Tulsa Area United Way (TAUW) unites people and resources to improve lives and strengthen our communities. To do this, TAUW — with thousands of individual donors and companies — raises more than $25 million each year to support innovation grants, collaborative initiatives, shared technology services, and human services organizations. This means 160+ programs within Tulsa, Creek, Rogers, Okmulgee, Osage, and Wagoner counties empower a community working together to ensure that all of its members flourish and thrive.  

Mission

Tulsa Area United Way unites people and resources to improve lives and strengthen our communities.

Vision

TAUW envisions a community working together to ensure that all of its members flourish and thrive.

2023 TAUW GOALS

1. Grow revenue to fund complex community needs in a changing workforce and philanthropic landscape:
– Implement year-round fundraising plan
– Improve and execute donor-relationship strategies
– Capture & capitalize on new diverse revenue streams

2. Complete a thorough assessment and strategic technology plan, investing for data-informed fundraising, contributions, volunteerism, and operations.

3. Progress as a high-performing, diverse and inclusive workplace:
– Design and build a dynamic organizational structure, attracting and retaining the right people in the right seats
– Cultivate a solutions-oriented and growth mindset through a culture that embraces change, continuous learning, and professional development.

4. Provide philanthropic leadership to strengthen a thriving nonprofit community and volunteer network
– Collaboratively address urgent community challenges
– Create world-class experiences to educate and engage diverse stakeholders across generations
– Provide access to high-quality data and research

5. Energize the community in transformational Centennial 2024 plans, telling our story and defining pathways that strengthen our impact and ensure our value into the next century.

Core Values

We Live United by:

  • Strengthening the community through collaboration and compassion
  • Embracing opportunities in a changing environment
  • Serving as exceptional stewards of community resources with the highest ethics, transparency, and integrity
  • Solving problems with innovation, energy, and belief in a better future
  • Advocating respect to create inclusive communities

THREE UNIQUE QUALITIES 

  1. We are stewards of a trusted, robust volunteer­ led process to assess and invest in community needs for equitable and accountable distribution of funds. 
  1. We leverage an expansive network to bring people together and solve complex problems grounded in innovation and hope. 
  1. We annually raise millions of dollars through a diversified donor base of individuals, businesses, and foundations throughout our six-county region 

PROVEN PRIMARY PROCESSES: 

  • Community investment process that provides sustainable and accountable funding of partner nonprofits, Collaboration Grants, and Social Innovation Grants 
  • Annual Campaign with award-winning marketing strategy, year-round donor recognition, and community education events 
  • Volunteer Impact via Day of Caring events and Affinity Groups 
  • Crisis Response 
  • Partner Nonprofit Capacity-Building and Support 

 
THREE FUNDING STREAMS 

  1. Sustainability  
    Funding through partner nonprofits to provide 160+ programs serving in the areas of education, financial stability and health and safety. 
  1. Collaboration  
    Grants through partnerships across nonprofits and municipalities to address entrenched social problems. 
  1. Innovation  
    Grants that test creative new approaches to make a significant difference 
     

TAUW’s VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY 

As a part of the TAUW mission & vision, we set a High Level of Due Diligence, Assessment and Accountability 

  • Each year, more than 180 TAUW volunteers spend 5,000 hours evaluating partner nonprofits’ audits, budgets and programs to maximize the impact of donations. Additionally, TAUW assists partner nonprofits with volunteer recruitment, training, and management. 

Gathers and Mobilizes Nonprofits to Address Community Emergencies 

  • Tulsa Area United Way mobilizes a wide variety of organizations to prevent or respond to major community challenges. Without this strong coordination, private foundations could be inundated with a barrage of duplicative requests during a crisis. 

Provides Social Innovations Grants 

  • The grants allow organizations to incubate initiatives and bring new strategies to Tulsa and the surrounding area that work elsewhere and can potentially make a positive impact locally. 

Provides Community Collaborations 

  • Through our Community Collaborations initiative, Tulsa Area United Way involves local non-profit organizations (including non-partner nonprofits), businesses, foundations, and government agencies in collaborative efforts to address complex challenges.   
  • Tulsa Area United Way is a leader in improving the way data is collected and analyzed to address needs and communicate services available in a way that is reflective and inclusive of our communities’ diversity. 

Join us and Live United today!

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