Learn more about the United Way of the Midlands Foundation!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is endowment? The commonly accepted meaning for endowment is a fund, which is kept in perpetuity and invested to provide interest earnings for the benefit of a charitable cause – e.g., The United Way of the Midlands. Endowment development is a process to encourage committed donors to make gifts for investment and growth. The income is used for specific purposes, which support or enhance the mission of United Way of the Midlands.
  
  

  A Foundation gift can:

  -- close the gap between real community needs and available funding;

  -- create new programs that require funding not always available from the annual campaign;

  -- allow our community to act, instead of react, to challenging health and human service concerns and needs.

  A strong and healthy endowment fund will allow Douglas, Sarpy, and Pottawattamie Counties to provide a better quality of life for those in need and secure a stable future for our community’s children.

• Why is United Way involved in “endowment” and “planned giving?”
  It is important to remember that the MISSION of United Way is to increase the organized capacity for people to care for one another. The annual campaign and endowment fund gifts are METHODS of raising resources to fund emerging health and human programs and initiatives to achieve our mission. At times, annual campaign dollars are eroded by mergers, mobility and mortality of donors, downsizing of corporate employees, and any number of other means that influence the economy of our region. An endowment fund generates significant, additional revenue over the long term, above and over the annual campaign contributions, that can be used for vital community services and emerging community needs.

• Does a foundation fund conflict with a current donor’s giving? Absolutely not. Our organization believes it's prudent to strengthen currently-funded human service programs AND work to ensure their availability into the future, so our community remains strong for many years to come. 

• What kinds of gifts can be made to the Foundation? 
  Gifts of Cash
  Bequest in a Will
  Outright Gift of Appreciated Stock, Securities, Real Estate or Other Property/Assets
  New or Existing Life Insurance Assignment or Beneficiary Designation
  Charitable Gift Annuities
  Charitable Lead/Remainder Trusts
  Charitable Gift Transfer of Retirement Plan
  Life Estate of Home or Farm
  Memorials, Honorariums, and Endowments

If you have a question, or you'd like to work with United Way to make a lasting impact on our community, please call the Foundation office at (402) 522-7902. The e-mail address is sdouglas@uwmidlands.org.

or write to: 
United Way of the Midlands Foundation
1805 Harney Street
Omaha, NE 68102

NOTE: The information provided is not intended to be legal or tax advice. It is always advisable to consult with a qualified estate-planning attorney when drafting your will to ensure your wishes for your family and the United Way of the Midlands Foundation are properly documented.
 

UNITED WAY OF THE MIDLANDS FOUNDATION STAFF:
President: Michael McLarney
CFO: Linda Kemp
Executive Director: Donna Garst

FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS:
Kate Dodge, Chair of UWM Foundation
Phillip Webb, Past Chair
Carr Heaney, Jr., Secretary
Mark Grieb, Treasurer
Art Burtscher
Harlan Falk
William Gerber
Sharon Marvin Griffin
A.William Kernen
Jackie Kroeger
Mark Lyons
John P. Nelson

UWMF PLANNED GIVING COMMITTEE:
Mark Lyons, Chair
Matthew Bock
Keith Deras
Tom Gaughen
Andy Jacobitz
Susan Spahn
Joe McNamara