Capital Area United Way
Capital Area United Way is a public charity based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It works through community partnerships to improve lives and advance the common good, supporting programs in education, economic mobility, health, and basic needs in its 10-parish service area.
Capital Area United Way at a glance
In short: Capital Area United Way gave $2.6M across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $54K), mostly in Louisiana. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,554,523
- -7.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- +4.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $54,352
- -11.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $13,259,004
- +3.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (5 of 47, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Capital Area United Way
- Contact
Mailing address: 700 Laurel St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: (225) 383-2643
Website: https://cauw.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Capital Area United Way
Who Capital Area United Way funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hope Ministries of Baton Rouge ($163K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
288 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 288 (52%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Capital Area United Way states that its service area covers 10 parishes in the Capital Region. Its 2024–2025 Basic Needs grant materials specified that proposals should address needs within that region.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Capital Area United Way open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 47 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $58K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.6M (2025) to $4.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hope Ministries of Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $162,500 |
| The Emerge Center Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $150,000 |
| YMCA Greater Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $150,000 |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $112,500 |
| O'Brien House Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $109,000 |
| Front Yard Bikes Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $100,000 |
| Goodwill Industries of Sela New Orleans, LA | Allocation | $100,000 |
| Humanities Amped Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $100,000 |
| Volunteers of America South Central Louisiana Inc Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $100,000 |
| Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center Baton Rouge, LA | Allocation | $77,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Capital Area United Way?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13,259,004 | $6,167,600 | $6,151,410 | $2,554,523 | 47 | $275,723 |
| 2024 | $12,807,776 | $5,667,161 | $6,296,725 | $2,771,036 | 45 | $127,971 |
| 2023 | $13,044,593 | $5,271,619 | $6,664,301 | $3,333,398 | 73 | $221,547 |
| 2022 | $14,566,817 | $6,965,583 | $7,773,586 | $4,878,501 | 66 | $159,749 |
| 2021 | $16,294,999 | $10,270,352 | $6,304,270 | $3,562,032 | 57 | $72,403 |
| 2020 | $13,011,612 | $6,306,212 | $5,750,752 | $3,227,056 | 55 | $55,172 |
| 2019 | $12,343,846 | $9,085,646 | $6,967,787 | $3,788,663 | 55 | $135,042 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Capital Area United Way’s mission is to improve lives by leveraging community partnerships to advance the common good through education, economic mobility, and healthy living. Its stated vision is a community where everyone is empowered to achieve their full potential.
Its priority areas include early childhood and youth success; employment opportunities and financial education; affordable housing and tax services; health promotion and behavioral health; and basic needs such as food, emergency shelter, transportation, and family supports. The organization describes its work as serving people facing barriers to opportunity, including ALICE households and people experiencing poverty or homelessness.
Past supported organizations illustrate the range of services among its grantees. Big Buddy Program describes its mission as providing positive role models and learning experiences to children who lack those resources. The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank says it feeds people in Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes through food and educational outreach. The Arc Baton Rouge describes its work as improving the quality of life of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families through advocacy and support.
Grantmaking
Capital Area United Way uses an annual resource investment process. Its website describes e-CImpact as the system through which agencies submit applications, reports, and accountability documents, with volunteers participating in funding review. A 2024–2025 Basic Needs grant opportunity offered one-year awards, typically ranging from $10,000 to $30,000, with requests permitted up to $50,000. It allowed one application per organization and prohibited subcontract agreements, including fiscal agents. Eligible proposals were to address direct basic-needs services such as food insecurity, emergency shelter, short-term housing, crisis case management, emergency financial assistance, or legal assistance in the 10-parish region.
Reported 2021 awards included $239,000 to Big Buddy Program, $200,000 to The Emerge Center Inc., $89,198 to O’Brien House Inc., and $85,000 each to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and The Arc Baton Rouge. These are examples, not a stated total or typical award size.
The current funding information is inconsistent: a United for Opportunity Grant listing describes its cycle as open, while the grants page says there are no open grant opportunities. The organization identifies e-CImpact as its application system.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The organization’s 2025–2026 leadership information names Cheri Ausberry as Board Chair and Executive Committee Chair, Dave Luecke as Resource Development Cabinet Chair, Aldo Russo, M.D., as Community Impact Cabinet Chair, and Winship Songy as Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair. George Bell is President and CEO, and Amey Crousillac is Executive Vice President.
The 2025 filing lists Calvin Hart, Chuck Spicer, Clay Young, Dai Nguyen, David Kneipp, Dennis J. Shields, Eric Dexter, Glynna Mayers, Jackie McCreary, and Jayson W. Newell as board members.
