What is United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut?

United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is a nonprofit organization that has been creating lasting change in 40 towns across our region since 1924. We advance the common good by providing opportunities for a better life for all. We focus on providing the building blocks of a good life - education, income and health - for everyone in our region.

Our United Way is the largest in Connecticut and second largest in New England. It is one of nearly 1,300 autonomous United Ways in the United States and nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 45 countries and territories.

Click here for a map of our service area.

What is United Way Worldwide?

United Way Worldwide is the leadership organization for the network of nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 45 countries and territories. They advance the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all by focusing on education, income and health. The United Way movement mobilizes millions to action—to give, advocate and volunteer—to improve the conditions in which they live. For more information, visit www.liveunited.org.

What is the United Way Community Campaign?

The United Way Community Campaign is a partnership of United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut and Community Health Charities of New England that supports health and human service programs in our communities.

How much money does the Community Campaign raise?

In 2009, more than 60,000 generous individuals and organizations raised more than $25.7 million to ensure success for children, financial stability for families and a safety net of health and human services, and to support the causes you care about.

What are the benefits of contributing through the United Way Community Campaign?

The United Way Community Campaign gives you the flexibility and choice to support the causes that are most important to you. Workplace giving through payroll deduction makes it easy to fulfill your pledge. And United Way Community Investment makes it easy to have a real impact in the communities where you live and work.

We know that issues such as high dropout rates, financial instability and poor health are interconnected. That's why Community Investment addresses them all at once. When you select Community Investment, your gift is combined with many others to accomplish what no single contribution and no single organization can do alone.

Where does the money come from?

In 2009, 75% of the dollars raised through the campaign came from individuals, and 25% came from corporations.

Where does the money go?

Your contributions to United Way Community Investment are used to improve lives and change conditions here in central and northeastern Connecticut. They help to ensure that local children succeed in school, lower-income families are financially stable, and a safety net of health and human services is available for all of us. Programs and initiatives that receive Community Investment dollars are carefully monitored by experienced volunteers to ensure results.

United Way does not monitor and cannot ensure the results of programs that do not receive Community Investment dollars.

How efficient is the United Way Community Campaign?

The United Way Community Campaign had administrative and fund-raising expenses of just 14.5% in fiscal year 2009. Nearly 86 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs and services. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance considers up to 35% acceptable for administrative and fund-raising expenses.

Can I direct how my contribution will be used?

The United Way Community Campaign gives you the opportunity to support the causes you care about. When you fill out your pledge form or pledge online, you decide how your contribution will be used to improve lives and change conditions in our communities.

United Way Community Investment stretches your contribution the furthest. Thousands of children gain access to quality child care. Hundreds of families gain the job skills they need to become more financially stable. And a safety net of health and human services is available to everyone in our region, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

How does Community Investment work?

When you choose Community Investment, your contribution is pooled with thousands of others to support programs and initiatives that are monitored by experienced volunteers. They ensure that dollars are well-spent to produce real results and that effective management, governance, and financial accountability standards are upheld. To learn more about the Community Investment process, click here.

What are the ways I can give through the Community Campaign?

There are four different ways to contribute through the United Way Community Campaign:

1. Payroll Deduction – Your employer may allow you to have an amount deducted from your paycheck each pay period.
2. Personal Check – We accept personal checks made payable to the United Way Community Campaign.
3. Bill at home – We can bill you on a monthly, quarterly, or one-time basis for contributions of $100 or more.
4. Gifts of Stock – You can fulfill a pledge with gifts of appreciated securities. Federal law permits taxpayers who itemize to deduct the current value of charitable contributions from their adjusted gross income. See your tax advisor for advice. For directions on donating stock, click here.

How will I be recognized for my leadership gift?

With your gift of $1,000 and more, you take the lead in creating real, lasting change. Your leadership gift through the United Way Community Campaign entitles you to recognition at the following levels:

Constitution Society:
Colleague: $1,000 to $2,499 annually
Framer: $2,500 to $4,999 annually
Founder: $5,000 to $9,999 annually

Tocqueville Society: Gift of $10,000+ annually

An annual gift of $1,000 and more entitles you to membership in the Constitution Society and to recognition at one of three leadership levels in the Tocqueville Society and Constitution Society Roster of Members. An annual gift of $10,000 and more entitles you to membership in the Tocqueville Society, recognition in the Roster of Members, and recognition in the United Way of America Registry.

If you and your spouse or partner both donate through the Community Campaign, your annual gifts can be combined to achieve leadership recognition.

To learn more about making a leadership gift, please call Christopher Jungers at (860) 493-6837, or email him at cjungers@unitedwayinc.org.

May I make a designated gift to an agency through the Community Campaign?

You may designate a portion or all of your gift to any qualified not-for-profit organization recognized as a 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service. You must include the agency’s name, address, and phone number on your pledge form. Please note that such restricted gifts are not monitored and United Way cannot ensure their results. For a list of our partners, click here.

Designated gifts through the United Way Community Campaign are subject to a 10% fee, which includes administrative and fund-raising costs, capped at $100 per designated gift (assessed on a pro rata basis upon gift proceeds received). No fees are deducted by United Way from gifts to Community Health Charities (CHC) or its member or associate charities; CHC deducts its own administrative fee from its members.

Check, credit card, or stock pledge payments will be distributed to designated agencies by February 28, 2011, if proceeds and pledge details are received by United Way on or before December 31, 2010.

Will I receive a receipt for my IRS tax returns?

Individual payments of $250 or more made in 2010 will be receipted for tax purposes by February 28, 2011. For contributions of $250 or less, please keep a copy of your pledge form for your tax records. You will also need a copy of your pay stub, W-2 or other employer document showing the amount withheld and paid to a charitable organization. Please consult your tax advisor for more information.

What is Community Health Charities of New England?

Community Health Charities of New England is committed to improving the lives of those affected by a chronic disease or disability by uniting caring donors in the workplace with 36 of the state’s most trusted health charities. These member health charities are committed to finding cures and delivering health education, treatment and wellness programs. For more information, visit www.chcofne.org.