2022-23 Agency Certification Application
Become a Certified United Way Partner

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The application for 2022-23 United Way California Capital Region (UWCCR) certification is CLOSED. 

To be considered as a certified agency with UWCCR, you must meet the following requirements: 

  • You must be a valid 501(c)3 nonprofit with at least two years of financial records. Go here to check your status.
  • Be in good standing with the California State Registry of Charitable Trusts to operate or solicit for charitable purposes in California. An unregistered charity or a registered charity that is delinquent, suspended or revoked is not in good standing. (Gov. Code, § 12599.6, subd. (f)(1); Cal. Code Regs., tit 11, § 999.9.4). Go here to check your status.
  • Provide health or human service activities/programs in United Way’s catchment area: Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties.

A charity that is not in compliance with the registration and reporting requirements listed above, your organization will not be certified. United Way will also review the financial health of an organization as part of the review process. 

BENEFITS TO BEING A UNITED WAY CALIFORNIA CAPITAL REGION PARTNER AGENCY

United Way California Capital Region strives to offer nonprofit partner organizations maximum value for participation in our network. This quick start guide is intended to help you understand all that United Way benefits and requirements.

Partner Eligibility

United Way California Capital Region nonprofit partners must meet a strict set of eligibility criteria annually. This provides assurance to our donors, sponsors and supporters that United Way’s nonprofit partner organizations meet the highest standards of financial transparency and accountability. All United Way California Capital Region partners are locally-based, 501c(3) nonprofit organizations with at least two years of financial records, providing health or human service activities/programs in United Way’s 5 county region: Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties.

 You must also be in good standing with the California State Registry of Charitable Trusts to operate or solicit for charitable purposes in California. An unregistered charity or a registered charity that is delinquent, suspended or revoked is not in good standing. (Gov. Code, § 12599.6, subd. (f)(1); Cal. Code Regs., tit 11, § 999.9.4). Go here to check your status.

Partner Term

Our campaign/partnership year runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 and the application process begins in December. This annual renewal requirement aligns with the application timeline of the State Employees Charitable Campaign, Our Promise Campaign. With over 280,000 employees this is one of the largest employee giving campaigns in California and the United States.

By applying for United Way, you will not need to submit an application for the Our Promise Charitable Campaign. 

Partner Benefits

As a nonprofit partner of United Way California Capital Region, you have access to funding opportunities, resources for outreach and promotion, and learning opportunities to help you support your mission, garner new advocates and increase your effectiveness in our community.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Partnering with United Way California Capital Region gives your nonprofit access to funding through workplace giving campaigns. 

Workplace Giving

We facilitate workplace campaigns all around the region. Through these campaigns, state, municipal and corporate employees have the opportunity to designate their payroll-deducted donations to nonprofit organizations of their choosing. Workplace fundraising can be an important piece of an organization’s overall fund development strategy.

Workplace giving provides unrestricted funds. We raise millions of dollars each year for our partners through our workplace campaigns, where donors are able to designate their payroll-deducted contributions directly to individual nonprofit organizations. 

Corporate Giving 

Locally, United Way works with 300+ companies helping their employees participate in philanthropy through their workplace campaigns, volunteer opportunities, and outreach. If your organization’s application for partnership is accepted, our experienced team will then work to include you in those campaigns.  

Our Promise, California State Employee Campaign

If you meet all eligibility requirements, United Way will apply on your behalf to the Our Promise Campaign, an annual workplace giving campaign among more than 280,000 employees who donate millions of dollars each year to nonprofits. 

OUTREACH AND PROMOTION

We provide resources and opportunities for promotion and outreach to help spread the message about the good work of your organization, engage potential donors and recruit volunteers. Also, you are encouraged to utilize the United Way brand, which is one of the most recognized nonprofit brands in the world.

Nonprofit Outreach Program 

Speaking to potential supporters is one of the best ways to advance your mission in our community. United Way provides opportunities for our partners to do just that. Our corporate community partners and the state workplaces are interested in hearing directly from our partner nonprofit organizations. In addition to speaking engagements, nonprofit fairs also take place during the campaign season and provide you the opportunity to speak one-on-one with potential donors about the great work you do. 

Volunteer Placement & Partner Tours 

Through an online volunteer center, United Way organizes volunteer opportunities for different groups, including employees at workplace campaign sites, leadership donors and other groups. This program connects willing community partners with volunteer opportunities at your organization and is a great way to cultivate supporters and advocates for your mission.

