Valley of the Sun United Way
Valley of the Sun United Way is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Phoenix, Arizona, serving Maricopa County. Established in 1925 as the Community Welfare Council and Community Chest of Phoenix, the organization operates as an autonomous local United Way affiliate independent of United Way Worldwide. The organization mobilizes community, corporate, and nonprofit partners to address critical social issues and advance the common good.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$101.7M
-6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$105.4M
+7.3% YoY
Grant Count
126
+3.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$836K
+3.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Valley of the Sun United Way envisions a community where every child, family, and individual is healthy, has a safe place to live, and has every opportunity to succeed in school, work, and life.
The organization's strategic priorities, outlined in its MC2026 plan for Mighty Change, focus on four primary areas:
- Health
- Housing and Homelessness
- Education
- Workforce Development
Grantmaking
Valley of the Sun United Way distributes grants to health and human service programs aligned with organizational community objectives. Recent grant activity includes:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Valley of the Sun United Way primarily funds organizations and initiatives within Maricopa County, Arizona, though the organization has some funding activity in Oregon and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $101,736,416
- Total Revenue: $119,496,515
- Total Expenses: $119,102,357
- Total Giving: $105,471,884
- Total Liabilities: $25,700,000
Staffing: The organization employs 117 staff members as of 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $101,736,416 | $108,533,886 | $104,098,931 |
| Revenue | $119,496,515 | $110,603,271 | $79,942,536 |
| Expenses | $119,102,357 | $112,728,218 | $80,597,059 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,043,399 | $2,546,883 | $3,907,252 |
| 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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include FTF Quality First Scholarships to Providers ($87,195,345), Direct Designations to Various Agencies ($5,167,663), City of Tempe ($1,045,631).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A New Leaf Inc Mesa, AZ | Program Support | $929,358 |
| ADVOCACY31NINE Gilbert, AZ | Program Support | $7,324 |
| AZ Assoc for the Ed of Young Chdn Chandler, AZ | Program Support | $5,500 |
| Arizona Career Pathways Phoenix, AZ | Program Support | $37,500 |
| Arizona Community Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Program Support | $334,185 |
| Arizona Faith Network Phoenix, AZ | Program Support | $5,500 |
| Arizona Housing Inc Phoenix, AZ | Program Support | $153,217 |
| ARIZONA KIDS THINK TOO Phoenix, AZ | Program Support | $7,597 |
| Arizona Latino Leaders in Education Phoenix, AZ | Program Support | $10,260 |
| SciTech Institute Tempe, AZ | Program Support | $26,250 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key staff members include:
- Nadia Rivera: New Partnerships Director
- Maria Mendoza: Donor Services Director
- Jacqueline Blake-broughton: Senior Director, Individual Donor Engagement
- Hassan Madyun: IT Director
- Terra Masias: Vice President
- Laura Dix: Grantsmanship Director
- Carol Walker: Finance Director
- Nikita Lopez: Human Resources Director
The organization is governed by a local, all-volunteer Board of Directors. A volunteer committee of financial experts from the community meets year-round to monitor the organization's financial position.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRADLEY SMITH | DIRECTOR/SECRETARY | 4 | — |
| DAVID LONG | DIRECTOR/TREASURER | 4 | — |
| JOHN GRAHAM | DIRECTOR/BOARD CHAIR | 4 | — |
| ADAM REICH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| AMANDA MUIR | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ANTHONY SHARETT | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BETH GINZINGER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CHAD GESTSON EDD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CHRIS CAMACHO | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CHRISTINE WILKINSON PHD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DANIEL WANI | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DON SMITH JR | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DRENA KUSARI | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ELISSA KELLY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| GEOFFREY BURBRIDGE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| GREG GEIST | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HOPE LEVIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JEFF BARTON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JIM MACDONALD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KIMBERLY THOMPSON HEINL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LATASHA CAUSEY | DIRECTOR/VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| LAUREN TOBIASSEN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LEE ANN BOHN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LISA RILEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LIZ MONTANO | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MATT BYRNES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MATTHEW FEENEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MONICA VILLALOBOS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MONICA WHITING | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| NEIL GIULIANO | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PAT EDWARDS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PAUL FANNIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PAULA BOCA-BOMMARITO | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RAY SCHEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| REBECCA BURLEIGH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| Robin Reed | Director (PART YEAR) | 2 | — |
| ROBYN ARNELL BRENDEN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RUBEN ALVAREZ | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SABRINA FREIBERG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STEVE EVANS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TODD SANDERS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TRACY BAME | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TYLER PFEIFER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CARLA VARGAS JASA | PRESIDENT AND CEO | 50 | $337,859 |
| TANYA MUNIZ | CHIEF FIN. & OPERATING OFFICER | 50 | $243,017 |
| CHRISTINE SULLIVAN | VP, CONTROLLER | 50 | $130,381 |
| COLLEEN GAUTAM | SVP, GENERAL COUNSEL & ADMIN | 50 | $142,153 |
| LAURA KAISER | CHIEF CORP RELATIONS & BRAND OFFICER | 50 | $180,910 |
| MELISSA BOYDSTON | SVP, COMM DEV & ENGAGEMENT | 50 | $137,244 |
| SHELLEY GRIFFIN | VP, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | 50 | $146,445 |
Contact Information
Address: 3115 North 3rd Avenue, Suite G-130 Phoenix, AZ 85013
Phone: 602-631-4800
Fax: 602-631-4809
Website: vsuw.org
Email: information@vsuw.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Valley of the Sun United Way fund?
Valley of the Sun United Way envisions a community where every child, family, and individual is healthy, has a safe place to live, and has every opportunity to succeed in school, work, and life. The organization's strategic priorities, outlined in its MC2026 plan for Mighty Change, focus on four primary areas: • **Health** • **Housing and Homelessness** • **Education** • **Workforce Development**
How do I apply for a grant from Valley of the Sun United Way?
Valley of the Sun United Way distributes grants to health and human service programs aligned with organizational community objectives. Recent grant activity includes: **Recent Grant Recipients (2024):** • Make Way For Books: $1,028,585 (Program Support) • A New Leaf: $929,358 (Program Support) • Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC): $559,844 (Program Support) The organization made 113 grants totaling $10,828,764 in 2024. Grant amounts typically range from $5,468 to $87,195,345. **Grant Application Proc…
Where does Valley of the Sun United Way make grants?
Valley of the Sun United Way primarily funds organizations and initiatives within Maricopa County, Arizona, though the organization has some funding activity in Oregon and New York.
What size grants does Valley of the Sun United Way award?
In 2024, Valley of the Sun United Way awarded 126 grants totaling $105.4M — an average of about $836K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Valley of the Sun United Way's EIN?
Valley of the Sun United Way's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0104419. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Valley of the Sun United Way'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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