PLATINUM2021

United Way of Yellowstone County Inc

Give. Advocate. Volunteer.

Billings, MT   |  www.unitedwayyellowstone.org

Mission

United Way of Yellowstone County is the primary community-building organization in South Central Montana. We provide leadership to effectively mobilize people and financial and strategic resources to improve people's lives. We identify and address the community's priority needs and provide solutions that achieve measurable results and sustained community change. With funding provided through grants and private contributions to the community care fund, United Way of Yellowstone County administers programs, and partners with other agencies on projects, that directly benefit individuals and families that live in our community.

Ruling year info

1961

President and CEO

Mrs. Kim Lewis

Main address

2173 Overland Avenue

Billings, MT 59102 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

81-0287507

NTEE code info

(Fund Raising Organizations That Cross Categories includes Community Funds/Trusts and Federated Giving Programs) e.g. United Way) (T70)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Register now

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

To respond to the changing environment, United Way of Yellowstone County (UWYC) has transformed from primarily a fund raising and allocating organization to an organization that is committed to achieving significant community impact, through an integrated model of community development and resource development strategies.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

School Success

Helping Children and Youth Achieve Their Potential
Children are able to grow physically, emotionally, socially, intellectually to their potential by having:
• On-going relationships with caring adults;
• Safe places and activities, especially during non-school hours, where young people can learn and grow;
• Effective Education
• Opportunities to give back to the community through service.
• Are healthy and avoid risky behaviors

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Where we work

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Average number of service recipients per month

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adolescents, Children, Infants and toddlers, Preteens

Related Program

School Success

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of youth who have a positive adult role model

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Preteens, Adolescents

Related Program

School Success

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of clients who report that services/supports are available when needed, even in a crisis

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Age groups

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Engagement - Build Relationships, Drive Impact, Generate Revenue Creating a Modern United Way Volunteer Journey.
Operations & Capacity - Take care of UWYC’s People and Grow the Organization’s Internal Infrastructure and Capacity.
Resource Development - Increase Financial Sustainability & Storytelling.
Impact - Identify and address community needs through grant funding, programs, and coalitions.

See attached strategic plan.

In 1961, a group of community leaders gathered because they wanted to do something more for our community. Before United Way of Yellowstone County existed, there were two important organizations that served as the foundation and inspiration: The Billings Community Chest and United Neighbors of Greater Billings.

Over the course of six decades, United Way of Yellowstone County has invested more than $47 million to our community in the form of allocations, designations, grants, and most recently, immediate need grants in response to COVID-19.

The impact we’ve made together—and will continue to make for generations to come—is a reflection of the strength of our partnerships and our dedication to making a positive impact on every person who lives, works, and plays in Yellowstone County. Our priority areas continue to be a staple of our community—crisis stability, school readiness and success, and senior independence.

We created a triennial strategic plan that launched 7/1/2021.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    United Way of Yellowstone County serves all people. People who face oppression as a result of culture, geography, genetics, economy and environment, and for those who also endure judgement and systemic oppression that comes with other marginalized identities.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes, Community meetings/Town halls,

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    Through backboning the Continuum of Care Coalition, we were able to bring together the right people at the right time to launch a low barrier shelter.

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,

  • How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?

    It allows us to modify our programing and responding to emerging community need.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

United Way of Yellowstone County Inc
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more about GuideStar Pro.

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

United Way of Yellowstone County Inc

Board of directors
as of 09/10/2021
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Katie Edwards

Western Security Bank

Term: 2021 - 2022

Bret Rutherford

Yellowstone County

Brenda Koch

Billings School District 2

Kristie Jessup

Community Volunteer

Matt Schafer

MK Weeden Construction Inc.

Pete Buchanan

Montana Campus Compact

Craig Burke

Entre Technology

Theresa Hinz

Phillips 66

Shawn Hinz

RiverStone Health

Robbie Neihart

Performance Engineering

Pete Philippi

Scheels

Jill Quade

ExxonMobil

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 9/10/2021

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 09/10/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.