Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$9,538,507

Total expenses

$12,941,051

Contributions and grants received

$8,876,231

Grants paid

$7,571,072

Program service revenue

$216,917

Investment income

$445,359

Other revenue

$0

Total assets, end of year

$20,211,678

Total liabilities, end of year

$3,976,885

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$16,234,793

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$10,353,797

Management and general expenses

$1,373,676

Fundraising expenses

$1,213,578

Program service expenses (Part III)

$10,353,797

Program services were 80.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• Goal 1: Give kids a strong start. Children will lead our communities tomorrow and we need them healthy, educated, and resilient. It takes all of us working to ensure that even the youngest children in Southern Maine have a strong start so they read at grade level in third grade. We know that until third grade, children are learning to read. After third grade, they are reading to learn. It is critical to their lifelong success. Success Measurement: By 2027, reduce the reading proficiency gap to no more than 10 percentage points between all third-grade students and students who have not fared as well. UWSM funding that supports Goal 1 enabled, among other things: - $330,400 invested in community schools with wraparound services, and high quality before/after school programming- $179,000 invested in preschool and early childhood education programs.- 8 new child care entrepreneurs graduated from the Child Care Incubator Program.- Supported two First4ME pilot sites to ensure child care providers have the resources they need to provide high-quality programming.- 700+ hours spent reading with children through UWSM's Volunteer Reader Program. Additionally, United Way of Southern Maine leads the following collaborative efforts toward this goal such as: - Emerging Leaders United of Southern Maine is a community of driven professionals from diverse backgrounds and careers who are committed to equipping young people with skills, solutions and resources for the future. Through volunteerism and financial support, members invest in programs that build a better tomorrow for students in Southern Maine while strengthening their network and creating lasting community connections. Emerging Leaders United currently invests in three unique Southern Maine programs: Our Place Portland, Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine, and Portland Community Squash. Together, these programs address critical child care and learning opportunity gaps by focusing on providing enriching after school experiences that center on individualized tutoring, STEM exposure, and wellness activities to Southern Maine students and families who need them most.- The Child Care Incubator is an innovative partnership between United Way of Southern Maine, Coastal Enterprises Inc., Southern Maine Workforce Initiative, and Portland ConnectED-Starting Strong. The goal of the program is to support program participants in launching their child care businesses through partnerships with local corporations, housing authorities, and community partners. Program participants receive individualized case management and wrap around support, as well as structured learning opportunities through CEI's ongoing coursework to become licensed child care providers. The goal of the program is to increase access to affordable, high-quality early learning opportunities for Southern Maine residents by investing in entrepreneurs passionate about working with children.- Biddeford Ready! (BR!) is a collective impact project developed to address school readiness in children 0-5 in Biddeford. BR! has three areas of focus: 1) access to quality early learning opportunities, 2) increased awareness of the importance of school readiness, and 3) identification and mitigation of the impacts of adverse childhood experiences. UWSM serves as the backbone of this collective impact project.

