united way of the columbia-willamette

What united way of the columbia-willamette does

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered at 619 SW 11th Ave, Portland, Oregon, serving the greater Portland and Central Oregon regions. It functions as a philanthropic hub that mobilizes and distributes community resources through four program verticals: Youth Opportunity (early literacy and childhood development), Financial Security (housing stability and eviction prevention), Community Resiliency (disaster preparedness and climate resilience), and Healthy Community (wellness systems and culturally responsive service delivery). The organization executes direct service programs such as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (free monthly books for children birth through age five), the Resilient Families Fund (rapid rental and utility assistance), and Hands On Greater Portland (a nearly 30-year-old volunteer mobilization platform). It also convenes coalitions, notably the 32-organization Disaster Resilience Learning Network spanning Oregon.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across individual donations (one-time and recurring), workplace giving campaigns (payroll deductions through employer partnerships), corporate sponsorships and matching gifts, planned/estate giving (including IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions and stock transfers), and grants. Since 2020, the organization has disbursed $28M in grants and designations to local nonprofits. Its distribution model is hybrid: B2B through corporate workplace campaigns managed by Employee Campaign Leaders using a toolkit-based approach, B2C through an online donation portal, and field mobilization through nonprofit partners. The underlying technology stack is modest — an online donation platform, a separate volunteer coordination portal at handsonportland.org, and standard website/email/social channels — with no proprietary AI, API, or SaaS products. Marketing is anchored in storytelling, annual Community Impact Week (now in its 5th year), the Hood To Coast "Race for Reading" charity partnership, and county emergency management social-media coordination.

Leadership is led by President and CEO Kelly O'Lague, MSW, supported by a resource development team (Franklin Alegria, Senior Director of Resource Development; Nicole LaRose, Senior Manager, Corporate Partnerships; Charity Taylor, Development & Stewardship Manager; Charles A. McGee II, Community Account Manager; May Wong, Resource Development Project Manager). The organization is governed by a local Board of Directors and operates autonomously within the broader United Way national network, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external equity holders. Its Tax ID is 93-0582124 and it is actively operating, with current programming extending into 2026.

Name

united way of the columbia-willamette

Legal name

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette

Website

https://unitedway-pdx.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes donations, volunteers, and grants across Oregon to address childhood literacy, housing stability, disaster resilience, and family financial security through four program verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and Social Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Housing Services (62422), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs (BPAGAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community impact programs
• Workplace giving campaigns
• Volunteer mobilization services
• Early literacy support
• Disaster resilience coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual donors supporting community programs including early literacy, housing stability, and disaster resilience.
2. Workplace Giving Campaigns: Corporate employee giving programs where employers facilitate payroll deductions for charitable contributions to United Way.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and matching gift programs from corporate partners supporting specific initiatives and campaigns.
4. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Legacy gifts through estate plans, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and stock donations that provide long-term support.
5. Grants to Nonprofits: The organization distributes grants and designations totaling $28M since 2020 to local nonprofits as part of its community impact mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes charitable giving, volunteers, and grant-making to address community needs in greater Portland and Central Oregon. Its core offerings are organized across four impact areas — Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Community Resiliency, and Healthy Community — and include direct service programs such as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (early literacy books for children 0-5), the Resilient Families Fund (emergency rental and utility assistance), and Hands On Greater Portland (volunteer coordination).

Product overview

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is a nonprofit charitable organization offering a portfolio of community programs organized around four impact areas: Youth Opportunity (early learning and youth development), Financial Security (housing stability and eviction prevention), Community Resiliency (disaster preparedness and climate resilience), and Healthy Community (wellness systems and family support). The organization operates as a philanthropic hub rather than a technology product company, providing direct service programs like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for early literacy, the Resilient Families Fund for emergency housing assistance, and Hands On Greater Portland for volunteer mobilization. In addition to direct programming, it offers workplace giving tools for corporate partners, multiple giving mechanisms including payroll deduction, stock donations, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, and planned giving options. Its Community Resiliency work includes the Disaster Resilience Learning Network coalition. The organization does not offer technology products, APIs, or AI-powered tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hands On Greater Portland: Volunteer mobilization program that connects volunteers with local nonprofits for community service projects.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Products and services

