Becoming A Partner Agency

In order to be considered to become a United Way Partner Agency, a packet of 11 criteria must be submitted to the United Way office between December 1 and February 15 of the following year.

The applicant agency must file the following with United Way in order to become preliminary eligible for United Way funding:

1.  A three or four page abstract describing the service(s) the agency is seeking United Way funding for.  The abstract should include, at a minimum, program goals and objectives, the community needs that the program addresses, a description of the characteristics of program clients, evidence of consultation and cooperation with the established agencies in the same or related fields, and why United Way support for the program is being sought.
2.  A copy of agency constitution or by-laws.
3.  Agency Articles of Incorporation.
4.  Proof of the agency's federal tax exempt status.
5.  A copy of the form filed with the Illinois Department of Regulation and Licensing.  (Registration as a charitable organization).
6.  A copy of the agency's most recent annual audit as provided by a Certified Public Accountant.  If no audit has been performed in recent years, an unaudited balance sheet and income/expense statement for the previous year may be substituted--agencies submitting unaudited material will be expected to provide an audit during the first year of any United Way funding.
7.  A copy of the agency's operating budget for the current year.
8.  Copies of Board-approved policies regarding equal opportunity employment within the agency and equal opportunity client access to agency services.
9.  A list of the current membership of the Board of Directors and an indication of which, if any, has been paid any compensation by the organization.
10. A statement that outlines the purpose, goals and objectives of the agency.
11. Copies of the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors held in the last 12 months and in indication of where in the minutes the Board's approval of the annual operating budget is found.  United Way has an expectation that agencies will be accountable to a volunteer Board of Directors, that the Board will be involved in important agency affairs, and that the Board will meet at least six times per year.

After submission of the 11 criteria, the United Way office will contact the submitting agency with further instructions and explanation of the process.