United Way Greater Triangle (UWGT) brings the community and its resources together to solve problems that no one organization can address alone. UWGT lifts our local community by partnering with local nonprofits to address complex and critical issues like poverty, future of work, housing stability, food insecurity, health access, and education. By investing, convening, and amplifying, together we are creating holistic, collaborative solutions that create sustainable change for individuals and families across Durham, Wake, Orange, and Johnston counties.
Investing: UWGT invests in the community by directing funds, resources, and support to local nonprofits and programs that address the root causes of poverty and inequity. Through a strategic, community-driven investment process, UWGT ensures that financial contributions are used effectively to create sustainable impact. These investments focus on initiatives that promote education, family stability, economic mobility, and racial equity.
Convening: UWGT plays a key role as a convener by bringing together diverse stakeholders—nonprofits, corporate partners, community leaders, and volunteers—to collaborate on solving complex social issues. By creating spaces for dialogue and shared solutions, UWGT fosters partnerships that generate collective action and drive meaningful change in the Triangle community.
Amplifying: UWGT amplifies the voices and stories of individuals, organizations, and initiatives working to create a more just and equitable community. Through their communications, events, and advocacy efforts, they raise awareness around pressing issues like poverty and racial inequality, highlighting the work being done to address these challenges and encouraging broader community support and involvement.
United Way Greater Triangle makes sure your money goes where the community needs it most. We offer donors the opportunity to support the entire community and maximize their giving. By choosing to give to our Community Impact Fund, you give United Way Greater Triangle the power to invest in the most pressing needs in the region to create lasting changes. In 2025, over 300 community volunteers reviewed funding requests and helped us decide which nonprofits to fund in order to make the most impact toward eradicating poverty.
Due to its community involvement, UWGT has a deep understanding of the most pressing needs of the community. Donors who give to United Way know they are supporting work that strengthens the entire community and that there is diligent monitoring to ensure their dollars are making the greatest impact.
Our mission is to invest in community-driven solutions that advance racial and economic justice. Our work provides support for immediate needs and encourages solutions that lead to the self-sufficiency and social mobility that break cycles of generational poverty. Our focus areas include workforce development, access to food, healthcare, housing, youth development, and equity in leadership.
Yes. We often say United Way is local giving with local impact. The money raised in the Triangle area stays in the Triangle area unless you, as the donor, request that it be sent to another United Way or a charity outside of our area.
A certified public accounting firm audits every United Way annually. Results, along with recommendations for improvements, are presented to each local Board of Directors. This group of local community volunteers then enacts and monitors suggested improvements. These annual audit reports are visible on our website.
The safety and security of your transaction is a primary concern for United Way. A high-grade encryption is used along with the HTTPS security protocol, SSL, to communicate with your browser software. This method is the industry standard security protocol, which makes it extremely difficult for anyone else to intercept the information sent. You can find our entire privacy policy on our website.
For designated gifts, UWGT implements a 15% processing fee, with a maximum fee of $150. We are committed to making sure your gift goes exactly where you intend. To do this, we carefully process, track, and distribute every gift and provide the reporting and accountability you expect. This fee allows us to accurately direct your dollars to the nonprofit you choose, provide tax receipts, donor and nonprofit support, and ensure transparent and compliant processes with charitable regulations.
UWGT maintains a commitment to financial transparency and efficiency. 80% of investments go directly toward the programmatic impact of our nonprofit partners. The remaining 20% allows UWGT to continue the core of our impact by investing, convening, and amplifying. This investment is vital in our capacity to serve the community by enhancing our efficiency, fostering collaboration and engagement, and upholding our commitment to accountability and innovation. These resources allow us to support nonprofits with tools, training, capacity building to become more effective and sustainable.
Through the community impact fund, UWGT uses a community-led and data driven investment process to inform funding distribution. Local experts, nonprofit partners, and hundreds of community members review and score proposals to make funding decisions and ensure that dollars are going to the organizations and initiatives that have the greatest impact. Funds are allocated to nonprofit partners working in our focus areas. UWGT prioritizes partnerships that demonstrate measurable success in addressing these issues.
Yes. All organizations that receive designations receive donor details as allowed. If the donor wishes to remain anonymous or if United Way does not receive donor information, their identity will not be provided.
Designations are paid on a monthly basis, after the payment is received. If your gift is through payroll deduction, your payments will be made in monthly installments after the first payroll payment is received.
United Way accepts payroll deduction payments, credit card, cash, check, Donor Advised Funds, stock transfers, and cryptocurrency.
All 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are in good standing and in compliance with the IRS can receive designated funds.
