Unite!

Tulsa Area United Way Announces Largest Campaign in its History

The Tulsa Area United Way raised a record-shattering $25,575,522 during its 2012 campaign - the highest total in its 88-year history.
 
The largest-ever campaign was announced before more than 300 guests at the Unite! celebration on Thursday, Nov. 8.
 
The total amount raised exceeded this year's campaign goal of $24,900,000 by more than $675,000 and was well above the all-time fundraising record of $25,025,000, set 10 years ago.
 
"We made history tonight," Mark Graham, President and CEO, told cheering guests at the event. "Each and every one of you helped us reach this milestone. Tulsans have once again demonstrated their generosity and concern for their community."
 
All funds raised above the goal will be invested back into the community, Graham said.

This year's campaign was one for the record books, including the most amount of money raised by the Trailblazers - companies and organizations that conducted early campaigns during the summer.

"The Trailblazers got us off to a great start, setting the tone and providing momentum for the campaign, raising $4,417,368," said Chet Cadieux, CEO of QuikTrip, who served as campaign chair.

This year's campaign kicked off before more than 20,000 football fans at the MidFirst Backyard Bowl between Jenks and Union High Schools on Aug. 31, another first for the Tulsa Area United Way.

The campaign was energized by seven challenge grants offered by local individuals, foundations and corporations - the most in the history of the Tulsa Area United Way.

The challenge grants provided dollar-for-dollar matching opportunities for many contributors, doubling new and increased gifts by small businesses, medium-sized businesses, leadership donors who give $500 or more annually, foundations and members of the United Way's Women's Leadership Council and Alexis de Tocqueville Society.

"The challenge grants helped us leverage the campaign and provide our donors with a unique opportunity to double the size of their gifts," Cadieux said.

Several companies and organizations conducted record campaigns for the United Way, and many others posted significant increases over last year, he said. However, individuals make up more than 65 percent of all gifts to the Tulsa Area United Way.

The Tulsa Area United Way's 61 partner agencies raised a record $850,970 and the Tulsa Area United Way posted a record $134,000 for its own employee campaign, helping the local United Way to rank first among its peers nationally in giving by non-profit organizations.

"Our local United Way, its partner agencies and other non-profit organizations in the Tulsa area really walk the walk and support our community," Cadieux said.

The Tulsa Area United Way conducts the largest campaign of any of its peer organizations nationally. The Tulsa Area United Way also attracts more support from small businesses than any of its peers. In addition, the Tulsa Area United Way has the third lowest overhead among all 1,200 United Way organizations in the nation.

Funding for the Tulsa Area United Way's partner agencies as a result of this year's campaign will begin in January.

Unite! was held in the lobby of the historic 624 Boston Building, formerly the ONG Building in downtown Tulsa. The Hille Foundation provided the United Way with space for the event. Flying Colors, a Tulsa video production firm, provided a series of videos for this year's campaign, including a video to announce the campaign's final amount.

The 2012 Unite! event was sponsored by our Local Labor Unions: