United Way of Rock River Valley
United Way of Rock River Valley is a public charity based in Rockford, Illinois, serving Rockford and Winnebago County. Founded locally in 1920, it brings together community partners, employers, volunteers, and donors to address local needs. Its work includes funding community programs, supporting childhood literacy, connecting residents with services through 211, and mobilizing volunteers.
United Way of Rock River Valley at a glance
In short: United Way of Rock River Valley gave $932K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $36K), mostly in Illinois. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $932,229
- -28.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- -3.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,855
- -25.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $11,382,495
- +16.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (7 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (96% 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 Rock River Valley
- Contact
Mailing address: 612 N Main Street Suite 300, Rockford, IL 61103
Phone: (815) 968-5400
Website: https://unitedwayrrv.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from United Way of Rock River Valley
Healing Illinois Grant
United Way of Rock River Valley
Amount
$14,568
Deadline
Deadline not published
United for Literacy Initiative - Book Distribution Funding Partnership
United Way of Rock River Valley
Amount
Up to $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
United for Literacy Initiative - Service Funding Stream
United Way of Rock River Valley
Amount
More than $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who United Way of Rock River Valley funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was YWCA of Rockford ($120K). Together the top 10 received $585K.
Grant Size Distribution
135 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 135 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization serves Rockford and Winnebago County. Its 2025 filing reports that 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois and 4% to recipients in an unidentified state.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Is United Way of Rock River Valley open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 25 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $29K 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 $479K (2022) to $2.0M (2020). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $932K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YWCA of Rockford Rockford, IL | Literacy & Dceo | $120,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Rockford Rockford, IL | Literacy & Dceo | $71,355 |
| Zion Development Corporation Rockford, IL | Dceo & SNH | $57,538 |
| YMCA of Rock River Valley Rockford, IL | Literacy | $50,075 |
| Barbara Olson Center of Hope Rockford, IL | DCEO | $50,000 |
| Belvidere Family YMCA Belvidere, IL | DCEO | $50,000 |
| Community Life Center Rockford, IL | DCEO | $50,000 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank Geneva, IL | DCEO | $50,000 |
| Ethnic Heritage Rockford, IL | DCEO | $43,403 |
| Lifescrap Community Services Rockford, IL | DCEO | $42,916 |
Ready to take the next step with United Way of Rock River Valley?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,382,495 | $4,009,409 | $2,898,845 | $932,229 | 26 | $309,108 |
| 2024 | $9,746,473 | $3,619,821 | $3,141,559 | $1,307,283 | 27 | $173,409 |
| 2023 | $8,583,112 | $2,673,485 | $2,053,782 | $484,281 | 16 | $78,480 |
| 2022 | $7,403,125 | $2,824,737 | $2,344,073 | $478,594 | 24 | $281,933 |
| 2021 | $8,436,174 | $3,550,426 | $3,362,742 | $1,305,473 | 42 | $364,845 |
| 2020 | $7,578,575 | $5,215,742 | $3,922,137 | $2,009,673 | 44 | $135,196 |
| 2019 | $6,171,986 | $4,063,663 | $3,675,088 | $1,615,837 | 47 | $194,239 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is “uniting the collective power of the community to improve lives.” Its website describes childhood literacy, 211 information and referral, and volunteer engagement as areas of work. Its 2024 filing also describes Strong Neighborhoods, through which it provides local nonprofits free space.
United for Literacy supports children’s early reading development through community partners, book distribution, read-alouds, and family involvement. The organization’s stated goal is for 75% of Winnebago County third-graders to read at grade level or above by 2034. The 211 line connects residents to resources including housing and utility assistance, food, healthcare, mental health services, childcare, and crisis support.
The grantees listed in the 2025 filing include organizations with a range of missions. For example, YWCA Northwestern Illinois describes its work as providing advocacy and programming for individual empowerment, including childcare resources, home visiting, family advocacy, and adult literacy programming. Boys & Girls Club of Rockford describes its mission as providing young people with a club experience that supports graduation, good character, citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. Northern Illinois Food Bank says it provides meals and access to nutritious food through a network of food pantries and programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 26 grants totaling $932,229. Grant amounts ranged from $5,097 to $120,000, with a median of $30,000. The largest listed grants included $120,000 to YWCA of Rockford for “Literacy & DCEO,” $71,355 to Boys and Girls Club of Rockford for “Literacy & DCEO,” and $57,538 to Zion Development Corporation for “DCEO & SNH.” Other notable awards included $50,075 to YMCA of Rock River Valley for “Literacy” and $50,000 each to Barbara Olson Center of Hope, Belvidere Family YMCA, Community Life Center, and Northern Illinois Food Bank for “DCEO.”
