Eligibility:
- $100 minimum gift per nonprofit organization
- The qualified recipient organization of a designated gift must have current IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, active registration with the Secretary of State, and provide health and human services within United Way’s geographic area (visit www.guidestar.org to verify).
- The qualified recipient organization must provide a signed Patriot Act certification form annually to United Way.
- A designated gift must be made at the time of the pledge, and the recipient organization’s full name and address must be legible on the pledge form.
- A designated gift does not qualify the donor for United Way’s Caring Club® benefits.
- In the event the recipient organization is ineligible, United Way will attempt to reconcile the Designated Gift by contacting the donor, though it reserves the right to redirect the gift to the Community Fund.
Processing:
To ensure the continued integrity, efficiency, and impact of our operations, United Way of the Coastal Empire applies administrative fees to designated contributions and fund administration services. These fees help cover the costs associated with processing donations, maintaining secure financial and data systems, and supporting our capacity to serve the community.
1. Administrative Fee on Designations to Non-Profit Agencies
UWCE applies a 5% administrative fee to all designated contributions made to non-United Way-funded partner agencies. This fee offsets the administrative and operational costs required to process and distribute these gifts, ensuring transparency and accountability.
United Way of the Coastal Empire waives the standard 5% administrative fee for our funded agencies. This decision reflects our commitment to aligning resources with organizations that are directly connected to our strategic priorities and investment strategy.
2. Administrative Fee on Designations to United Way Agencies
A 10% administrative fee will be applied to all designations made to external United Ways across the country. This fee helps cover the costs associated with processing these payments, including fundraising efforts, processing requirements, and staff time. This policy is consistent with administrative fees charged by United Ways nationwide.
3. Administrative Fee on Pass-Through Funds to Other Organizations
When UWCE is asked to administer funds passed through the United Way to support the mission or work of an external organization, a 5% administrative fee will be applied – unless another fee structure is negotiated with UWCE. This fee offsets the administrative and operational costs associated with processing and distributing these gifts, ensuring transparency and accountability.
4. Complex Fund Administration Requiring UWCE Infrastructure
When partners wish to have UWCE administer funds in a way that requires specialized processes, the use of UWCE tools or systems (such as Goodworld, the UWCE website, the Marketing team, or other internal resources), and the involvement of the Finance team and infrastructure, a 10% administrative fee will apply defined through an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)—unless another fee structure is negotiated with UWCE. This fee reflects the additional time, technology, and staff support required to carry out these activities effectively, which are defined in the MOU as upfront investments and operating costs.
5. Program Fee on UWCE-Managed Funds or Programs
UWCE may apply a program fee, not to exceed 15%, to any UWCE-managed fund or UWCE-managed program to cover the costs of program delivery, monitoring, evaluation, data analysis, staffing, and related expenses. The specific percentage or amount of this program fee will be determined based on the scope and complexity of the fund or program.
6. Beacon Society Giving
To be recognized as a member of the Beacon Society, a donor must contribute a minimum of $1,200 annually to the United Way Community Fund.