United Way of Chatham County
United Way of Chatham County is a public charity based in Pittsboro, North Carolina. It raises and allocates community funds to local nonprofit partners addressing residents’ needs, and also convenes organizations and other stakeholders to develop coordinated community responses.
United Way of Chatham County at a glance
In short: United Way of Chatham County gave $314K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in North Carolina. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $313,500
- -33.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- -26.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,500
- -9.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $24,000
- Total assets
- $1,624,931
- +1.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (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 United Way of Chatham County
- How to Apply
-
The organization’s website describes a competitive process beginning with a separate Letter of Intent for each program. Its 2026–2027 funding FAQs say applicants seeking support for multiple programs should submit an LOI for each, and that agencies may request support for an existing program or a Chatham Success Network case manager position. The website also describes certification requirements, including financial, legal, governance, and human-resources review, and says funded agencies must report progress toward goals and use of funds. The website lists March 2 as the opening date for 2026–2027 certification and LOIs; that date has passed.
- Review Cycle
- The website’s 2025–2026 allocation information gave March 17 for LOIs, April 18 for full applications, and June 15 for funding decisions. These dates are past.
- Deadline
- The website’s 2025–2026 allocation information gave March 17 for LOIs, April 18 for full applications, and June 15 for…
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1066, Pittsboro, NC 27312
Phone: (919) 542-1110
Website: https://unitedwayofchathamcounty.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way of Chatham County funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Chatham Literacy Council ($54K). Together the top 10 received $302K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 71 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s website describes its work as serving Chatham County. All grant dollars itemized in the 2025 filing went to recipients in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is United Way of Chatham County open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $32K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
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 $314K (2025) to $723K (2020). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $314K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chatham Literacy Council Pittsboro, NC | Human Service Org | $53,800 |
| Communities in Schools Siler City, NC | Human Service Org | $46,550 |
| Chatham County Partnership for Children Pittsboro, NC | Human Service Org | $39,500 |
| Love Chatham Siler City, NC | Human Service Org | $35,000 |
| Cora Food Pantry Pittsboro, NC | Human Service Org | $32,500 |
| Salvation Army of Chatham County Greensboro, NC | Human Service Org | $24,000 |
| Chatham Cares Pharmacy Siler City, NC | Human Service Org | $22,500 |
| Chatham Trades Siler City, NC | Human Service Org | $20,500 |
| Boys and Girls Club Sanford, NC | Human Service Org | $15,050 |
| Chatham County 4H Pittsboro, NC | Human Service Org | $12,500 |
Ready to take the next step with United Way of Chatham County?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,624,931 | $834,538 | $785,355 | $313,500 | 11 | $57,376 |
| 2024 | $1,596,951 | $856,666 | $843,470 | $474,633 | 15 | $44,290 |
| 2023 | $1,608,162 | $1,068,371 | $641,119 | $353,281 | 14 | $5,275 |
| 2022 | $1,225,085 | $653,549 | $651,110 | $340,000 | 14 | $2,345 |
| 2021 | $1,182,029 | $731,178 | $700,365 | $439,980 | 17 | $6,645 |
| 2020 | $1,295,540 | $1,062,874 | $1,023,306 | $722,886 | 16 | $9,974 |
| 2019 | $1,205,813 | $624,288 | $595,560 | $335,000 | 15 | $13,576 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its mission is to address the most critical needs of county residents. Its website identifies Health, Education, and Financial Stability as funding priorities and describes its broader work as fighting poverty through support for basic needs, youth and families, and community well-being.
The organization’s 2025 filing describes an annual fundraising campaign and strategic investment process that directs funds to local nonprofit partners providing essential human services. It also describes convening nonprofits, government agencies, and other stakeholders, with volunteers and partners guiding funding decisions and evaluating outcomes.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. Chatham County Partnership for Children says it plans, funds, and implements early-childhood education, health, and family-support initiatives with community partners. Love Chatham describes its work as bringing churches, individuals, and businesses together to address homelessness and other needs in the Chatham County area. Chatham Trades describes itself as a community rehabilitation program for adults with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, including training and job-placement services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, United Way reported 11 grants totaling $313,500. Grant amounts ranged from $11,600 to $53,800, with a median of $24,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $53,800 to Chatham Literacy Council, $46,550 to Communities in Schools, $39,500 to Chatham County Partnership for Children, $35,000 to Love Chatham, and $32,500 to CORA Food Pantry. The filing lists each of these as a human service organization grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kristina Vrabel as board chair, Mark Korell as vice chair, Rodd Baxter as treasurer, Kamira Jones as secretary, and Laurane Mendelsohn as immediate past chair. It also lists Anne Bishop, Allison Bolin, Janie Butler, Jaime Castaner Weiss, and Jim Dean as board members.
