United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is a public charity based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It invests in solutions in education, healthy aging and community stability, and works with nonprofit organizations and other community partners to address regional challenges.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley at a glance
In short: United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley gave $21.5M across 378 grants in 2025 (avg $57K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $21,452,819
- +6.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 378
- +14.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $56,753
- -6.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,815
- Total assets
- $23,388,165
- +20.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (71 of 378, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (89% 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 the Greater Lehigh Valley
- Contact
Mailing address: 1110 American Parkway Ne F-120, Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: (610) 807-5755
Website: https://unitedwayglv.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Who United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Salvaggio Academy ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $7.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,566 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,163 grants of 1,566 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes its work as serving the Greater Lehigh Valley community. In 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania; smaller shares went to New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Florida. A past veterans’ mental health grant opportunity specified Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 378 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 71 of 378 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $65K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $22K repeat.
- 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). 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 $11.0M (2019) to $21.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 378 grants totaling $21.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Salvaggio Academy Allentown, PA | Donor Designated for General Support | $1,951,500 |
| Valley Youth House Bethlehem, PA | Donor Designated for General Support; Program Operating Costs | $1,106,954 |
| Communities in Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania Inc Allentown, PA | Donor Designated for General Support; Program Operating Costs | $1,103,540 |
| Da Vinci Science Center Allentown, PA | Donor Designated for General Support; Program Operating Costs | $910,690 |
| St Luke's Hospital Bethlehem, PA | Donor Designated for General Support; Program Operating Costs | $545,209 |
| Lehigh Valley Health Network Allentown, PA | Donor Designated for General Support | $446,624 |
| Allentown Symphony Association Allentown, PA | Donor Designated for General Support | $424,265 |
| Pinebrook Family Answers Allentown, PA | Donor Designated for General Support; Program Operating Costs | $302,733 |
| St Benedict's Preparatory School Newark, NJ | Donor Designated for General Support | $285,000 |
| Artsquest Bethlehem, PA | Donor Designated for General Support; Program Operating Costs | $280,756 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $23,388,165 | $35,759,135 | $30,054,634 | $21,452,819 | 378 | $1,208,343 |
| 2024 | $19,400,257 | $28,502,147 | $26,179,085 | $20,153,576 | 331 | $334,852 |
| 2023 | $19,328,525 | $23,450,202 | $24,382,615 | $15,762,813 | 306 | $237,748 |
| 2022 | $15,393,137 | $25,966,681 | $26,084,258 | $19,301,903 | 296 | $181,239 |
| 2021 | $16,496,210 | $20,846,633 | $19,933,600 | $13,614,548 | 255 | $174,641 |
| 2020 | $14,138,990 | $21,423,952 | $21,110,570 | $13,817,773 | 208 | $250,010 |
| 2019 | $14,091,103 | $17,874,535 | $17,502,864 | $10,956,928 | 176 | $200,483 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission, as stated on its 2024 filing, is to fight for the health, safety and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley. Its three investment areas are Education, Healthy Aging and Community Stability.
For 2024, the filing reported $6,653,977 in education investments supporting children and families through services such as early learning, academic interventions, mentoring and behavioral health services. It reported $594,313 in healthy aging investments, including connections to transportation, grocery-shopping and in-home support services. Community Stability investments totaled $2,719,417 and supported access to food, housing, mental health and other essential services. The filing also describes work through community schools and Age-Friendly Lehigh Valley.
The organization prioritizes grants to nonprofits serving the Lehigh Valley community, while reserving the right to fund other types of organizations when necessary. Grantees listed in its 2025 filing include organizations with varied missions: Salvaggio Academy describes its work as whole-child K–5 education; Valley Youth House focuses on children, youth and families; Communities in Schools works to surround students with community support; and Da Vinci Science Center provides inquiry-based science learning. Other listed grantees include health, arts, family services and youth organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 378 grants totaling $21,452,819. Grant amounts ranged from $5,005 to $1,951,500, with a median grant of $17,814. The filing describes many large awards as donor-designated for general support and, in some cases, program operating costs.
Among the largest reported grants were $1,951,500 to Salvaggio Academy, $1,106,954 to Valley Youth House, $1,103,540 to Communities in Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania, and $910,690 to Da Vinci Science Center. Other large awards included $545,209 to St. Luke’s Hospital, $446,624 to Lehigh Valley Health Network, $424,265 to Allentown Symphony Association, and $302,733 to Pinebrook Family Answers.
Organizations seeking consideration for funding must first submit a Qualification Application. The process requires access to materials including the organization’s Form 990, budget, strategic plan and board list. An organization must have existed for at least one year, and qualified partners complete renewal every two years. Qualification is required for funding consideration but does not guarantee funding. The website says partner applications are accepted on a rolling basis, while funding applications are accepted periodically. The filing says organizations must meet 18 legal, governance, financial and organizational-quality criteria; supported programs are monitored annually using customer counts, low-income status and Results Based Accountability data and reporting.
