Fund Distribution...United Way of Tyler/Smith County

Who Decides Where My Money Goes?

A dedicated group of volunteers spend hours reviewing applications, visiting agencies and making recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Agency Relations Committee conducts a stewardship review of each member agency. Allocations are recommended for final review and discussion by the Board of Directors.

Community-wide support, high accountability, meeting health and human service needs and a representative Board are just a few of the standards that member agencies must meet.

The Agency Relations Committee is responsible for ensuring that funds contributed to United Way of Tyler/Smith County campaigns are used in the best interests of the community. They expect agencies to operate in an economical and efficient manner.

The Agency Relations Committee also makes recommendations on the allocation of emergency funds to member agencies. Community Builders, a collaborative effort between East Texas Communities Foundation and United Way of Tyler/Smith County’s Agency Relations Committee, makes recommendations on Special Grants for which any local nonprofit organization can apply.

For more information about the Allocations process or Special Grants, call Lisa Gardner at 581-6376 ext. 206 or email us at lgardner@uwtyler.org.

United Way Member Standards

An active, representative and responsible local governing board or body, serving without compensation, holding regular meetings, at least quarterly and with effective administrative control.
A purpose which is reasonable of attainment and one which is generally acceptable to citizens of the community with no avoidable duplication of the work of already existing organizations.
A program, the need of which can be clearly demonstrated, that conforms to the general interpretation of health, welfare and human service.
A reasonable satisfactory past record of community-wide financing as demonstrated by individual program financing for at least one year at time of application.
Evidence of reasonable efficiency in program management and adequate standards for any employed personnel.
A classified operating budget translating program plans into financial terms and an annual audit prepared by an independent Certified Public Accountant which conforms to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants standards for not -for-profit organizations.
The organization consults and cooperates with established organizations/agencies in the same or related fields.
Program available to citizens of the community without regard to race, religion or political creed and complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Sec. 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 and The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.
Incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation and be able to provide documentation of its 501 (c) (3) classification.
Clearance by the Internal Revenue Service that gifts to the Agency are deductible for Income Tax Purposes (Sec. 170 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
The agency’s programs and/or services directly meets a priority need in the community.