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United Way of Buffalo & Erie County: $21,726,833 in total revenue for 2017

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Tue, Apr 17th 2018 11:55 am
Endowment campaign, new grant acquisitions leads to an increase of $3 million from prior year
Officials at the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County have announced a grand total of $21,726,833 in revenue, which represents a significant increase from the previous year. The total comes from a combination of workplace campaigns, corporate and foundation support, endowment gifts and new grant acquisitions.
Last year, the United Way's total revenue was $18,551,264.
To celebrate its centennial year, UWBEC focused its efforts on growing its endowment. This effort resulted in over $3 million in new revenue and exceeded a goal of $1 million. The success of this campaign brings the UWBEC endowment fund to more than $11 million.
The organization also saw increased revenues in grant management, with an increase of $1.3 million from last year. This increase is attributed, in part, to the recent announcement of a $1 million Community Food Systems grant from the General Mills Foundation, as well as funding attributed to the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative.
Workplace giving brought over $13.5 million into the organization, which came in slightly below last year. This decrease is associated primarily with the loss of the combined federated campaign, which affected nonprofits throughout the country. However, the workplace campaign saw success in its new loaned executive program. This pilot program included the recruitment of 10 local companies, which identified a campaign team specially trained to facilitate the United Way campaign in its workplace. This pilot was modeled after the success of campaigns at M&T Bank and Wegmans, which both hit the $1 million mark for the first time this year.
"Buffalo has been M&T Bank's home for more than 160 years, and our employees have a deep commitment to actively supporting their community both by making charitable donations and volunteering their time," said Rich McCarthy, senior vice president, M&T Bank. "We were thrilled to generate more than $1 million to the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County's campaign in 2017, and believe the targeted investments made by the United Way in education, income and wellness programs will benefit people living and working in Buffalo and Erie County for years to come."
"At Wegmans, we know that giving through the United Way is the most efficient way to get needed funds to agencies that get measurable results," said Mike Keating Sr., vice president, Wegmans Buffalo. "We're very proud that our employees and customers recognize the vital role that the United Way plays in addressing important issues facing our community."
"It is a testament to our community's commitment to helping their neighbors that we saw such a growth in total revenues in 2017," said Michael Weiner, president and CEO of United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. "As we prepare for the next 100 years, we look forward to continuing the outstanding partnerships we have established with members of Buffalo and Erie County and making our home the best place to live for everyone."
As UWBEC embarks on its second century of service and given research on families facing financial hardship, the organization is strategically making workforce development a focus of its work moving forward. In addition, UWBEC plans to put more resources behind its digital services presence, including offering more ways to conveniently give online and cultivating meaningful individual relationships with current and future donors through the work of their giving communities such as Women United and Next Generation United.
The 2017 workplace campaign was led by volunteer chair Paulette Crooke.
For 100 years, the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County has worked to unite the whole community to improve the health, education and financial stability of every person in Erie County. For more information, visit www.uwbec.org.

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