United Way of the Lakelands
United Way of the Lakelands is a public charity based in Greenwood, South Carolina. It supports local programs and community initiatives focused on education, financial stability, and health in Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Saluda counties.
United Way of the Lakelands at a glance
In short: United Way of the Lakelands gave $38K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $5K). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $38,244
- -68.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- -56.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,463
- -27.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,367
- Total assets
- $1,381,120
- -3.0% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to United Way of the Lakelands
- How to Apply
-
Submit a separate Community Investment Fund application for each program, with the required program update form and attachments. The website describes an annual process but does not state a deadline.
- Contact
Mailing address: 929 Phoenix St, Greenwood, SC 29646
Phone: (864) 229-4103
Website: https://uwlakelands.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way of the Lakelands funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Alston Wilks Society ($6K). Together the top 7 received $38K.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 78 grants of 78 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The funder states that it serves Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Saluda counties in South Carolina. Its website says Community Investment Fund funding is available to nonprofits serving those counties.
How United Way of the Lakelands gives
- Giving fell 77% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $38K (2025) to $615K (2019). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $38K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alston Wilks Society | — | $6,351 |
| Burton Center | — | $5,883 |
| Community Initiatives | — | $5,464 |
| Food Bank | — | $5,367 |
| Emerald City Rotary | — | $5,118 |
| Boys and Girls Club | — | $5,034 |
| Beyond Abuse | — | $5,027 |
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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 | $1,381,120 | $972,774 | $1,072,791 | $38,244 | 7 | $14,199 |
| 2024 | $1,423,602 | $841,102 | $1,061,753 | $120,343 | 16 | $15,521 |
| 2023 | $1,603,409 | $1,764,633 | $1,714,593 | $146,882 | 14 | $10,210 |
| 2022 | $1,548,920 | $1,424,851 | $1,551,264 | $165,989 | 21 | $5,182 |
| 2021 | $1,741,300 | $812,262 | $1,008,487 | $218,649 | 20 | $4,639 |
| 2020 | $1,643,414 | $1,063,745 | $1,165,014 | $383,782 | 17 | $17,974 |
| 2019 | $1,764,803 | $817,523 | $1,196,176 | $615,340 | 20 | $29,355 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s website states its mission is to unite partners, invest in solutions, and deliver services that identify needs, close gaps, and improve lives across Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Saluda counties.
Its stated investment priorities include kindergarten readiness; early language, literacy, and numeracy skills; children’s social and emotional development; access to medical, behavioral health, and dental care; health education and prevention; and basic needs that address barriers to education, financial stability, and health.
Grantmaking
The Community Investment Fund supports local nonprofit programs serving Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Saluda counties. The process is conducted annually: volunteers review and score proposals, review agency financials, participate in site visits, and prepare funding recommendations. The board makes final approval decisions.
The website requires a separate Community Investment Fund application for each program, along with a program update form and necessary attachments for each application. IRS filing data reports zero grants for each of 2023, 2024, and 2025; it does not provide grant totals or typical award sizes for those years.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Cooper as chairperson and Tony Lawton as treasurer. It also lists Marisel Losa and Denise Holland as “EXECUTIVE DI,” and Brenda Anderson, Amber DiPietro, Tim Evans, Kim McLaughlin, Robert Schulze, and Jessica Usherwood as board members.
United Way of the Lakelands is led by John Cooper, Chairperson since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 2 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Cooper
Chairperson
Past Chairman → Co Chairperson, 2024
Co Chairperson → Chairperson, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marisel Losa
Executive Di
Chief Executive Officer → CEO, 2023
CEO → Executive Di, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$113K (2020) → $86K (2025)
Denise Holland
Executive Di
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$13K (2025)
Brenda Anderson
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Evans
Board Member
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tony Lawton
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amber Dipietro
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Usherwood
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kim McLaughlin
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Holisa Whorton
Board Member
Vice Chairman → Co Chairperson, 2024
Co Chairperson → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Schulze
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (36)
- Former: Brandon Smith (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Megha Lal (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Lynn Slater (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Ada Velez (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Mahaffey (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Paul Pridemore (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Niambe Jones (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Heather Jones (2019–2022) — Past Board Chair
- Former: Amanda Morgan (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Brian Callear (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Woodiwiss (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Matthew Miller (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Sharon Walb (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Cyndi New (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Glenn McLean (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jessie Cosentino (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Monica Parris (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Peggy Johnson (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Shealyn Barnes (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Lisa Ann Smith (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Jackson (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Graham Sullivan (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Amaryllis Turman (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Andy Hartung (2019) — Past Board Chair
- Former: April Prince (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Bubba Harvin (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Chunsta Miller (2019) — Board Member
- Former: David Elliot (2019) — Board Member
- Former: David Trent (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica Cosentino (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Johnathan Graves (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Josh Garvin (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Matt Howard (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Dixon (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Ruth Burdette (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Teresa Goodman (2019) — Board Member at Large
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 $86K, to Marisel Losa (Executive Di). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about United Way of the Lakelands
How much does United Way of the Lakelands give each year?
United Way of the Lakelands gave $38K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $120K across 16 grants.
What is United Way of the Lakelands's typical grant size?
United Way of the Lakelands's median grant in 2025 was $5,367, and its average grant was $5,463, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are United Way of the Lakelands's largest grantees?
United Way of the Lakelands's largest 2025 grantees include Alston Wilks Society ($6,351), Burton Center ($5,883) and Community Initiatives ($5,464), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of the Lakelands?
United Way of the Lakelands reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $973K.
What does United Way of the Lakelands fund?
The organization’s website states its mission is to unite partners, invest in solutions, and deliver services that identify needs, close gaps, and improve lives across Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Saluda counties. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of the Lakelands?
Submit a separate Community Investment Fund application for each program, with the required program update form and attachments. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does United Way of the Lakelands make grants?
The funder states that it serves Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, and Saluda counties in South Carolina. Its website says Community Investment Fund funding is available to nonprofits serving those counties.
What is United Way of the Lakelands's EIN?
United Way of the Lakelands's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6005943. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 27, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from United Way of the Lakelands'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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