United Gulf Initiative PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional disaster relief coalition activated in response to tropical storms and hurricanes affecting the Gulf Coast, coordinated through the United Gulf initiative for coordinated relief efforts across United Way organizations.
• SWLA VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of the Southwest Louisiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster coalition, coordinating disaster response efforts with other regional nonprofit organizations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Way of Southeast Louisiana: Sister United Way affiliate serving a different region of Louisiana with the same national brand, four-pillar impact model (Education, Financial Stability, Health, Basic Needs), and similar mix of VITA, 211, and disaster-response programming. Most directly comparable peer given shared structure, geography (same state), and program architecture.
• American Red Cross - Louisiana Region: Direct peer in disaster relief and community resiliency programming across Louisiana, with significant overlap in hurricane response, volunteer mobilization, and emergency preparedness services targeting the same Gulf Coast population. Competes for the same disaster-response donor dollars.
• Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana: Regional grantmaking and community foundation serving the same Southwest Louisiana geography, operating competitive grant cycles and donor-advised funds that overlap with UWSWLA's grantmaking and fundraising activities. Comparable as a regional civic and philanthropic institution.
• Salvation Army Lake Charles: National faith-based nonprofit with active Lake Charles presence providing disaster relief, emergency assistance, and social services in the same geography as UWSWLA. Directly competes for disaster-response donations and serves overlapping ALICE/household-in-need populations.
• Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana: Faith-based social services organization serving the same Southwest Louisiana region with overlapping programs in financial assistance, disaster recovery, and basic-needs support. Comparable as a multi-program regional nonprofit in the same service area.
• Habitat for Humanity - SWLA: Regional affiliate addressing housing instability and disaster rebuilding in the same geography, with strong overlap to UWSWLA's Build Back The Block, Strong Homes, and hurricane recovery programs. Competes for housing-recovery grants and volunteer pools.
• Volunteers of America - South Louisiana: National social services nonprofit with South Louisiana presence operating in financial security, housing, and disaster recovery, mirroring several of UWSWLA's focus areas. Comparable as a multi-vertical nonprofit serving similar vulnerable populations.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: National umbrella organization governing the United Way affiliate network, including UWSWLA. Operates as the broad incumbent setting program frameworks (ALICE, 211, VITA), brand standards, and federation support that the local affiliate executes against.
• Samaritan's Purse: Large national disaster-relief organization that actively deploys to Gulf Coast hurricane zones, competing directly with UWSWLA's disaster response and recovery programs for donor attention during acute events. Comparable as a broad-incumbent disaster response brand.

Regional players

• Feeding Louisiana: Statewide hunger-relief organization whose food bank network overlaps with UWSWLA's United Against Child Hunger program and broader ALICE/household-security work. Comparable as a regional nonprofit addressing food insecurity and child hunger.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unitedwayswla

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 Southwest Louisiana