• Youth Opportunity Impact area program helping young people realize their full potential through early learning support, comprehensive services, and expanded access to low- and no-cost classrooms for children from birth through adolescence. Intended for young children, youth, and their families across greater Portland and Central Oregon.
• Financial Security Impact area program addressing housing instability through eviction prevention and rental assistance initiatives, while supporting families' holistic financial stability. Targeted at Oregon households, particularly ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families at risk of housing instability.
• Community Resiliency Impact area program creating an equitable, climate-resilient future by centering communities most at risk, convening disaster-impacted leaders, and building support statewide through coalition-building with nonprofits, government entities, and communities.
• Healthy Community Impact area program investing in equitable systems that support wellness, partnering with culturally responsive groups to bridge service gaps and ensure families can withstand financial shocks.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Early literacy program providing free, age-appropriate books mailed monthly to children from birth through age five across the region. Sponsor-supported at $30/year per child or $150 for full 0-5 coverage. Currently serves 8,500+ children.
• Resilient Families Fund Rapid-response fund providing fast, flexible monetary support for rental assistance, eviction defense, and utility support to community members facing imminent risk of homelessness.
• Hands On Greater Portland Volunteer mobilization program connecting thousands of volunteers with local nonprofits year-round through transformational volunteerism; functions as United Way's volunteer bridge between community need and action and is donor-funded.
• Workplace Giving Campaign Toolkit Toolkit of resources provided to Employee Campaign Leaders at corporate partners, including sample emails, pledge forms, and impact reports to engage coworkers and drive donations during workplace giving campaigns.
• Disaster Resilience Learning Network Coalition network of 32 organizations across Oregon working together to ensure communities can participate in disaster planning before, during, and after disasters; partners include county emergency management offices across Clackamas, Washington, Multnomah, and Clark (WA) counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,500+ children receive free books monthly
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dolly Parton's Imagination LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way serves as the regional partner for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, providing free books to children from birth to age 5 across the Portland-metro and Central Oregon regions.
• Hood To CoastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnited Way is the preferred charity partner for Hood To Coast races, with Race for Reading as the primary fundraising vehicle for early literacy programs.
• Hands On Greater PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor nearly 30 years, Hands On Greater Portland has mobilized volunteers for local nonprofits. This volunteer bridge between community need and action is donor-funded.
• Disaster Resilience Learning Network (DRLN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of 32 organizations across Oregon working together on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery strategies centered on underserved communities.
• County Emergency Management AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Clackamas, Washington, Multnomah County and Clark County WA emergency management offices for wildfire and disaster resource coordination.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Way Worldwide: The national umbrella organization for the United Way network. Most directly comparable as the parent affiliate system that defines the operating model (workplace giving campaigns, community impact focus, local affiliate governance) that United Way of the Columbia-Willamette operates within.
• United Way of Greater Los Angeles: A similarly sized United Way affiliate serving a major U.S. metro region. Comparable in operating model, workplace giving focus, and portfolio of community impact programs addressing housing, education, and financial stability.
• United Way of New York City: One of the largest United Way affiliates in the U.S. Comparable in mission, workplace giving focus, and the breadth of community programs across youth, housing, and resilience.
• United Way Bay Area: A Pacific Northwest-adjacent United Way affiliate serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Comparable geographic positioning on the West Coast and similar community impact portfolios.
• The Oregon Community Foundation: Oregon's largest community foundation. Comparable as a regional grantmaking and philanthropic hub operating across Oregon, with overlapping donor base and nonprofit partner networks in the same service area.

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross: A nationally established humanitarian organization with overlapping disaster preparedness and relief activities that intersect with United Way's Community Resiliency program and DRLN coalition.
• Salvation Army: A large, multi-service nonprofit addressing poverty, housing instability, and emergency assistance with overlapping target populations and donor overlap with United Way affiliates.
• Habitat for Humanity: A national housing-focused nonprofit whose mission overlaps with United Way's Financial Security pillar (eviction prevention, housing stability), though delivered through a different direct-construction model.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: A national youth development nonprofit with overlapping Youth Opportunity programming and a comparable local-affiliate structure serving the same demographic in many communities.

Regional players

• Meyer Memorial Trust: An Oregon-based private foundation that makes grants across the state on issues including housing, education, and health. Comparable as a regional grantmaking entity with overlapping nonprofit partners in Oregon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-way-of-the-columbia-willamette

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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