  Expenses $919,592 · Grants $619,088

• Goal 2: Empower neighbors to thrive - not just survive. When people have the educational and employment opportunities to become financially stable, they can pay their rent on time and put food on the table. They are also better able to save for emergencies, buy a house, pay for college, and save for retirement. This is why we work together to ensure more individuals and families in Southern Maine are more financially secure through improved education and employment opportunities. Success Measurement: By 2027, 70% of households pay less than 30% of their income on housing. UWSM funding that supports Goal 2 enabled, among other things: - 698 households moved from homelessness to safe housing.- 1,425 households accessed or maintained resources to stay sheltered and safe. - Advocated for Housing First Programs, affordable housing, free community college, student loan repayment assistance, emergency heating assistance, and free tax assistance. - In 2024, CA$H Greater Portland served over 700 households returning over $1.3 million to taxpayers in State and Federal returns and saved filing fees. This included 137 households receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit. The average adjusted gross income of CA$H clients was $23,607.Additionally, United Way of Southern Maine leads the following collaborative efforts toward this goal such as: - Women United, an individual giving group of UWSM, invests donor contributions into local programs that advance single mothers and their families through comprehensive support designed to move them toward financial stability. Investments include (1) Anchoring Youth to Succeed Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine and A Company of Girls. Afterschool program with wraparound services for Project WIN children and neighborhood youth. (2) MomCore York County Community Action Corporation. Targeted coaching program focused on improving financial knowledge and household stability. (3) Mothers Thriving New Ventures Maine. Flexible, six-session class series, group support, and coaching to build confidence and skills. (4) Project HOME Trust Quality Housing Coalition. Direct cash assistance, individualized skill building, and peer-to-peer support. (5) Project WIN (Women in Neighborhoods) The Opportunity Alliance. Gathers single mothers in a cohort and provides an evidence-based coaching model to help them identify and pursue goals for their families. - United Way of Southern Maine serves as the backbone for the Southern Maine Workforce Initiative (SMWI). SMWI is a collective impact collaborative that builds on the existing work and experience of 26 community organizations and connects with the public workforce system to address workforce development issues from both sides of the spectrum, creating a dual pipeline that aligns with the needs of jobseekers and employers. Serving Cumberland and York Counties, SMWI is a vital resource ensuring access to educational and employment opportunities for those who face the greatest barriers to entering or remaining in employment. Alongside our partners, SMWI has developed innovative solutions including The Bridge Program, a customized training program that combines industry-specific programming with comprehensive support services to remove barriers for individuals entering high-demand career fields such as healthcare and child care. Participants experienced decreased barriers to training and employment, gained knowledge of career pathways, earned recognized credentials, increased income, and gained access to employment benefits and job retention supports.- United Way of Southern Maine serves as the administrator for the Local Boards of the federal Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) for Cumberland and York Counties. This program is designed to help communities respond to local emergency food and shelter needs. EFSP funds help local existing programs, such as food pantries and shelters, expand their capacity to serve those in need. Local funding decisions are made by the Local Board, which sets priorities, advertises the availability of funds, makes funding recommendations, and provides technical support to recipient organizations throughout the grant period. In FY 24, EFSP Phase 40 was released and provided $84,164 for Cumberland County and $62,385 for York County.

  Expenses $1,271,314 · Grants $876,325

• Goal 3: Help us all live longer, better lives. Today, too many lives are cut short due to barriers to health, such as untreated mental health issues and substance use disorder. This is why we work to ensure that everyone in Southern Maine has opportunities to live healthier lives to reduce preventable premature death. Success Measurement: By 2027, reduce preventable premature deaths by 10%. UWSM funding that supports Goal 3 enabled, among other things: - The opioid epidemic continues to ravage Southern Maine. In 2024 there were 490 overdose deaths across the state and 147 overdose deaths in Southern Maine. This represents a 19% decrease in overdose deaths from the previous year. This is the largest reduction in overdose deaths the state has seen in years. This reduction can be attributed to the prevalence of harm reduction supplies like naloxone and test strips, as well as greater access to and awareness of recovery resources. UWSM has contributed to this effort by establishing itself as a naloxone distribution site and targeting rural communities for naloxone training. UWSM staff have trained 100 people in overdose recognition and naloxone administration and distributed over 300 doses of naloxone to libraries, food panties, businesses, and recreation departments in Southern Maine.- 364 youth received support and services to heal from trauma and abuse.- Based on UWSM's ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) data, we know that 38% of households in Southern Maine are struggling to make ends meet. This means making tough financial choices about bills to pay each month. These decisions can be tough to handle mentally and emotionally, and in addition we know that 46% of adults in Maine who needed mental health care did not access it because of the cost. Through our community grant process, UWSM invested over $300,000 in nine programs to increase access and reduce barriers to behavioral health services in southern Maine.- 6,400 referrals to mental health and addiction resources in Southern Maine by UWSM supported 211 Maine. UWSM is proud to partner with United Ways of Maine and the State of Maine to provide free and confidential connections to local services including domestic violence, addiction treatment, health care, mental health resources, and financial assistance through the 211 program.

