United Way of Central Florida Inc
United Way of Central Florida Inc is a public charity based in Highland City, Florida. It supports local nonprofit services addressing community needs in Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties, including education, financial stability, health, and food access.
United Way of Central Florida Inc at a glance
In short: United Way of Central Florida Inc gave $8.1M across 65 grants in 2025 (avg $125K), mostly in Florida. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,112,841
- +0.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 65
- +1.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $124,813
- -0.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $63,869
- Total assets
- $40,627,241
- -8.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (14 of 65, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Florida (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to United Way of Central Florida Inc
- Review Cycle
- The deadline for that past grant cycle was August 12, 2022.
- Deadline
- The deadline for that past grant cycle was August 12, 2022.
- Contact
Mailing address: P O Box 1357, Highland City, FL 33846-1357
Phone: (863) 648-1500
Website: https://uwcf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way of Central Florida Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Polk County School Readiness Coalition Inc ($824K). Together the top 10 received $4.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
522 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 295 grants of 522 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization states that it works with organizations serving Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties. Its reported 2025 grant recipients were all in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 65 itemized grants.
Cities
Is United Way of Central Florida Inc open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 65 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $121K; repeat grants $126K. How we count
Medians: $52K first-time, $68K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5.4M (2022) to $18.7M (2021). In 2025 it made 65 grants totaling $8.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County School Readiness Coalition Inc Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $824,345 |
| Peace River Center for Personal Development Inc Bartow, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $689,990 |
| Boys & Girls Club Of Polk County Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $634,862 |
| Salvation Army Serving Western Polk (Lakeland) Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $366,187 |
| Florida Children's Museum Inc Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs | $360,874 |
| Central Florida Health Care Inc Winter Haven, FL | Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Donor Designated for Program Costs | $318,937 |
| Central Florida Speech & Hearing Center Inc Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $299,897 |
| Talbot House Ministries Of Lakeland Inc Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $293,287 |
| The Wilson House Inc Lakeland, FL | Program Operating Support | $275,578 |
| Achievement Academy Inc Lakeland, FL | Donor Designated for General Support, Donor Designated for Program Costs, Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief, Program Operating Cost | $230,184 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts are reported by filing year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,627,241 | $14,443,018 | $14,656,619 | $8,112,841 | 65 | $520,565 |
| 2024 | $44,346,370 | $15,403,660 | $14,419,171 | $8,058,710 | 64 | $430,415 |
| 2023 | $21,900,180 | $16,353,601 | $14,340,572 | $8,642,433 | 73 | $128,484 |
| 2022 | $26,696,940 | $9,902,693 | $9,449,864 | $5,444,240 | 59 | $396,181 |
| 2021 | $30,720,551 | $25,521,821 | $22,563,343 | $18,699,378 | 261 | $707,251 |
| 2020 | $40,903,200 | $13,827,854 | $13,727,590 | $9,855,386 | 89 | $347,779 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is “to inspire our community to give, advocate and volunteer by identifying needs and mobilizing vetted resources to create positive, local change.” Its website describes seven initiatives, including early childhood education, academic achievement, financial stability, health, hunger relief, and community partnership schools; its filing also describes safety-net services.
United Way of an individual recipient says it invests in local nonprofit programs that measurably improve community needs. Its 2025 grantees included organizations with varied missions: Polk County School Readiness Coalition says it leads community efforts supporting children’s success; Peace River Center says it engages, restores, and empowers people; and Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County says it helps young people reach their potential. Other grantees included Florida Children’s Museum, whose mission is to curate the world for children to explore, and an individual recipient Health Care, whose mission is to provide quality, affordable primary and preventive care.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 65 grants totaling $8,112,841. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $824,345, with a median of $63,869. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Florida. The largest awards included $824,345 to Polk County School Readiness Coalition, $689,990 to Peace River Center for Personal Development, and $634,862 to Boys & Girls Club of Polk County. Other large awards included $366,187 to Salvation Army Serving Western Polk and $360,874 to Florida Children’s Museum.
Community Investment Teams review funding applications, visit program sites, assess service effectiveness, and recommend allocations. The organization describes volunteers reviewing applications and outcomes and developing consensus-based recommendations. Its website says the teams meet monthly from August through October.
A past 2022 Family Financial Stability Grant opportunity offered $32,513 for new or expanded programming in Polk or Hardee County. Applicants had to be qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations and propose public financial education classes and free tax preparation; organizations already receiving United Way of an individual recipient funding were ineligible. The past application asked for program plans and outcomes related to measures such as credit scores, emergency savings, job credentials, or family income.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brian Haas as Chair, Fred Heid as Vice Chair, Jonathan Crain as Chair Elect, Emily Spath as Secretary, and Joe Tedder as Treasurer beginning in January 2025. Chris Chaffin is listed as Treasurer through December 2024. Directors listed include Ali Wright, Ana Wood-Rogers, Andy Oguntola, and Bill Braswell.
