United Way campaign up; local fund
sees increase:
Campaign pulls in $10.1 million, with $6.7
million directed to local nonprofit programs

August 31, 2007

United Way of Snohomish County announced the results of last year’s fundraising campaign Friday—a total of $10.1 million, with $6.7 million directed to United Way’s Local Community Fund. The remaining $3.4 million is directed to local, national and international charities selected by donors.

Last year United Way set a goal specifically for the Local Community Fund, the portion of the campaign total that supports United Way’s work on long-term solutions to local problems and funds services for people here in Snohomish County.

Although United Way did not reach its ambitious $7.4 million 2006 campaign goal for the Local Community Fund—an 18% increase over the previous year—giving to the fund rose by $325,000, with donors for the first time in many years directing a greater percentage of their total giving to be invested by United Way locally.

Overall, the 2006 campaign total of $10.1 million was also an increase over the previous year’s $9.9 million.

“We set our sites really high last year because the needs are so great and the work that United Way is doing here is so important,” said Mike Tibbits, 2006 Campaign Chair and executive vice president at Evergreen Bank.

“Donors in this community understood that and responded very generously. We are extremely grateful.”

The announcement comes just before the kick-off of this year’s campaign, which is September 12 at United Way’s Spirit of Snohomish County Breakfast where the agency will announce a new goal for the 2007 campaign. John Dickson, CEO of Frontier Bank, is 2007 Campaign Chair.

“Since several large companies have moved their United Way campaigns to the spring and our fiscal year just ended June 30 of 2007, we don’t close the books on campaign until then,” noted United Way spokesperson Deborah Squires.

United Way of Snohomish County returns nearly 84 cents on every dollar to the community through grants to 93 nonprofit programs; initiatives such as 2-1-1, the Volunteer Center and its work in early learning through Success By 6; and donor-directed contributions. Operating costs are 16.4% of total revenue, considered excellent by nonprofit management standards set by charitable watchdog organizations.

August 31, 2007

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