Frequently Asked Questions
| What is the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore, and how is it different from United Way Worldwide? |
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United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore (UWLES) is a member of the United Way Worldwide network, which provides critical cost saving services, support, advertising and brand recognition. UWLES is an independent, local, non-profit organization. Our independence allows us to focus our efforts on the critical needs of the counties we serve (Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester and Somerset) with access to Health, Education and Financial Stability resources.
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| Who is the United Way's team comprised of? |
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UWLES is governed by a local volunteer Board of Directors who represent all communities served on the Eastern Shore. Meet the 2020-2021 Board of Directors at www.uwles.org/board
For day to day activities such as fundraising, optimizing stewardship of all donations, supporting volunteer activities, producing information and materials, processing campaign pledges, recruiting and training
volunteers, and planning special events is handled by a small professional staff located in the Salisbury
office. Meet UWLES Staff at www.uwles.org/staff
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| Where does my contribution go? |
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All contributions are designated in one of three ways:
1. The General Impact Fund, where funds are distributed to programs through approved partner agencies based on need.
2. For a contribution of $100 or more, a donor can specify which of the approved partners they would like to designate their gift to.
3. A benefit of being a member of United Way Worldwide is that we have a reciprocal program allowing our donors to contribute to any other United Way, and allow those not living local to donate to us.
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| How does United Way decide how much to distribute to each agency? |
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UWLES has a Community Impact Committee comprised of local volunteers who annual analyze each agency’s funding requests, annual budgets, programs, and efficiency in meeting local needs. Upon reviewing the agencies’ written requests for funding, they go to each agency for a site visit. Funds are then distributed to the approved partner agency programs based on the campaign dollars raised.
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| What is United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore's overhead cost? |
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United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore’s administrative/overhead cost is 19.88% which is far below the 25% standard we hold our non-profit partners to.
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| What about the pressure to give? |
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UWLES has specific policies against pressuring anyone to give. The decision to give is a personal one and no one should be pressured or coerced into giving.
For our full policy visit: www.uwles.org/voluntary-giving-policy.
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| How can I be involved beyond my Workplace Campaign? |
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There are many ways to stay engaged with UWLES all year long. We offer several different Affinity Groups such as, Emerging Leaders, Women United, as well as volunteer opportunities which can be found through the GetConnected Volunteer Center at www.shoregetconnected.org. Additionally there are retirement and planned giving options available.
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| What if I have additional questions? |
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UWLES has a staff that are happy to help with any questions you may come across. For additional resources call the office at 410-742-5143 or browse our website
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