How does the United Way of the Midlands Campaign help meet our community's needs?
What are United Way of the Midlands' fundraising and administration costs?
Which organizations participate in the United Way Campaign?
Has there been a change in the gift designation policy?
Whom do I contact, if I want to volunteer?
What is United Way of America?
How much should I give?
My spouse and I want to give to the campaign. How do we determine the amount to contribute?
Who decides which services to fund?
Does my gift stay in this community?
Will I ever use United Way of the Midlands programs?
I heard about someone who did not get help when they needed it.
What are the IRS receipting requirements?
Can a gift of stock be accepted as a donation, and what are the stock contribution procedures?
Why donate stock?
How is a stock contribution done?
What documentation do I need for the tax deduction on a stock contribution?
Who should I call if I have questions about donating stock?
Should a donor feel pressure to give? 
Is United Way of the Midlands registered with organizations that monitor nonprofit groups?

How does the United Way of the Midlands Campaign help meet our community's needs?

Our community is about more than a single cause or issue. There’s only one charitable organization concerned with the entire community’s well being – United Way. Here’s how we do it.

TODAY'S NEEDS - The Community Care Fund - a safety net of services for people from all walks of life. Food, shelter, medical care, counseling and more. In partner agencies across Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie Counties.

TOMORROW'S HOPE - It’s important to meet those immediate needs, but they’re often symptoms of a larger problem. We need to address the root causes of people’s hardships. Find longer-term solutions. United Way’s Community Impact Initiatives aim to do just that. Help people meet their urgent needs, and build their skills and assets for the future, too. When individuals and families grow stronger, we’ll see lasting changes at the community-level too.

Real change. Community solutions. That’s what it means to LIVE UNITED.

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The United Way Campaign is the most efficient, effective way to raise funds for a safety net of health and human service programs in Douglas and Sarpy Counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie County in Iowa. The United Way of the Midlands Campaign is the area's largest single community-wide fund-raising effort.

Raising money efficiently is essential, but it’s not enough. Investing these funds in the most pressing community needs is just as important. The dollars raised by local volunteers are distributed to local human service programs based on in-depth analysis of the areas of greatest human need in our community, and the effectiveness of funded programs. These programs make up the United Way of the Midlands Community Care Fund. United Way also supports community impact initiatives that go beyond meeting immediate needs, which are often a symptom of a bigger problem; these initiatives take aim at the root causes of people's hardships...create longer-term solutions, so people can stand on their own tomorrow.

In addition to funding programs directly, United Way also plays a critical role in the planning and coordination of human services delivery in the overall community. The volunteer members of the United Way’s Planning, Allocation, and Community Development committees work with United Way’s professional staff to coordinate and integrate the efforts of all local human service providers, both public and private, and to develop better ways to measure program outcomes and assess the impact on the conditions of the community.

Volunteers are by far the most important element in meeting community needs. The United Way of the Midlands encourages and supports volunteerism in many areas, through a variety of partnerships and initiatives. United Way's Volunteer Resource Center promotes and encourages volunteerism through recruitment, referral, training and recognition, as well as several other programs. United Way also hosts the Nebraska 2-1-1 call center, which also serves 8 counties in southwest Iowa.

What are United Way of the Midlands fundraising and administration costs (overhead)?

United Way maximizes the value of your contribution by keeping costs at a minimum, so 90 percent of your gift to the Community Care Fund goes directly to programs and services. Designated gifts require special handling, and they cost more to process…but still, a high 87% of each designated gift goes to the chosen organization.

Which organizations benefit from the United Way Campaign?

United Way has 34 local partner agencies. Each receives an allocation for specific programs from the funds raised in the annual campaign. United Way of the Midlands also offers direct services such as the 2-1-1 Information and Referral phone line and the Volunteer Resource Center. Community Health Charities of Nebraska is a campaign contract partner, with 17 member health agencies.  Click here to see a list of our Partner Agencies.

Has there been a change in the gift designation policy?

Yes. When a donor designates a gift to a specific United Way agency, those dollars will be distributed and reported separately from the amount allocated annually through the United Way of the Midlands Community Care Fund. The guidelines for designations to other agencies remain the same. Designations are allowed to 501(c)(3) agencies in the Omaha metro area whose primary mission is providing health and social services.

Whom do I contact, if I want to volunteer for work at a local nonprofit?

The Volunteer Resource Center is a United Way-funded program that coordinates volunteer opportunities at dozens of organizations throughout the community. For more information, simply call (402) 342-LINK. Or, click here to see current volunteer opportunities.

What is United Way of America?

United Way of America is a national service association created to serve independent, local United Ways by providing necessary services at a very low cost. These services include training for staff and volunteers, national publicity, campaign materials, and program and service data. United Way of America does not set policy for United Way of the Midlands or any of the other locally-governed United Ways across the country. All policy decisions are made by local volunteers who serve on each United Way's board of directors.

How much should I give?

How much you give is a personal decision. However, for your convenience, pledge cards provide a suggested giving guide that is based on personal income.

My spouse and I want to give to the campaign. How do we determine the amount to contribute?

