United Way of South Central Michigan
United Way of South Central Michigan (UWSCMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Formed in April 2022 through a merger of three legacy United Ways—Capital Area United Way, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, and United Way of Jackson County—the organization operates as a regional philanthropic leader and grantmaker. UWSCMI advances the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all, transforming from a traditional fundraising organization into one that leads strategic change and addresses racial and economic disparities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.9M
-0.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.2M
+33.9% YoY
Grant Count
188
+62.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
-17.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: We bring together the people, ideas and resources to lead with our communities and create a flourishing, equitable life for everyone.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Financial stability
- Education
- Health
- Basic needs
The organization prioritizes addressing disparities and supporting Asset-Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households through community partnerships and collaborative solutions.
Grantmaking
UWSCMI distributes funding through multiple mechanisms:
Grant Range
$5,000 - $45,000 (varies by program)
Review Cycle
(July 2026 - September 2027)
Ready to take the next step with United Way of South Central Michigan?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
UWSCMI serves six counties in South Central Michigan:
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Ingham County
- Jackson County
- Kalamazoo County
The organization maintains regional offices in Kalamazoo, Lansing, Jackson, and Battle Creek.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of March 2024 (Most Recent Tax Filing)
- Total revenues: $24,264,887
- Total expenses: $25,357,359
- Total assets: $31,866,881
- Number of employees: 61
Donor-Advised Fund According to its March 2024 tax filing, UWSCMI operates a donor-advised fund through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds.
Audit Findings An independent audit for the fiscal year ending March 2025 identified a significant deficiency in internal controls—a deficiency in internal financial or governance controls that could limit the organization's ability to track and report financial data reliably. This deficiency is less severe than a material weakness but warrants attention from management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,866,881 | $32,086,707 | $21,915,676 |
| Revenue | $24,264,887 | $20,048,813 | $10,619,393 |
| Expenses | $25,357,359 | $20,749,685 | $13,491,944 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $465,036 | $353,486 | $328,562 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from United Way of South Central Michigan
Seeding Grants
UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Amount
$60,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Seeding Leaders Grants
UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Amount
$2,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Youth United Way RFP
UNITED WAY OF SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Amount
Up to $6,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fourth Estate Dba Img Llc ($357,782), Community Action ($151,013), Cc Diocese of Kzoo ($106,711).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACTION F HEALTH KIDS CHICAGO, IL | DONOR DESIGNATIONS | $9,090 |
| ADVENT HOUSE MIN LANSING, MI | DONOR DESIGNATIONS | $50,870 |
| AIM CORP PORTAGE, MI | CONTINUUM OF CARE | $8,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR JUST SOCIETY SEATTLE, WA | CO-FACILITATION OF RACIAL HEALING CIRCLES FOR UWSCMI STAFF | $14,920 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS - KALAMAZOO CHAPTER KALAMAZOO, MI | ADDRESSING COMMUNITY EMERGENGIES | $8,100 |
| AWARE INC JACKSON, MI | DONOR DESIGNATIONS | $19,609 |
| B&G CLUB OF GRE KZOO KALAMAZOO, MI | DONOR DESIGNATIONS | $37,415 |
| BATTLE CREEK COMM FD BATTLE CREEK, MI | DONOR DESIGNATIONS | $14,037 |
| BELL'S LOGISTICS INC PORTAGE, MI | KMEG | $10,000 |
| BIG BRO BIG SIS SWMI KALAMAZOO, MI | DONOR DESIGNATIONS | $45,274 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President and CEO: Chris Sargent
- Chief Resource Development & Marketing Officer: Teresa Kmetz
- Senior Director Finance: Heather Garcia
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES JOHNSON JR | BOARD CHAIR | 5 | — |
| CARLA THOMPSON PAYTON | 1ST VICE CHAIR | 5 | — |
| STEPHANIE SLINGERLAND | 2ND VICE CHAIR | 5 | — |
| JAMIE RABE | TREASURER | 5 | — |
