United Way of Southwest Alabama does not meet the following 6 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 1 (Oversight of Operations and Staff)
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.
UWSWA does not meet this Standard because its board of directors does not:
- Review the performance of the chief executive officer at least once every two years.
Standard 6 (Board Policy on Effectiveness)
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
UWSWA does not meet this Standard because:
- The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
Standard 7 (Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness)
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.
UWSWA does not meet this Standard because:
- The organization has not completed an effectiveness assessment in the last two years.
Standard 14 (Budget)
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
UWSWA does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided 2021 budget information, it indicated that the budget:
- Did not identify total projected program service expenses.
- Did not identify total projected fundraising expenses.
- Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.
- Did not break program service expenses down by major program category including fund allocations and special designations.
Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
UWSWA does not meet this Standard because the 2019 annual report did not include:
- Financial information that matches the organization's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019.
Standard 18 (Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy)
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.
UWSWA does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, https://uwswa.org/, does not:
- Provide prominent access to a privacy policy.
- What security measures that are in place to protect personal information that is collected.
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability:
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United Way of Southwest Alabama meets the remaining 13 Standards for Charity Accountability.
United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) reports that it works to strengthen communities through mobilizing resources to bring better education, financial stability, health, and essential services to the organization's clients. The organization works with the business community, local government, other nonprofits, and the general public to identify and address community issues. UWSWA works with its partners to create programs to address issues that include emergency food and shelter, youth development and STEM related activities, the provision of books to children under the age of five, teen alcohol and drug abuse awareness, counseling services, and the provision of medical, dental, vision, and prescription services. In 2019, the organization reports that it helped distribute, with its 48 partner agencies, more than 6.4 million pounds of food to nearly 40,000 individuals in Clarke, Mobile, and Washington counties. In addition, the organization states that it assisted in providing shelter to 34,542 clients, learning services to 3,213 children, financial counseling to 1,541 clients, and disease-specific counseling to 1,400 community members.
For the year ended June 30, 2019, United Way of Southwest Alabama's program expenses were:
| Funds allocated to partners |
$1,553,537 |
| Community and program services |
$748,262 |
| Special designations to partners |
$171,444 |
| Total Program Expenses: |
$2,473,243 |
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Chief Executive
Jill Chenoweth, President and Chief Executive Officer
-
Compensation*
$81,630
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Chair of the Board
J. Helmsing
-
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Senior Vice President and Market President, Hancock Whitney Bank
-
Board Size
26
-
Paid Staff Size
12
*2018 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Invitations to fund raising events, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Telephone appeals, Radio, Television, Other
Fundraising costs were 10% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $3,069,459 are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on United Way of Southwest Alabama's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019.
| Source of Funds |
| Campaign revenue, net |
$2,656,962 |
| Other contributions |
$340,512 |
| Other public support |
$94,625 |
| Service fee revenue |
$65,735 |
| Investment income |
$32,229 |
| In-kind contributions |
$6,250 |
| Management fee income |
$5,000 |
| Total Income |
$3,201,313 |
- Programs: 85%
- Fundraising: 11%
- Administrative: 4%
| Total Income |
$3,201,313 |
| Program expenses |
$2,473,243 |
| Fundraising expenses |
$320,925 |
| Administrative expenses |
$134,250 |
| Other expenses |
$0 |
| Total expenses: |
$2,928,418 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses |
$272,895 |
| Beginning Net Assets |
$1,845,911 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets |
$0 |
| Ending Net Assets |
$2,118,806 |
| Total Liabilities |
$931,114 |
| Total Assets |
$3,049,920 |
Note: According to UWSWA's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2019, the organization received $6,250 in contributed goods and services.