United Way of Central Florida Inc is led by Christina Criser Jackson, CEO on every filing since 2020; 5 of 40 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christina Criser Jackson
CEO
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$124K (2020) → $186K (2025)
Brian Haas
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair Elect, 2024
Chair Elect → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brittany Honeycutt Sale
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dana Hurley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dusty Johnson
Director
Highlands County Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian Floyd
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tip Fowler
Director
Resource Development Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kim Long
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andy Oguntola
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nick Plott
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rick Garcia
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ali Wright
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Giordano
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Naomi Boyer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Donnelly
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Callie Neslund
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Don Elwell
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erica Lupercio
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vent Crawford
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ana Wood-Rogers
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Braswell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Norris
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jenny Baker
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Mitchell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Feaster
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Omar Arroyo
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Noris
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Killebrew
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Garthwaite
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Fitzwater
Vice President Marketing & Communications
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$34K (2020) → $102K (2025)
Ileana Kniss
Chief Development & Marketing Officer
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$61K (2024) → $132K (2025)
John Rounds
CFO
CFO Partial Year → CFO, 2025
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$28K (2024) → $145K (2025)
Rodney Crowley
COO
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$143K (2024) → $156K (2025)
Joe Tedder
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Tamney
Immediate Past Chair
Chair Elect & Community Impact Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Chaffin
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Spath
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Crain
Chair Elect
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Chair Elect, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Fred Heid
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natalie Dyal
CFO
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (47)
- Former: Ashley Robin Bell Barnett (2020–2024) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Emily Rogers (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Greg Littleton (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Jill Martin (2020–2024) — CFO Partial Year
- Former: Mark Codd (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Merissa Green (2020–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Troy Smith (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Angel Davis (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Scott Sjoblom (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Brandon Giles (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Deely Hunt (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Ana Wood (2024) — Director
- Former: Cyndi Durham (2024) — Director
- Former: Ann Claussen (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Mark Miller (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Rod Crowley (2020–2023) — COO
- Former: John Attaway Jr. (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Kimberly Yang Elmhorst (2021–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Anastasia Walsh (2022–2023) — Vice President Resource Development
- Former: Sheriff Vent Crawford (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Frederick Heid (2023) — Director
- Former: Ansley Woods (2020–2022) — Vice President Resource Development-Partial Year
- Former: Gow Fields (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Joe Wolf (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Lyle Bowlin (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Tim Campbell (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Alice Koehler (2022) — Director
- Former: Jessica Turner Carlson (2022) — Director
- Former: Major Ian Floyd (2022) — Resource Development Chair
- Former: Bill Mutz (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Don Selvage (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: George Tinsley Sr. (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Greta Dupuy (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jessica Turner (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Robert Fredere Jr. (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Robert Pericht (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ronnie Hedrick II (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sheryl Brown (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Alyssia Totten (2021) — Director
- Former: Cliff Dollison (2021) — Director
- Former: Tracy Porter (2021) — Director
- Former: Angela Falconetti (2020) — Director
- Former: Becky Troutman (2020) — Director
- Former: Kim Elmhorst (2020) — Director
- Former: Mike Herr (2020) — Director
- Former: Penny Borgia (2020) — COO
- Former: Tyson King (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $186K, to Christina Criser Jackson (CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Central Florida Inc
How much does United Way of Central Florida Inc give each year?
United Way of Central Florida Inc gave $8.1M across 65 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $8.1M across 64 grants.
What is United Way of Central Florida Inc's typical grant size?
United Way of Central Florida Inc's median grant in 2025 was $63,869, and its average grant was $124,813, across 65 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Central Florida Inc that year got $121K on average.
Where does United Way of Central Florida Inc give grants?
United Way of Central Florida Inc gives mostly in Florida: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lakeland, FL (25 grants), Winter Haven, FL (8 grants), Bartow, FL (6 grants) and Tampa, FL (6 grants).
Does United Way of Central Florida Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 92% of United Way of Central Florida Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (60 of 65) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Donor Designated for Disaster/ Emergency Relief" (3 grants).
Who are United Way of Central Florida Inc's largest grantees?
United Way of Central Florida Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Polk County School Readiness Coalition Inc ($824,345), Peace River Center for Personal Development Inc ($689,990) and Boys & Girls Club Of Polk County ($634,862), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Central Florida Inc?
United Way of Central Florida Inc reported $40.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.4M.
What does United Way of Central Florida Inc fund?
The organization’s mission is “to inspire our community to give, advocate and volunteer by identifying needs and mobilizing vetted resources to create positive, local change.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Central Florida Inc?
United Way of Central Florida Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check uwcf.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is United Way of Central Florida Inc's EIN?
United Way of Central Florida Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-2116280. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 18, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 28, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of Central Florida Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-central-florida-inc-morg_ac8348e4ea854ead9ba8e87386b22202
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_592116280_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of Central Florida Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-central-florida-inc-morg_ac8348e4ea854ead9ba8e87386b22202},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 United Way of Central Florida Inc'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.
United Way of Central Florida Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?