Accountability
At United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, we believe
we have a responsibility – both to our
donors and to the community itself – to
ensure that the dollars people entrust to us are invested in ways
that will produce the greatest measurable impact on lives, enabling
our region to thrive. Our investment strategy unites our network of
partner agencies under a set of shared goals and ties our funding to
the achievement of specific measurements, increasing our likelihood
of driving substantial change in our region.
We rigorously study, personally inspect and re-qualify each
organization we support — every year. Our staff and more than 70
volunteers evaluate and assist Community Investment
supported agencies to deliver their services effectively and
efficiently — by offering technical assistance and training; fiscal
management and operations guidance; volunteer and board member
recruitment; and much more. To learn more about Community
Investment, click here;
or, to learn more about the evaluation process,
click here.
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is in
compliance with the spirit and intent of the USA Patriot Act and
other counterterrorism laws. Affirmative action is taken to prevent
financial, technical, in-kind or other resources from inadvertently
being used for illegal acts and terrorist activities. To learn more
about anti-terrorism compliance,
click here.
Financial Accountability
The United Way system has developed comprehensive requirements
for completion of audited financial statements. They are intended to
create a uniform set of standards for all United Ways to follow in
preparing audited financial statements to ensure consistency and
transparency on the part of each United Way. The requirements are
based on current best practices in our industry as well as generally
accepted accounting principles and requirements of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board. The United Way system has also developed
requirements for completion of the IRS Form 990 that clarify various
areas of ambiguity and establish a single United Way standard for
the 990 where the IRS allows for several different approaches.
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is committed
to financial transparency. Click on the links below to view recent
statements, filings and calculations.
United Way Membership Accountability
New membership standards were implemented for United Ways in 2003
and enhance the level of accountability and transparency in local
operations. Annually, all United Ways must certify to United Way of
America their adherence to these requirements.
Every United Way must:
- Be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code as well as corresponding provisions of other
applicable state, local or foreign laws or regulations. United
Ways must file the IRS Form 990 annually in a timely manner.
Large United Ways will submit their entire IRS Form 990 to
United Way of America annually.
- Comply with all other applicable legal local, state, and
federal operating and reporting requirements (e.g.,
nondiscrimination, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, USA Patriot Act).
- Have an active, responsible, and voluntary governing body,
which ensures effective governance over the policies and
financial resources of the organization.
- Adhere to a locally developed and adopted statement to
ensure volunteers and staff broadly reflect the diversity of the
community it serves.
- Represent itself as a United Way in accordance with all
United Way of America trademark standards and requirements.
- Support the United Way system by providing financial support
to United Way of America according to the membership investment
formula.
- Adhere to a locally developed and adopted code of ethics for
volunteers and staff which includes provisions for ethical
management, publicity, fundraising practices and full and fair
disclosure. All large United Ways will submit a copy of their
code of ethics to United Way of America.
- Undergo an annual audit conducted by an independent
certified public accountant whose examination complies with
generally accepted auditing standards and GAAP. United Ways with
annual revenue totaling less than $100,000 may have their
financial statements reviewed by an independent accountant.
Large United Ways will submit their audited financial statements
to United Way of America annually.
- Conduct every three years a volunteer-led self-assessment of
its community impact work, financial management, and
organizational governance and decision making.
- Annually submit to United Way of America a report of the
total resources generated (annual fundraising campaign plus
other resources such as in-kind donations and proceeds from
special events). This report must be completed according to a
policy that ensures an accurate, unduplicated national
accounting for the United Way system.
- Biennially submit to United Way of America a report on
United Way income and expenses.
- If managing donor-designated gifts, base any fee charged on
actual expenses. If receiving designated gifts from another
United Way organization, not deduct fundraising or processing
fees.