The organization’s 2024 United for Veterans’ Mental Health grant cycle offered $5,000–$20,000 for programs serving veterans in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties. That cycle’s application period closed in October 2024, with funding scheduled for January–December 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Joe Savage as board chair and Dorota Gasienica-Kozak, Esq. as immediate past board chair. It also lists Anne Baum, Carol Birks, EdD, Scott Blair, Mike Butz, Vicki Doule, Veronica Gonzalez, Laurie Gostley Hackett and Matt Green as board members.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is led by Marci Lesko, Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 8 of 31 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marci Lesko
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Vice President & Secretary → Executive Vice President, CIO & Secretary, 2023
Executive Vice President, CIO & Secretary → Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$133K (2019) → $240K (2025)
Joe Savage
Board Chair
Board Member → Board Vice Chair, 2023
Board Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Lewis
Immediate Past President
President → Immediate Past President, 2025
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$209K (2019) → $220K (2025)
Paul Hurd Jr.
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Vice President & Resource Development → Chief Philanthropy Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$142K (2019) → $193K (2025)
Jill Pereira
Vice President & Strategic Partnerships
Vice President, Education & Impact → Vice President & Strategic Partnerships, 2025
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$108K (2020) → $139K (2025)
Lauren Shanahan
Assistant Vice President & Strategic Initiatives
On filings since 2021
37.5 hrs/week
$101K (2021) → $112K (2025)
Laura McHugh
Chief Engagement Officer
Vice President, Marketing & Communications → Chief Engagement Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
37.5 hrs/week
$122K (2023) → $153K (2025)
Kara Mohsinger
CFO & Treasurer
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$56K (2024) → $165K (2025)
Erin Connelly
Vice President & Impact
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$123K (2025)
Anne Baum
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dorota Gasienica-Kozak Esq.
Immediate Past Board Chair
Board Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2023
Board Chair → Immediate Past Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pete Ruggiero
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Trisha R. Higgins CPA
Board Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald Outing PhD
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Irwin
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Gostley Hackett
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Green
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Butz
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Veronica Gonzalez
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Sanchez-Jones
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joane Hockenbury
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Ripsam
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carol Birks EdD
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erica Melendez
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jill Wheeler
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Blair
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyrone Russell
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dwayne Jones
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jack Silva EdD
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Piazza
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vicki Doule
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (31)
- Former: Debra Klocek (2019–2024) — Vice President, Finance, Administrator & Treasurer
- Former: Joanne Raphael Esq. (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Joseph Roy EdD (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Diana Laquinta (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Marilee Falco (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Bill Schaninger PhD (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Marc Granson MD (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Rafael De La Hoz (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Thomas Daub (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Henry Tangredi (2021–2023) — Assistant Vice President & Strategic Technology
- Former: David Piperato (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Erica Surita Triminio (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Ashley Russo (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Joseph Topper (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Carlos Hodges Dvm (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Latyoya Mitchell (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Carlos Hodges (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Matthew Pye (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Saleem Saab (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Thomas Parker (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Tina Q. Richardson (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: William Kent (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Celeste Rau (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Allan Chen (2019) — Board Member
- Former: John F. Reinhart (2019) — Board Member
- Former: John Marzano (2019) — Board Member
- Former: John Werkheiser (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Marilee Flaco (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Megan Beste (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Timothy S. Rausch (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Wendy Born (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 $240K, to Marci Lesko (Chief Executive Officer). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
How much does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley give each year?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley gave $21.5M across 378 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $20.2M across 331 grants.
What is United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's typical grant size?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's median grant in 2025 was $17,815, and its average grant was $56,753, across 378 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley that year got $23K on average.
Where does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley give grants?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Allentown, PA (95 grants), Bethlehem, PA (55 grants), Easton, PA (16 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (10 grants).
Does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (378 of 378) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's largest grantees?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's largest 2025 grantees include Salvaggio Academy ($1,951,500), Valley Youth House ($1,106,954) and Communities in Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania Inc ($1,103,540), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley reported $23.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $35.8M.
What does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley fund?
The organization’s mission, as stated on its 2024 filing, is to fight for the health, safety and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley. Its three investment areas are Education, Healthy Aging and Community Stability. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check unitedwayglv.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's EIN?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2657933. 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 2020 (received by the IRS February 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 5, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-the-greater-lehigh-valley-morg_48285e63f991458f9aed4bbbdb3f9856
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232657933_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-the-greater-lehigh-valley-morg_48285e63f991458f9aed4bbbdb3f9856},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 the Greater Lehigh 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.
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