The organization’s website described a competitive Request for Proposals for the second cohort of its United for Literacy Community Grants program. Proposals were evaluated by a team of local literacy professionals based on high-impact practices, childhood literacy impact, strategic alignment, and capacity to achieve results. The funding cycle described began July 1, 2024, and ran through June 30, 2025, with renewal contingent on available funds and each organization’s effectiveness.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Julie Bosma as CEO; Mark Baldwin as chair; Dale Dickinson as vice chair; Casey Lester as secretary; and Jason Blume, Rick Ciganek, Alli Bernadi Insko, Edward Zurowski Jr., Terri Knight, and EJ Miller as directors.
United Way of Rock River Valley is led by Julie Bosma, CEO on every filing since 2022; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Julie Bosma
CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$65K (2022) → $133K (2025)
Mark Baldwin
Chair
Vice President & Secretary → Vice Chair & Secretary, 2022
Vice Chair & Secretary → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Edward Zurowski Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terri Knight
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alli Bernadi Insko
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rick Ciganek
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ej Miller
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Simmons
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ebony Wrenn
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Blume
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
La'keshia Wingo
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dale Dickinson
Vice Chair
Interm Treasurer → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie O'Rourke
Interim Treasurer
Board Chair → Past Chair, 2023
Past Chair → Interim Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Casey Lester
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (34)
- Former: Theresa Merriman (2019–2024) — Former CFO
- Former: Amber Sanders (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Tamara Butler (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Carol Brigham (2024) — CFO
- Former: Nancy Chamberlain (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Annie Hobson (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Carol Schuster (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Cesar Sanchez (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Kent Kohlbacher (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Linda Zuba (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael Paterson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Troy Haggestad (2019–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Paul Logli (2019–2021) — Ex-Ceo
- Former: Scott Demler (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Maureen Kirschmann (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Linda Sandquist (2021) — Vice President
- Former: Aisha Shaheen (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Bob Kartheiser (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Danielle Potter (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jen Hall (2019–2020) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Jim Ryan (2019–2020) — Ex-Officio
- Former: Joseph Hanley (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Mike Hughes (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Sara L. Dorner (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Tom Kress (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: William Corey (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Ali Bernardi (2020) — Director
- Former: Alicia Reese (2020) — Director
- Former: Mike Paterson (2020) — Board Chair
- Former: Shelton Kay (2020) — Director
- Former: Gordon Eggers Jr. (2019) — Director
- Former: Laura Baluch (2019) — Director
- Former: Linda Gerber (2019) — Director
- Former: Paul Gaier (2019) — Director
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 $133K, to Julie Bosma (CEO).
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Rock River Valley
How much does United Way of Rock River Valley give each year?
United Way of Rock River Valley gave $932K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 27 grants.
What is United Way of Rock River Valley's typical grant size?
United Way of Rock River Valley's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $35,855, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Rock River Valley that year got $33K on average.
Where does United Way of Rock River Valley give grants?
United Way of Rock River Valley gives mostly in Illinois: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rockford, IL (21 grants).
Does United Way of Rock River Valley give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on United Way of Rock River Valley's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Dceo" (14 grants), "Literacy" (8 grants) and "Literacy & Dceo" (3 grants).
Who are United Way of Rock River Valley's largest grantees?
United Way of Rock River Valley's largest 2025 grantees include YWCA of Rockford ($120,000), Boys and Girls Club of Rockford ($71,355) and Zion Development Corporation ($57,538), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Rock River Valley?
United Way of Rock River Valley reported $11.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.0M.
What does United Way of Rock River Valley fund?
The organization’s stated mission is “uniting the collective power of the community to improve lives.” Its website describes childhood literacy, 211 information and referral, and volunteer engagement as areas of work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Rock River Valley?
United Way of Rock River Valley has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check unitedwayrrv.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is United Way of Rock River Valley's EIN?
United Way of Rock River Valley's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2167843. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 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 May 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 24, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work United Way of Rock River Valley funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of Rock River Valley's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of Rock River Valley funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-rock-river-valley-morg_4869603878e9497293ccf9c0155ff39d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_362167843_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of Rock River Valley funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-rock-river-valley-morg_4869603878e9497293ccf9c0155ff39d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Rock River Valley'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 Rock River Valley down — hundreds of funders to go?