United Way of Chatham County is led by Katie Childs, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Katie Childs
Executive Director
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
34 hrs/week
$74K (2024) → $31K (2025)
Carlos Lima
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$53K (2025)
Kristina Vrabel
Board Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Shanahan
Board Member
Board Member → Former Board, 2022
Former Board → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Lewis
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jan Sherwin
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kamira Jones
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurane Mendelsohn
Immediate Past Chair
Current Chai → Chair, 2024
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rodd Baxter
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allison Bolin
Board Member
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Sandefur
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janie Butler
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Korell
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Wellman
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaime Castaner Weiss
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Dean
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Renita Foxx
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Bishop
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neha Shah
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Koelsch
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (32)
- Former: April Lehrman (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Christopher Cooper (2022–2024) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Lee Strange (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Heesacker (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Dawn Colsia (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Jeffrey Strickler (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: George Evans (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Helen Barnhardt (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Nancy Wykle (2022) — Board Member
- Former: David Poe (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Jan Rickard (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jim Sink (2019–2021) — Board Chair
- Former: Octavius Smiley-Humphries (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Alane Coore (2020–2021) — Finance Officer
- Former: Chris Cooper (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: James Kaufmann (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Laura Mendelsohn (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Ruth Murphy (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Alina Cochran (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Hector Rodriguez (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jerry Wehmueller (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Shawn McClarnon (2019–2020) — Immediate Pa
- Former: Amanda Hartness (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Carolyn Miller (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Adele McLean (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Betty Wilson (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Chris Walker (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Derrick Johnson (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Jack Zollinger (2019) — Immediate Pa
- Former: Lisa Johnson (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Scott Richardson (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Stan Campbell (2019) — Board Member
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 $53K, to Carlos Lima (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Chatham County
How much does United Way of Chatham County give each year?
United Way of Chatham County gave $314K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $475K across 15 grants.
What is United Way of Chatham County's typical grant size?
United Way of Chatham County's median grant in 2025 was $24,000, and its average grant was $28,500, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Chatham County that year got $32K on average.
Where does United Way of Chatham County give grants?
United Way of Chatham County gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsboro, NC (5 grants) and Siler City, NC (4 grants).
Does United Way of Chatham County give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on United Way of Chatham County's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Human Service Org" (11 grants).
Who are United Way of Chatham County's largest grantees?
United Way of Chatham County's largest 2025 grantees include Chatham Literacy Council ($53,800), Communities in Schools ($46,550) and Chatham County Partnership for Children ($39,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Chatham County?
United Way of Chatham County reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $835K.
What does United Way of Chatham County fund?
The organization states that its mission is to address the most critical needs of county residents. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Chatham County?
The organization’s website describes a competitive process beginning with a separate Letter of Intent for each program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is United Way of Chatham County's EIN?
United Way of Chatham County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1897275. 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 2020 (received by the IRS April 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 27, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 1, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 28, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work United Way of Chatham County funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of Chatham County's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Galloway Ridge Inc
Pittsboro, NC
Through its community fund, Galloway Ridge supports Chatham County nonprofits, schools, and government units working on essential services, education, housing, healthcare, the arts, and the well-being of vulnerable residents. Typical awards are $500–$10,000; it accepts applications through an annual online process, with eligibility limited to organizations serving Chatham County.
Assets
$143.2M
Grants
13
Total Given
$117K
Triangle Community Foundation Inc
Durham, NC
The foundation supports nonprofits in cultural arts, education and youth, nonprofit capacity building, and sustainable communities, with grants also benefiting fields such as health, conservation, and human services. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,000 and ranged from about $5,000 to $1.39 million; it primarily serves Durham, Orange, Wake, and Chatham Counties in North Carolina. It accepts applications for competitive discretionary programs during open grant cycles; donor-advised fund grants are also made.
Assets
$335.8M
Grants
599
Total Given
$26.7M
Loblolly Community Foundation Inc
Hobe Sound, FL
The foundation supports charitable organizations addressing education, health, welfare, housing, youth services, and safety needs in Hobe Sound and Martin County, Florida, and also runs programs for local employees, families, students, and individuals. In 2025, grants ranged from $8,000 to $175,000, with a median of $25,000. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.1M
Grants
31
Total Given
$1.0M
Wynne Charitable Foundation
Miami, FL
The Wynne Charitable Foundation supports religious, charitable, scientific, literary, environmental, and educational purposes, with recent grants going to child-focused and marine conservation organizations in Florida. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,600 to $354,191, with a median of $4,500. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
6
Total Given
$373K
Quigg Fund Inc
Faribault, MN
Quigg Fund Inc supports youth programming, education, environmental education, arts, and domestic-abuse services, with most 2024 grant dollars going to Indiana. Its 17 grants ranged from $45 to $21,321, with a median of $3,000; it accepts written requests with an IRS determination letter and current financial statements, due by December 1.
Assets
$2.1M
Grants
17
Total Given
$121K
Z Smith Reynolds Foundation Inc
Winston-Salem, NC
The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation funds North Carolina nonprofits and other eligible organizations working on democracy, the environment, public education, social and economic justice, and community-led efforts, including rural communities. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $1.2 million, with a median of $50,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; applications are submitted through its portal when opportunities are open.
Assets
$23.6M
Grants
298
Total Given
$21.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in North Carolina
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of Chatham County funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-chatham-county-morg_fc8c3b970bbb46cf9203f1e4eca7a7d1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_581897275_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of Chatham County funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-chatham-county-morg_fc8c3b970bbb46cf9203f1e4eca7a7d1},
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 Chatham County'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 Chatham County down — hundreds of funders to go?