United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Established in 1991, the organization fights for the health, safety, and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley community. The organization operates with approximately 90 employees and serves over 200,000 people annually through strategic community investments and partnerships with local agencies.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.4M
+0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$20.2M
+27.9% YoY
Grant Count
331
+8.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$61K
+18.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley fights for the health, safety and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley. The organization envisions a community where every person belongs and every person thrives.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education (80% of funding): Investments totaling $6,588,592 support early literacy skills, high-quality early learning, parent and child development education, summer kindergarten readiness, teacher training, and academic interventions for elementary and middle school students. A key 2030 goal focuses on increasing the percentage of students ready to learn and be successful in school, with a specific target of increasing the number of third graders reading on grade level by 50%.
- Healthy Aging (12% of funding)
- Food Access (8% of funding)
- Emergency Services and Mental Health: Dedicated support programs
The organization operates using a Collective Impact model and Results Based Accountability framework, bringing together hundreds of human service agencies to create measurable community change.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $2,500 - $50,000 (varies by program)
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon Counties in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $19,400,257 (2024)
Total Revenue: $28,502,147 (2024)
Total Expenses: $26,179,085 (2024)
Total Liabilities: $6,44,000 (2024)
Financial Efficiency: The organization channels at least 84 cents of every dollar directly into community solutions.
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since September 1991; 501(c)(3) organization
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,400,257 | $19,328,525 | $15,393,137 |
| Revenue | $28,502,147 | $23,450,202 | $25,966,681 |
| Expenses | $26,179,085 | $24,382,615 | $26,084,258 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $334,852 | $237,748 | $181,239 |
| 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
2 open opportunities from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Artsquest ($366,319), Boys & Girls Club of Allentown ($169,553), Allentown Symphony Association ($153,012).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL JENKINTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $17,500 |
| AFRICA INLAND MISSION INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED PEACHTREE CITY, GA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $21,875 |
| ALLENTOWN AREA ECUMENICAL FOOD BANK ALLENTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $36,684 |
| ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM ALLENTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $139,998 |
| ALLENTOWN DRIVE BASEBALL ALLENTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,129 |
| ALLENTOWN RESCUE MISSION INC ALLENTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $44,610 |
| ALLENTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT SHERIDAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALLENTOWN, PA | PROGRAM OPERATING COSTS | $93,167 |
| ALLENTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUNDATION ALLENTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT; PROGRAM OPERATING COSTS | $55,558 |
| ALLENTOWN SYMPHONY ASSOCIATION ALLENTOWN, PA | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $153,012 |
| ALLIANCE FOR CANCER GENE THERAPY INC STAMFORD, CT | DONOR DESIGNATED FOR GENERAL SUPPORT | $12,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President and CEO: Marci Lesko (since June 2024)
- Vice President, Resource Development: Paul Hurd
- Chief Financial Officer: Kara Mohsinger
- Vice President, Strategic Partnerships: Jill Pereira
- Vice President, Impact: Erin Connelly
- Chief Philanthropy Officer: Jill Wheeler (joined January 2026)
- Director, Grant Development: Olivia Fluke
- Director, Healthy Aging: Carmen Bell
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOROTA GASIENICA-KOZAK ESQ | BOARD CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| JOE SAVAGE | BOARD VICE CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
| ANNE BAUM | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| CAROL BIRKS EDD | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| SCOTT BLAIR | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| MIKE BUTZ | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| MARILEE FALCO | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| VERONICA GONZALEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| LAURIE GOSTLEY HACKETT | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| MATT GREEN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| TRISHA HIGGINS CPA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JOANE HOCKENBURY | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JAMES IRWIN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| DIANA LAQUINTA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| ERICA MELENDEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| DONALD OUTING PHD | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JOANNE RAPHAEL ESQ | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| THOMAS RIPSAM | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JOSEPH ROY EDD | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| PETE RUGGIERO | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| TYRONE RUSSELL | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| MELANIE SANCHEZ-JONES | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| JILL WHEELER | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID LEWIS | PRESIDENT | 37.5 | $281,779 |
| MARCI LESKO | EXECUTIVE VP, CIO, SECRETARY | 37.5 | $204,201 |
| DEBRA KLOCEK | VP, FINANCE & ADMIN/TREASURER THRU AUG '23 | 37.5 | $119,736 |
| KARA MOHSINGER | CFO; TREASURER AS OF AUG '23 | 37.5 | $56,250 |
| PAUL HURD JR | CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER | 37.5 | $176,885 |
| JILL PEREIRA | VP, EDUCATION & IMPACT | 37.5 | $149,894 |
| LAUREN SHANAHAN | AVP, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES | 37.5 | $117,205 |
| LAURA MCHUGH | VP, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS | 37.5 | $129,171 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Mental Health Funding:** United Way announced $250,000 in grants for mental health through the UNITED for Mental Health Grants program
United Way Awards $300000 in Grants through Fund for Racial ...**Racial Justice and Equity:** Awarded $300,000 in grants through the Fund for Racial Justice and Equity
United Way Awards $300000 in Grants through Fund for Racial ...**Education Partnership:** United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Allentown School District were awarded a $2.5 million education grant
United Way Awards $300000 in Grants through Fund for Racial ...**Critical Support Fund:** Delivers immediate food and crisis relief across the Greater Lehigh Valley
Critical Support Fund Delivers Immediate Food and Crisis Relief Across theSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley fund?
**Mission:** United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley fights for the health, safety and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley. The organization envisions a community where every person belongs and every person thrives. **Primary Focus Areas:** • **Education (80% of funding):** Investments totaling $6,588,592 support early literacy skills, high-quality early learning, parent and child development education, summer kindergarten readiness, teacher training, and academic interventio…
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley?
**Grant Range:** $2,500 - $50,000 (varies by program) **Annual Giving:** $26,231,833 (2024-2025 campaign), marking the organization's 15th consecutive year of growth **Total Giving:** $18,132,839 (based on most recent IRS Form 990 filing) **Funding Activity:** • Funds approximately 150 programs across 96 partner agencies • Success rate: Approximately 50% or lower (nearly double the funding requests versus available funds) • Decision time: 30 days for qualification application; varies for fundin…
Where does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley make grants?
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon Counties in Pennsylvania.
What size grants does United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley award?
In 2024, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley awarded 331 grants totaling $20.2M — an average of about $61K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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 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
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
The Wolf Creek Operating Foundation
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA
Assets
$7.1M
Grants
0
Total Given
—
The Best Little Cat House in PA
HARRISBURG, PA
Assets
$281K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Willis and Elsie Shenk Foundation
LANCASTER, PA
Assets
$9.4M
Grants
35
Total Given
$304K
The Irene P Sorbara Charitable Foundation
PITTSBURGH, PA
Assets
$2.5M
Grants
2
Total Given
$131K
Howmet Aerospace Foundation
PITTSBURGH, PA
Assets
$141.5M
Grants
209
Total Given
$8.4M
Penn and Lisa Seiple Conservancy
SUNBURY, PA
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
0
Total Given
—
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 the Greater Lehigh Valley 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
Go from researching United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley to a real strategy.