United Way of Greater Kansas City

United Way of Greater Kansas City operates two signature grantmaking initiatives that focus on the human service needs of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The first of these involves providing annual financial support to 100 high-performing health and human service nonprofits, under our impact 100 grantmaking initiative. We invest in organizations advancing the health, educational, and economic wellbeing of vulnerable poplulations in the Kansas City metro area. Organizatons are screened based on uniform criteria that assess the strength of programs' methodology, capacity, participant outcomes and fit with United Way community impact agenda. Organizations selected for the impact 100 receive a one-year, unrestricted grant in support of the organization's mission. Through a second approach, United Way administers a capacity-building grant program that supports bipoc led/serving nonprofit organizaitons with small- and medium-sized budgets. The catalyst fund is intended to reduce the opportunity gap faced by organizaitons founded by and serving people of color, when compared to other nonprofits. By investing in strategies that strengthen operations, increase fundraising capabilities, and support program expansion, United Way hopes to elevate the essential work done in community by smaller, bipoc-led/serving organizations.

United Way 211 is an easy-to-remember central phone number connecting people with available health and human services and volunteer opportunities. United Way 211 is available 24/7/365 and is completely free and confidential. Trained, professional community resource navigators work with callers to determine the most appropriate referral(s), utilizing a comprehensive resource database. United Way 211 provides language translation capacity in 150 languages. United Way of Greater Kansas City 211 serves residents of 16 counties in Missouri (andrew, bates, buchanan, caldwell, cass, clay, clinton, dekalb, henry, jackson, johnson, lafayette, pettis, platte, saline, ray) and 7 counties in Kansas (donaphan, franklin, johnson, leavenworth, linn, miami, wyandotte). United Way 211 makes it possible for people in need of information or services to navigate the complex and fragmented human services delivery system. The goal is to empower individuals to become their own advocate and foster self-sufficiency. Short-term success is measured by the utilization of the service and engagement indicators such as call volume, needs presented, and unmet needs. In addition, follow-up calls are conducted on a targeted percentage of calls to determine satisfaction with the service, whether the caller received assistance as a result of the referral(s), and how the caller heard of United Way 211. Last year, 211 responded to more than 155,000 requests for assistance.

United Way plays an important human service ecoystem role by addressing the economic effects of poverty and racial & ethnic disparities through the administration of direct financial assistance through a range of collaborative interventions. Summarized below are key examples of this work in the Kansas City region. Eviction prevention fund - United Way of Greater Kansas City serves as partner to various City and county governments throughout the Kansas City metropolitan region in the deployment of financial assistance, paired with legal defense provided by nonprofit legal service providers, aimed at preventing eviction. Over the past three years, this work has involved the braiding of federal covid relief funds, philanthropic funds, and state grants. In 2024, more than 1,561 households avoided eviction through this initiative. Utility assistance fund - United Way has a longstatnding partnership with the board of public utilies in Kansas City, Kansas, through which thousands of low-income households receive financial assistance aimed at preventing the loss of utility service-a key risk factor in homelessness. Direct assistance to low-income households - United Way awarded $772,961 in support to 824 households through a program that distributes prepaid debit cards to families struggling with the impacts of poverty and high inflation. Family empowerment initiative - through this initiative, United Way of Greater Kansas City and the siemer institute for family stability with the support of six partner community agencies is serving 478 families struggling with housing instability. With targeted case management and direct client assistance, familes are able to resolve financial and housing stability issues that might otherwise push them to the brink of houselessness.