  Expenses $1,061,965 · Grants $788,421

• - 211 Maine is a free, confidential program that provides information and referrals to people of all ages across Maine to local services that help them meet their basic needs. 211 Maine is based in Maine and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by phone, text, and online. 211 Maine helps people find information for resources across health and human services, including heating and utilities assistance, access to food pantries, housing and shelter, and mental health services through a toll-free telephone number (211), a text option (898-211), and a robust online directory at www.211Maine.org. 211 Maine is a partnership of the United Ways of Maine, the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and The Opportunity Alliance as the contact center partner. Last year, 211 Maine Specialists fielded approximately 75,053 calls, texts, and emails, providing information and referral services, as well as operating specialized initiatives like the Opiate Helpline, Gambling Helpline, and fielding general questions about Maine's COVID-19 situation. 211 Maine provides emergency operations support during times of natural and other disasters, including assisting Maine Emergency Management Agency to field calls from those impacted by windstorms and floods and collect data to inform severity and locations of need, and direct people looking for local heating shelters or cooling centers. - Keep ME Warm is a statewide partnership of the seven United Ways in Maine and the ten Community Action Agencies (CAPs) to raise funds to supplement fuel assistance programs in Maine. Keep ME Warm is the only statewide fuel assistance fundraising effort in the state. United Way of Southern Maine is the custodian of the Keep ME Warm Fund and is responsible for collecting, distributing, and reporting. Funds contributed to the Keep ME Warm Fund are distributed based on a formula developed by United Ways in Maine and CAPs based on federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) distribution percentages and population. CAPs receive 50% of the funds, United Ways receive 25%, and 211 Maine receives 25% to fund emergency overnight assistance through 211 Maine. Donations to Keep ME Warm Fund provide emergency heating assistance. CAPs use the funds to help households that might not be eligible for limited federal, state or local fuel assistance programs. United Way funds support additional organizations and agencies in their communities that can help those in need of fuel assistance. 211 Maine aids in the distribution of funds for statewide overnight emergency fuel assistance for people who have no heat and have children or elderly family members in their household. More than $510,000 was raised for heating assistance through Keep ME Warm last year. United Way of Southern Maine estimates that more than 1,200 households were helped.- Designations are donor-directed contributions to health and human service organizations. Donors to United Way of Southern Maine's campaign may direct all or a portion of their contribution to specific nonprofit agencies that provide health and human services. Each agency's nonprofit 501(c)(3) status and compliance with the USA Patriot Act is verified before funds are distributed.- Volunteers play a vital role in improving people's lives and in helping United Way of Southern Maine reach our organizational goals. We know meaningful community solutions require more than just money, programs, or policies. The kind of real and lasting change that benefits everyone is only possible when people from all walks of life are willing to roll up their sleeves and go where their time and talent is most needed. United Way of Southern Maine is helping to support Thrive2027's (our community's commitment to three 10-year, community-wide goals, www.Thrive2027.org) success by guiding its vision and strategy, aligning partners, and sharing best practices. United Way of Southern Maine puts people at the heart of transforming their communities by calling on them to utilize their full range of assets - time, talent, and treasure. We believe volunteer efforts are the backbone of the community and strengthen the connections that create positive changes that benefit everyone. They help build the capacity of local non-profit agencies by enhancing and expanding the agency services to meet community needs. United Way of Southern Maine works with our corporate partners and others in the community to identify and recruit volunteers to fill identified needs in our schools and local nonprofits. These volunteer opportunities include readers, tax preparers, skills-based volunteers, and volunteers who are responsible for evaluating and decision-making recommendations for our community grants/investments. Through a collaborative effort with the United Ways in Maine, United Way of Southern Maine offers a statewide, searchable listing of volunteer opportunities at https://uwsme.galaxydigital.com/. This valuable tool allows organizations to post volunteer opportunities and individuals to perform a customized search. In addition to hosting and administering the site, we offer technical support to volunteers and non-profit organizations. United Way of Southern Maine organizes a variety of community events, including an annual food drive, Day of Action, literacy and meal kit assembly projects, and custom volunteer projects for corporate partners. In fiscal year 2024, 2,498 volunteers participated in custom volunteer projects or sat on United Way of Southern Maine committees and cabinets such the community investment committees, Resource Development cabinet, and many more.

  Expenses $7,100,926 · Grants $5,287,238 · Revenue $216,917

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• City of Portland

  $1,375,228

  Community Investment

• Catholic Charities Maine

  $780,275

  Community Investment, Donor Designations

• Preble Street

  $604,464

  Community Investment, Donor Designations

• The Opportunity Alliance

  $386,458

  Community Investment, Heating Assistance, Donor Designations

• 2-1-1 Maine Inc

  $207,925

  Community Investment

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine

  $203,455

  Community Investment, Donor Designations

• Maine Immigrants Rights Coalition

  $199,793

  Community Investment

• Day One

  $194,303

  Community Investment, Donor Designations

• Children's Odyssey

  $185,477

  Community Investment

• Youth & Family Outreach

  $158,619

  Community Investment, Donor Designations

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• 211 Maine Inc

  501(c)(3) · Health and human service information and referral service · ME · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by United Way Inc

• Joseph How Charitable Trust

  501(c)(3) · Trust · RI · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by United Way Inc

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

6 May 2025

IRS schema version

2023v6.0

Source object

202511329349300206

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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