Capital Area United Way is led by George Bell, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 1 of 27 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
George Bell
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$167K (2019) → $214K (2025)
Dave Luecke
Rd Chair & Past Board Chair
Board Chair Elect → Board Chair, 2024
Board Chair → Rd Chair & Past Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charlene Montelaro
Board Chair
Resource Development Co-Chair → Board Chair Elect, 2024
Board Chair Elect → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jan Ross
Community Impact Chair
Community Impact Chair Elect → Community Impact Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Clay Young
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jackie McCreary
Board Member
Resource Development Co-Chair → Resource Development Chair, 2024
Resource Development Chair → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jolen Stein
Board Member
Communications & Marketing Chair → Communications & Marketing, 2023
Communications & Marketing → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cheri M. Ausberry MBA
Board Chair Elect
Board Member → Board Chair Elect, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glenda Minor
Secretary
Treasurer & Finance Commt. → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nick Speyrer
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Huffstetler
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aldo Russo MD
Community Impact Chair Elect
Board Member → Community Impact Chair Elect, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dai Nguyen
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Dexter
Board Member
Community Impact Chair Elect → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jayson W. Newell
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Virginia Bell
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Winship Songy
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Calvin Hart
Board Member
Board Member → Board Chair, 2024
Board Chair → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Thomas
Communications & Marketing
Board Member → Communications & Marketing, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glynna Mayers
Board Member
Board Member → Communications & Marketing Elect, 2024
Communications & Marketing Elect → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paula Shepherd
Board Member
Board Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Spicer
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dennis J. Shields
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Blake Fowler
Rd Chair Elect
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Kneipp
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joanie Montelaro
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Smith
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (30)
- Former: Gaines Foster (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: John Everett (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Joseph Britt (2019–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Michelle Hardy (2019–2024) — Governance Committee-Past Chair
- Former: Michael Alcaldo (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Donna Saurage (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Amanda Stout (2019–2023) — Past Board Chair & Governanc
- Former: Robert Harrison (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Tina W. Schaffer (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Aaron Stanford (2019–2022) — Past Board Chair & Governance Committee
- Former: Melissa Silva (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Stan Levy (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: John Brown (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Albano (2020–2022) — Major Gifts & Gottleib Chair
- Former: David Luecke (2019–2021) — Resource Development Chair
- Former: Alfred E. Harrell III (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Allen Pertuit (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Kelli Joseph (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Kelly Bien (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Robert Schneckenburger (2019–2020) — Past Board Chair
- Former: Stephanie Manson (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Greg Guilbeau (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Kenny J. Cole (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Les Gatz (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Buturla (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Tipton (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Randy Young (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Rhoman J. Hardy (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Stacey Gautreau (2019) — Community Impact Chair
- Former: Stewart T. Gordon (2019) — Past Board Chair & Governanc
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $214K, to George Bell (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Capital Area United Way
How much does Capital Area United Way give each year?
Capital Area United Way gave $2.6M across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.8M across 45 grants.
What is Capital Area United Way's typical grant size?
Capital Area United Way's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $54,352, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Capital Area United Way that year got $26K on average.
Where does Capital Area United Way give grants?
Capital Area United Way gives mostly in Louisiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Baton Rouge, LA (41 grants), New Orleans, LA (3 grants) and New Roads, LA (2 grants).
Does Capital Area United Way give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 47 grants with a stated purpose on Capital Area United Way's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Allocation" (47 grants).
Who are Capital Area United Way's largest grantees?
Capital Area United Way's largest 2025 grantees include Hope Ministries of Baton Rouge ($162,500), The Emerge Center ($150,000) and YMCA Greater Baton Rouge ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Capital Area United Way?
Capital Area United Way reported $13.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.2M.
What does Capital Area United Way fund?
Capital Area United Way’s mission is to improve lives by leveraging community partnerships to advance the common good through education, economic mobility, and healthy living. Its stated vision is a community where everyone is empowered to achieve their full potential. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Capital Area United Way?
Capital Area United Way has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check cauw.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Capital Area United Way's EIN?
Capital Area United Way's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-0447100. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Capital Area United Way funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Capital Area United Way's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Capital Area United Way funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/capital-area-united-way-morg_39a4a1bbc33643ab9d527ba52d311b44
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_720447100_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Capital Area United Way funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/capital-area-united-way-morg_39a4a1bbc33643ab9d527ba52d311b44},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Capital Area United Way's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Capital Area United Way down — hundreds of funders to go?