Social Network

Join our social network. United Way has a large and active social media audience.  Follow us on Twitter at @unitedwayccr, Intagram at @unitedwayccr and follow us on Facebook at @UnitedWayCCR.

Social media is a great way to stay connected and is a key part of how we communicate and engage with our supporters and community partners. Our nonprofit partners are encouraged to share their activities, successes and events with us. Interact with us often and share what’s going on with your organization, and we’ll be able to amplify your stories. United Way is committed to sharing news with our supporters; therefore, we ask for your help in sharing our news with the people in your social networks as well.

Materials

As a certified partner with United Way, your nonprofit listing is featured on our website and the Our Promise CA State Employees Campaign website. Your information is also listed on materials that are distributed to thousands of donors through our workplace campaigns. 

Impact Story Submission

Send us your stories about how you have changed lives in the community. The most compelling cases for charitable giving demonstrate real transformations in people’s lives. Show us how your organization has improved people’s lives. Your stories will be shared through United Way’s owned media channels including our website and social media giving your organization additional exposure. To submit a story, email impact@uwccr.org.

Community Event

Partners have the opportunity to participate in community events powered by United Way. 

Applying the age-old adage that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, United Way facilitates collaborative Community Impact events throughout the capital region to address specific needs around our key impact areas of education, financial stability, and health. By pooling resources and expertise from our partners and other key community partners, we can all make a greater difference. 

Use of the United Way California Capital Region Brand

Tell the community that you are a “Proud Partner” of one of the most valued brands in the world. The “Proud Partner” logo could be displayed on all of the following items and be clearly visible:

  • Website
  • Brochures and promotional materials
  • E-newsletters
  • Entrance to all facilities
AGENCY APPLICATION

Thank you for your interest in becoming a certified nonprofit. Please fill out the application below.

AGENCY DATA

(If name differs from what appears on IRS determination letter, IRS Form 990 or audited financial statements, official documentation from the IRS or state government authorizing use of this name must accompany the application including EIN.

Select Applicable Option(s)

Combined Federal Campaign 

*If you are interested in being certified for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), please go to https://cfccharities.opm.gov and fill out the Independent Charity Application. United Way California Capital Region no longer acts as a federation for the CFC. By applying as an independent charity to participate in the CFC on your own behalf, you will receive designations directly from the CFC administrative agency.
 

Agency Contact Information

Note: This is how it will appear in the campaign brochure.

Certification Contact
Primary Agency Contact – The individual whom emails, notifications, and any requests should go to if approved.
President, CEO or Executive Director
Organization Information
25-Word Statement

Below, please write a statement in 25 words or less that describe the organization’s program activities. The statement should not repeat the organization’s name. Please type carefully, this information will be published exactly as it appears below.           

Categories

Each organization can identify up to three categories, in priority order, which most closely identify the type of mission, services, and activities provided. 

CATEGORIES
Civil Rights
Community Improvement
Education
Environment
Health
Human Services
Senior Citizens

United Way requires potential agency partners to provide their overhead rate. The most common method to calculate this rate is to rely on information from federal Form 990, the form which nonprofits are required to submit annually to the IRS.

On Form 990 all expenses must be classified into three types:

  • Program Services expenses
  • Management & General expenses
  • Fundraising expenses

Overhead is calculated by adding Management & General expenses to Fundraising expenses, then dividing by total expenses.

For example:

  • Program Service $80,000
  • Management & General $15,000
  • Fundraising $5,000
  • Total $100,000

Management & General + Fundraising = $20,000.
Divided into $100,000, the overhead is 20% of the total.

Using this calculation what is your agency overhead rate?

%
Program Information

(Provide approximate numbers, If N/A, place a “0″ in the box)

Campaign Data
Conditions for Approval

By signing this application, the participating charitable organization agrees to the following conditions:

  1. Your organization is a valid 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with at least two years of financial records.
  2. I certify that my agency is in good standing with California State Registry of Charitable Trusts to operate or to solicit for charitable purposes.
  3. After careful review of the instructions, I have completed the application and to the best of our knowledge, all of the answers are true, correct and complete.

By typing your name in the box above, you are providing a digital signature that affirms the accuracy of the information provided within this application.