United Way of Greater St Louis Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $62.8 million (2024)
Number of Awards: 344 grants (2024)
Decision Time: Approximately 11 weeks (Targeted Fund)
Grant Range: Varies by program - Targeted Fund $400,000+ pool
Geographic Focus: 16-county region in Missouri and Illinois
Charity Rating: 99% (4-Star Charity Navigator rating)

Contact Details

Website: https://helpingpeople.org
Phone: 314-421-0700
Email: efs@stl.unitedway.org (for Emergency Food and Shelter Program questions)
Address: Saint Louis, MO
Agency Support: Agency HQ page for funding notifications and resources

Overview

Founded in 1922 as the Community Fund, United Way of Greater St. Louis celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2022 and changed its name to United Way in 1975. The organization works to unite people, resources, and funding to meet the needs of a 16-county region across Missouri and Illinois, providing assistance to more than one million people annually—touching the lives of one in every three people in the St. Louis community. With $62.8 million distributed in grants in 2024, the organization has invested nearly $3 billion in the region since its inception. Under the leadership of President and CEO Michelle D. Tucker (who joined in 2019), the organization has raised and invested nearly $500 million in the community over five years, while refreshing the nonprofit's brand through new partnerships and unique campaigns. The organization supports five key impact areas: basic needs, health and wellness, jobs and financial mobility, youth success, and crisis response.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Safety Net Funding: The largest funding pool supporting a network of 160+ nonprofit organizations providing direct services across the 16-county service area. Selected Safety Net member agencies began receiving funding in 2021 through a three-year grant cycle. Annual funding is dependent upon availability of unrestricted funds, nonprofit performance, and community need. Note: United Way will not offer any open funding cycles for organizations outside of the current Safety Net cohort in 2025.

Targeted Fund: One-time grants with a one-year timeframe providing flexible funding (recent cycle: $400,000+ pool) to support nonprofits addressing identified targeted needs through emergency, emergent, or innovative approaches. The 2025 cycle focused on "Unite for Safe Communities," targeting violence prevention and trauma-informed approaches. Application is online through rolling cycles announced throughout the year.

Community Enhancement Grants: One-time grants for specific initiatives. Recent example: $100,000 awarded to nine local nonprofits for summer programs supporting youth ages 5-16 through summer learning and nutrition.

Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP): Funding for organizations providing emergency food, shelter, or energy assistance. Can cover rent/mortgage payments up to 90 days, utility bills up to 90 days, and equipment necessary to feed or shelter people (up to $300 limit per item).

Priority Areas

Programs must align with one or more of United Way's five impact pillars:

Basic Needs: Crisis intervention, food security, housing security, legal assistance, transportation
Health and Wellness: Access to healthcare, physical health, behavioral health
Jobs and Financial Mobility: Debt management, financial education, income and jobs
Youth Success: Child welfare, early childhood education, K-12 education
Community Stability and Crisis Response: Community building, disaster preparedness and response, safety and justice

United Way prioritizes programs using:

Emergency approaches: Rapid response to ensure stability
Emergent approaches: Evolving or brand-new to the region
Innovative approaches: Not previously implemented by the agency

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly listed, United Way does not accept applications for Safety Net funding from organizations outside the current cohort through 2025. Organizations must provide direct services in the 16-county service area and address needs identified in their Community Needs Assessment (CNA).

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership Team

Michelle D. Tucker - President and CEO (joined 2019, previously CEO of Epworth Children and Family Services, nearly 20 years in banking including as Senior VP at Bank of America)
Vander Corliss - Chief Financial Officer
Heather Dawson - Chief Administrative Officer
Regina Greer - Chief Impact Officer
Katrina Peoples - Senior Vice President, Grant Initiatives
Shuntae Shields Ryan - Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
Dorianne Vogt - Senior Vice President, Campaign Performance & Optimization

Board of Directors (2025)

Board Chair: Roman P. Wuller (Thompson Coburn LLP)

Officers:

Mrs. Stephen F. Brauer - Vice Chair
Donald M. Suggs (The St. Louis American) - Vice Chair
Lawrence E. Thomas (Edward Jones, Retired) - Vice Chair
James R. Schmersahl (Schmersahl Treloar & Company) - Treasurer
Valerie E. Patton (The Patton Partnership LLC) - Corporate Secretary

Committee Chairs:

Lal Karsanbhai (Emerson) - Campaign Co-Chair
Andrew S. Davidson (KPMG LLP) - Campaign Co-Chair
Ann Beatty - Board Development Chair
Kenneth G. Bell (Toshiba Coast to Coast) - 211 Advisory Chair
Katy Jochum (Wells Fargo Advisors) - Regional Investment Chair
Ryan R. Kemper (Thompson Coburn LLP) - Public Affairs Chair
Keith H. Williamson (Centene Corporation) - Nominating Chair
Charles A. Stewart, Jr. (Bi-State Development, Retired) - Audit Chair

The Board of Directors includes 80+ members representing corporations, unions, and civic organizations across the region. The board strives to reflect the geographic and demographic composition of the St. Louis region, with officers being 33% women and 50% individuals of color, and the full board comprised of 34% women and 33% individuals of color.

Leadership Quotes

Michelle D. Tucker, President and CEO: "Now, more than ever, we must unite to empower our most vulnerable, as the overall health and economic vitality of our community depend on it."

"Our community-wide fundraising campaign is an amazing opportunity to unite with a goal of transforming lives. By working together toward a common goal, we uplift the entire community."

