United Way Worldwide - lots of promise but a little crazy to work there - Anonymous employee United Way Employee Review

3.0
Jun 25, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Mission, opportunity, scale, great people, heart in the right place, tons of potential, brand, position in the sector, relationship with corporate partners.

Cons

There are 1,800 local United Ways with their own CEOs and Boards vs. UWW which is not a headquarters but is instead something between a member service hub and a leadership organization for the network. It also happens to have one of the lowest membership fees of any similar non-profit, i.e. UWW has a very thin budget compared to American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, etc. Between the skimpy budget and the conflicting roles of member service vs. network leadership, UWW has a bit of a split personality. This results in elusive priorities, high turnover, institutional knowledge that keeps having to rebuild, multiple re-organizations over the years, and a set of fits and starts for implementing strategies that can move the network. They made a good move in 2016 by bringing in a Chief Culture Officer and that could help them. There's a ton of promise for UWW and the UW network but they've got to bring that promise to the forefront. I wish them the best!

Explore other reviews about United Way

5.0
Apr 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

People were very nice and cooperative

Cons

Not any that I would speak of

2.0
Jun 18, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The mission is meaningful and the work itself can be deeply rewarding. Colleagues are talented, dedicated, and genuinely care about the community they serve. For the right person, that camaraderie carries a lot of weight.

Cons

Over the past two years, this organization has undergone significant and painful change. A revolving door of senior leadership, including the abrupt loss of key executives, created instability that trickled down to every level of staff. Layoffs followed, and then a steady stream of voluntary departures that leadership appeared either unable or unwilling to address meaningfully. Under new leadership, nearly every quality-of-life benefit that made nonprofit-level salaries feel worth it has been reduced or eliminated: fewer sick days, increased healthcare costs, loss of Summer Fridays, loss of Thanksgiving week, and a shift to more required in-office days. The cumulative effect is an organization that asks a great deal of its staff, in salary sacrifice and mission commitment, while systematically withdrawing what made that trade-off feel fair.

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