United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc
United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Founded in 1954, the organization has been committed to building strong, successful families and strengthening the community for over 75 years. The organization operates in the top 9% of all United Ways in the United States (top 125 out of 1,300).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.1M
+1.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+16.3% YoY
Grant Count
30
+3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+12.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: From strengthening local resilience to advancing healthy communities, youth opportunity and financial security, United Way Southwest Louisiana is mobilizing communities to take action so all can thrive.
Vision: To transform the lives of every struggling individual, family or community in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jeff Davis parishes.
The organization strategically focuses on four impact areas:
- Youth Opportunity — ensuring individuals and families have access to quality education
- Financial Security — providing access to family-sustaining income
- Healthy Community — advancing community health
- Community Resiliency — providing critical resources during times of crisis
The organization funds programs in the areas of education, income, health, and safety net services. Beyond funding agency partners, United Way of Southwest Louisiana provides its own programs, including support for victims of Hurricane Ida, Hurricane Laura, and other community initiatives.
Grantmaking
United Way of Southwest Louisiana works closely with agency partners to distribute donations through a careful allocation process. Each year, a group of dedicated volunteers makes allocation decisions that impact the region.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
United Way of Southwest Louisiana serves five parishes in Louisiana:
- Allen Parish
- Beauregard Parish
- Calcasieu Parish
- Cameron Parish
- Jefferson Davis Parish
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $16,146,849 (2025)
Total Revenue: $5,052,212 (2025)
Total Expenses: $4,723,914 (2025)
Total Giving: $1,875,464
Staff: 15 employees
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,146,849 | $15,843,315 | $15,229,069 |
| Revenue | $5,052,212 | $6,326,964 | $6,416,688 |
| Expenses | $4,723,914 | $5,488,401 | $6,493,672 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $456,217 | $597,307 | $291,450 |
| 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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Abrahams Tent ($136,324), Catholic Charities Diocese of LC ($135,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters of SWLA ($94,757).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Abrahams Tent Lake Charles, LA | To support program funded by UW | $136,324 |
| Girl Scouts of Louisiana Pines Gulf Lafayette, LA | To support program funded by UW | $10,000 |
| United Against Homeless Outreach Lake Charles, LA | To support program funded by UW | $34,822 |
| McNeese Foundation KDCC Lake Charles, LA | To support program funded by UW | $22,000 |
| Beauregard ARC Deridder, LA | To support program funded by UW | $23,377 |
| Beauregard Community Concerns Deridder, LA | To support program funded by UW | $40,000 |
| Beauregard Council on Aging Deridder, LA | To support program funded by UW | $62,488 |
| Girlie Girls Mentoring Program Lake Charles, LA | To support program funded by UW | $25,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of SWLA Lake Charles, LA | To support program funded by UW | $94,757 |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of LC Lake Charles, LA | To support program funded by UW | $135,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President & CEO: Denise Durel
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denise Durel | PresidentChief Executive Officer | 40 | $199,116 |
| Jennifer Dimas | Director of Finance | 40 | $90,169 |
| Wendy Aguillard | Director | 2 | — |
| Jaine Fruge | Director | 2 | — |
| Debra Lastrapes | Director | 2 | — |
| Stitch Guillory | Director | 2 | — |
| Joanne Sovereign | Director | 2 | — |
| Jason Van Metre | Director | 2 | — |
| Marcie Michalko | Director | 2 | — |
| Tanya Gaudet | Director | 2 | — |
| James McGee | Director | 2 | — |
| Billy Vincent | Director | 2 | — |
| Patricia Prebula | Director | 2 | — |
| Paige Clayton | Director | 2 | — |
| Tony Guillory | Director | 2 | — |
| Shana Scales | Director | 2 | — |
| Scot Tyler | Member at Large | 2 | — |
| Stephen Dwight | Past Chair | 2 | — |
| Missy Amidon | Vice Chair | 2 | — |
| Barry Brown | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Jason Martinez | Member at Large | 2 | — |
| Marvin Lubin | Member at Large | 2 | — |
| Curtis Brescher | Chair | 2 | — |
| Nate Keller | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Kevin Lacy | Vice Chair | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
United Way of Southwest Louisiana announced 2024 Summer Impact Grant Recipients. The organization has been actively providing grants to nonprofits serving individuals and families in the five-parish region. Recent fundraising activities include the Battle for the Paddle cook-off event, which raised thousands of dollars for the organization.
United Way of SWLA raises thousands of dollars at Battle for the Paddle cook-offFrequently Asked Questions
What does United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc fund?
**Mission:** From strengthening local resilience to advancing healthy communities, youth opportunity and financial security, United Way Southwest Louisiana is mobilizing communities to take action so all can thrive. **Vision:** To transform the lives of every struggling individual, family or community in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jeff Davis parishes. The organization strategically focuses on four impact areas: • **Youth Opportunity** — ensuring individuals and families have acce…
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc?
United Way of Southwest Louisiana works closely with agency partners to distribute donations through a careful allocation process. Each year, a group of dedicated volunteers makes allocation decisions that impact the region. **Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $5,557 to $148,817. **Total Giving:** $1,875,464 (based on most recent IRS Form 990 filing) **Focus Areas:** Education, philanthropy, voluntarism, grantmaking, and human services, primarily in Louisiana. **Process:** The organiza…
Where does United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc make grants?
United Way of Southwest Louisiana serves five parishes in Louisiana: • Allen Parish • Beauregard Parish • Calcasieu Parish • Cameron Parish • Jefferson Davis Parish
What size grants does United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc award?
In 2025, United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc awarded 30 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $37K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc's EIN?
United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-0456901. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of Southwest Louisiana Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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