Your gift, and your spouse’s gift, are based on your individual incomes. Both of your gifts are important to the campaign. You might consider combining them. If they total $1,000 or more, you and your spouse would be recognized as members of the Bridgebuilders Society, which was formed to help bridge the gap between the increasing needs in our community and available services.

Who decides which services to fund? 

United Way researches our community's needs, then identifies the best local programs to meet those needs. The programs selected make up the United Way Community Care Fund, and United Way monitors those programs to be sure they are as effective as possible. To that end, United Way of the Midlands' partner agencies now keep close track of their program 'outcomes.' This measurement is much more than a 'head count' of the clients served; the outcomes track the actual progress made in people's lives. Volunteers, from all walks of life, help United Way make sure the community's most urgent needs are being met. In addition to the programs in the Community Care Fund, United Way's partners, old and new, are helping United Way build bold new initiatives, to address the underlying causes of these hardships, so fewer people find themselves in need in the future. (Visit the "Our Community" section to learn more about these programs and initiatives.)

Does my gift stay in this community?

All money contributed to and distributed through the United Way of the Midlands Community Care Fund (citizen review process) stays here in our community. Contributors to the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) may choose to direct their gifts to organizations inside and outside the community.

Will I ever use United Way of the Midlands programs?

United Way of the Midlands funded programs help everyone. It is a popular misconception that only the jobless and truly “at risk” seek help from United Way affiliated agencies. Working people have problems and needs too – marital problems, alcohol and drug abuse problems, troubled teens, health issues and aging parents – United Way affiliated agencies provide programs and services to address those needs.

It is very frustrating for individuals who need a specific service and are not able to find it. United Way of the Midlands partner agencies cannot always provide the help requested, but will do everything they can to help people identify resources that do exist. In fact, the campaign supports the “2-1-1” call center, an information and referral line that helps connect people to available services.  All Nebraskans can dial 2-1-1 now. Our neighbors in these Iowa counties also have 2-1-1 access: Pottawattamie, Harrison, Mills, Shelby, Cass, Fremont, Page and Montgomery Counties. 2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's free and confidential.
Spanish language service is available, along with 153 other languages.

What are the IRS receipting requirements?

Prior to January 31, 2011, United Way of the Midlands will automatically issue an acknowledgment, or receipt, for all check contributions of $250 or more received in 2010. For individuals who contribute through payroll deduction, they may get substantiation from the employer as to what was deducted and remitted by the employer. Since United Way does not have information regarding payroll-deduction contributors, it cannot verify those contributions.

NOTE:
If donors plan to itemize charitable gifts on their tax returns, they will now be required to provide a gift statement from the receiving organization for all donations, no matter their size. As always, a cancelled check or a receipt for a cash gift should suffice.

But payroll deduction givers now will be required to provide 2 documents:
1- The employee’s year-end pay stub, Form W-2 or other official employer document that shows the amount withheld during the tax year for payment to the charity           - and -
2- A pledge card or other document that shows the name of the recipient organization and the statement that there was no exchange of goods or services in return for the donation.

TO SATISFY REQUIREMENT #2:
United Way of the Midlands has created a document your payroll deduction givers can use to meet the IRS standards. It can be easily downloaded here on our website.

Can a gift of stock be accepted as a donation, and what are the stock contribution procedures?

Under current IRS regulations, gifts of publicly traded stock are deductible at the full market value of the stock on the day on which you make the contribution.

Why donate stock?

It is advantageous for donors to pay their contribution with certain stocks because they receive an income tax deduction for the entire fair market value of the stock without having to pay any capital gains tax on the appreciation (difference between their basis in the stock and its fair market value). In order to qualify for the full deduction, IRS regulations require that the donor must have owned the stock for a period long enough to classify any gain on its disposition as a long-term capital gain rather than ordinary income or short-term capital gain.


How is a stock contribution done?

When making the pledge: When filling out the pledge card, the donor should be sure to mark the payment type labeled “direct bill” or “stock contribution”.  This sets up the donor’s account to receive payment through a method other than payroll deduction.  Please contact United Way of the Midlands by phone at (402) 522-7942 for more information on this procedure.

What documentation do I need for the tax deduction on a stock contribution?

Per IRS regulations, the charitable organization is not supposed to provide a valuation for stock contributions. However, the organization is required to provide a receipt which provides a detailed description of the gift, the date the gift was received, and that no goods or services were provided in exchange for the gift. These receipts are usually sent out in January each year. The donor’s broker can provide a market valuation of the stock on the day it was transferred. These two documents combined provide adequate documentation to support the deduction.

Who should I call if I have questions about donating stock?

Please dial (402) 522-7942 or e-mail the Administration and Finance Department.


Should a donor feel pressure to give?

The Board of Directors of United Way of the Midlands believes that the most responsive contributors are those who have the opportunity to become informed and involved. Well-planned campaigns, with an effective communications program conducted by committed volunteers, will ensure responsive contributors. Pressuring individuals to give is an undesirable substitute for this education process and hurts both the potential contributor and our cause. For more information, call (402) 522-7914 or e-mail the Campaign Department.

Is United Way of the Midlands registered with organizations that monitor nonprofit groups?

Information on United Way of the Midlands, including the most recent Form 990, is available on Guidestar. To visit Guidestar click here.