"It is neighbors helping neighbors, family members helping family members, and colleagues helping colleagues."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Targeted Fund Applications: Applications open through online portal when cycles are announced. Applicants should:

Register at Agency HQ (helpingpeople.org/agency-hq/) to receive notifications of funding opportunities
Attend informational webinars when offered (typically held when cycle opens)
Participate in virtual office hours to ask questions of United Way staff
Submit applications through the online portal by the stated deadline

Safety Net Funding: Not currently accepting new applications through 2025. Organizations interested in future Safety Net opportunities should register at Agency HQ for notifications.

Emergency Food and Shelter Program: Only nonprofit organizations currently providing emergency food, shelter, or energy assistance to the general public are encouraged to apply. Contact efs@stl.unitedway.org or 314-242-1881 for questions.

Community Enhancement Grants: Announced periodically. Organizations should monitor the funding opportunities page and register at Agency HQ for notifications.

Decision Timeline

Targeted Fund Example (2025 Unite for Safe Communities cycle):

September 3: Cycle opens, application available
September 9: Informational webinar
September 13 & 20: Virtual office hours
September 27: Application deadline
December 16: Awards announced

Timeline: Approximately 11 weeks from application deadline to award announcement for Targeted Fund cycles.

Grant Period: Targeted Fund awards are one-year grants and non-renewable. Safety Net funding operates on multi-year cycles (current cohort on three-year cycle from 2021).

Success Rates

In 2024, United Way made 344 grant awards totaling $62.8 million. Specific application-to-award ratios are not publicly disclosed. The organization funds 160+ member agencies through Safety Net funding, with additional organizations receiving Targeted Fund and other grant awards.

Reapplication Policy

Targeted Fund: These are one-time, non-renewable grants. Organizations may apply to future Targeted Fund cycles as they are announced, provided they meet the eligibility criteria for that specific cycle's focus area.

Safety Net Funding: Multi-year commitments (current cohort on three-year cycle). Annual renewal is dependent upon availability of unrestricted funds, nonprofit performance, and community need. New Safety Net applications will be accepted in future cycles (not available through 2025).

Application Success Factors

What United Way Looks For

Alignment with Community Needs: United Way annually assesses real-time community needs based on community needs assessments, landscape reports, 211 data source, and secondary data sources. Applications must address needs identified in these assessments within their five impact areas.

Innovative, Emergency, or Emergent Approaches: The Targeted Fund specifically seeks programs that:

Provide rapid response to ensure stability (emergency)
Are evolving or brand-new to the region (emergent)
Use approaches not previously implemented by the agency (innovative)

Sustainability Beyond Grant Period: Proposed programs should have existing sources of funding where United Way's investment is leveraged to ensure sustainability beyond the one-year grant timeframe. This demonstrates the program can continue after United Way support ends.

Direct Service Provision: Organizations must provide direct services to individuals in the 16-county service area. Programs should address specific outcomes aligned with United Way's impact pillars.

Organizational Location: Nonprofits must operate within the 16-county Missouri and Illinois service area to be eligible.

Specific Focus Alignment: For Targeted Fund cycles, applications must directly address the announced focus (e.g., 2025 cycle focused on violence prevention and trauma-informed approaches improving community safety).

Application Support Resources

United Way provides substantial applicant support:

Informational webinars at the start of funding cycles
Virtual office hours where potential applicants can ask questions of United Way staff
Documentation about grant opportunity eligibility, requirements, and grant writing tips
Agency HQ portal with resources and funding notifications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Register early: Sign up at Agency HQ (helpingpeople.org/agency-hq/) to receive timely notifications about funding opportunities—cycles open and close throughout the year with specific focus areas
Attend support sessions: Take advantage of informational webinars and virtual office hours—United Way staff provides direct access to answer questions about eligibility and application requirements
Demonstrate sustainability: Show how United Way's investment leverages existing funding sources and ensures program continuation beyond the one-year grant period
Align with data-driven needs: Reference the Community Needs Assessment and show how your program addresses documented needs in the region using 211 data or other concrete evidence
Choose the right approach designation: Clearly identify whether your program uses an emergency (rapid response), emergent (new to region), or innovative (new to your agency) approach—this is central to Targeted Fund evaluation
Focus on impact areas: Explicitly connect your program to one or more of the five impact pillars (basic needs, health and wellness, jobs and financial mobility, youth success, crisis response) with measurable outcomes
Serve the geographic area: Ensure your organization provides direct services within the 16-county Missouri and Illinois region and can demonstrate impact across this service area

References

United Way of Greater St. Louis - 2024 Annual Report - Accessed December 2024
United Way of Greater St. Louis - Nonprofits We Fund - Accessed December 2024
United Way of Greater St. Louis - Funding Opportunities - Accessed December 2024
United Way of Greater St. Louis Launches 2025 Targeted Funding Cycle - Accessed December 2024
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - United Way Of Greater St Louis Inc (EIN 43-0714167) - Accessed December 2024
Charity Navigator - Rating for United Way of Greater St. Louis - Accessed December 2024
Instrumentl - United Way of Greater St. Louis Targeted Funding Grant - Accessed December 2024
United Way of Greater St. Louis - Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) Grants - Accessed December 2024
United Way of Greater St. Louis - Leadership Team & Board of Directors - Accessed December 2024
St. Louis Magazine - A conversation with United Way president and CEO Michelle Tucker - Accessed December 2024
Town&Style - Unite for Good: United Way of Greater St. Louis - Accessed December 2024
The Intelligencer - United Way celebrates 100 years of impact in the St. Louis area - Accessed December 2024
United Way of Greater St. Louis - About Us - Accessed December 2024
Community Builders Network - United Way of Greater St. Louis Safety Net Funding - Accessed December 2024
St. Louis American - United Way opens Targeted Fund grant cycle - Accessed December 2024