| CONNER WOOD | SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| BECKY BALDWIN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DEBRA BITTNER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JIM BONGIORNO | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RENEE BROWN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KIMBERLY CARTER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BEN FRANTZ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LISA GARCIA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| GABRIEL GIRON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARCUS GLASS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ASH GOEL MD | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| UNAA HOLINESS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MIKE HUERTA | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SHALANDA HUNT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MAUREEN KEENE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| L ROBERT MCCONNELL | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR | 1 | — |
| TODD MCDONALD | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RHONDA NEWMAN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JEREMY PATTERSON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANDY RICHARDS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CARRIE SCHNEIDER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRIS TYLER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SATYA VEERAPANENI | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ASHLEE WILLIS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TED YKIMOFF | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTIPHER SARGENT | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $180,483 |
| TIMOTHY BERGSMA | CFO THRU 11/30/2023 | 40 | $146,901 |
| ALYSSA STEWART | CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER | 40 | $117,319 |
| JENNIFER HSU-BISHOP | CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER | 40 | $113,552 |
| TERESA KMETZ | CHIEF RESOURCE DEV & MKTG OFFICER | 40 | $120,884 |
Contact Information
Main Office (Kalamazoo)
- Address: 709 S Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
- Phone: (269) 343-2524
- Fax: (269) 344-7250
Additional Offices
- Lansing: (517) 203-5000
- Jackson: (517) 784-0511
- Battle Creek: (269) 962-9538
Email: communityimpact@uwscmi.org
Website: www.unitedforscmi.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does United Way of South Central Michigan fund?
**Mission:** We bring together the people, ideas and resources to lead with our communities and create a flourishing, equitable life for everyone. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Financial stability • Education • Health • Basic needs The organization prioritizes addressing disparities and supporting Asset-Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) households through community partnerships and collaborative solutions.
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of South Central Michigan?
UWSCMI distributes funding through multiple mechanisms: **Community Impact Grants** • 15-month grant cycle (July 2026 - September 2027) • Application deadline: December (annually, online via e-CImpact system) • Grant range: $5,000 - $45,000 (varies by program) • Decision time: 3-4 months • Highly competitive process **Recent Distribution Activity (2023-24 Fiscal Year)** • Total support and grants distributed: $23.6 million • Local allocations: $4,544,326 (unrestricted dollars from United Way do…
Where does United Way of South Central Michigan make grants?
UWSCMI serves six counties in South Central Michigan: • Calhoun County • Clinton County • Eaton County • Ingham County • Jackson County • Kalamazoo County The organization maintains regional offices in Kalamazoo, Lansing, Jackson, and Battle Creek.
What size grants does United Way of South Central Michigan award?
In 2024, United Way of South Central Michigan awarded 188 grants totaling $8.2M — an average of about $44K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is United Way of South Central Michigan's EIN?
United Way of South Central Michigan's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-1359193. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of South Central Michigan's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
WK Kellogg Foundation
BATTLE CREEK, MI
Assets
$454.4M
Grants
1,778
Total Given
$286.5M
Consumers Energy Foundation
JACKSON, MI
Assets
$67.1M
Grants
296
Total Given
$7.5M
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
CHARLESTON SC, SC
Assets
$52.7M
Grants
1,860
Total Given
$41.4M
Kalamazoo Community Foundation
KALAMAZOO, MI
Assets
$698.6M
Grants
282
Total Given
$21.4M
Charities Aid Foundation America
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Assets
$444.9M
Grants
10,157
Total Given
$466.3M
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
Baird Foundation Inc
MILWAUKEE, WI
Assets
—
Grants
3,751
Total Given
$6.6M
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Michigan Health Endowment Fund
BRIGHTON, MI
Assets
$589.1M
Grants
148
Total Given
$36.0M
Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation
KALAMAZOO, MI
Assets
—
Grants
106
Total Given
$1.3M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with United Way of South Central Michigan on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities