United Way of Southern Illinois Allocation Process

The United Way approach to financing human service programs is based on the belief that the interests of the people of southern Illinois are best served when a unified process is used to make decisions about funding to the agencies which provide services. United Way grants are used to support the maintenance of the agencies and to provide funding for specific, identified service programs from the agencies. Strict accountability is expected and required of all funded agencies.

As a custodian of community contributions, United Way must assure that services meet changing needs and accepted standards and reflect effective and efficient use of funds.  Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made in light of overall community priorities and available funding potential.

In southern Illinois, as in most places, the United Way dollar represents only a part of the total annual expenditures for local health, family and child care, youth and character building services. As such, it is important that United Way dollars are used to buy effective, meaningful, unduplicated services from the organizations at the lowest cost to the giving public.