Allocations volunteer overview and panel descriptions
Click here for panel descriptions and to complete an allocation volunteer form
Did you know that the United Way invests more than $1 million per week to strengthen the region’s health and human services agencies? Committed community volunteers make this possible by carefully distributing money raised in the annual United Way campaign.
United Way funding is distributed to support the ongoing operational expenses of almost 200 member agencies, and through one-time community enhancement grants in a variety of topics that are available to both member and non-member nonprofit organizations.
To ensure that the money raised in the community is well invested, volunteer teams review and assess each member agency on the Quality Standards, which measure the agencies’ ability to demonstrate success and competency in four key areas: programs, governance, finance and administration. After visiting their assigned agencies, each team of volunteers makes decisions regarding the amount of funding United Way will invest in each agency.
Each panel meets no more than 10 times between June and December. Meetings are typically from 9 - 11:45 a.m. or 2 - 4:45 p.m.; usually, two or three meetings are held at the United Way offices and the remaining meetings are at the agencies. Panel volunteers are responsible for their transportation to agency visits. Agencies are located throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Looking for something that requires less of a time commitment? Click here.
Allocations Panels
Services to Persons with Disabilities 1
Visit and learn about agencies that support people with hearing and vision loss or other physical and sensory challenges in learning to live independently. Click here for more information.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Visit and learn about agencies that provide counseling, advocacy, residential care and other mental health services. Click here for more information.
Basic Needs - Neighborhood Organizations Panel
Visit and learn about agencies that provide a variety of basic needs services, such as emergency financial assistance, job training, senior support, child care and after school programs. Click here for more information.
Basic Needs and Economic Opportunity
Visit and learn about agencies that provide people with food, homeless services, transitional housing, job training and other services to alleviate poverty and assist with food, clothing and shelter. Click here for more information.
Child Welfare
Visit and learn about agencies that provide services for abused and neglected children. Click here for more information.
Domestic Violence and Legal Services
Visit and learn about domestic violence shelters, legal services agencies and agencies that advocate for victims of crimes. Click here for more information.
Early Childhood Care and Education Panel
Visit and learn about child care centers that educate young children and support working parents. Click here for more information.
Health Services
Visit and learn about agencies that focus on community health education and prevention, as well as emergency response. Click here for more information.
Senior Support Services
Visit and learn about agencies that provide adult day services, assisted living, nursing home care and other services for the elderly. Click here for more information.
Services to Persons with Disabilities 2
Visit and learn about agencies that support people who have developmental disabilities. Click here for more information.
Youth Development
Visit and learn about agencies that help at-risk kids develop into healthy, productive adults. Click here for more information.
If you live or work in Illinois, you may serve on any of the above-listed panels, most of which contain some metro East agencies, or panels specific to the metro East area:
Metro East Youth Services
Visit and learn about agencies in Illinois that help at-risk youth develop into healthy, productive adults. Click here for more information.
Metro East Disabilities Services
Visit and learn about agencies that support people of all ages with developmental disabilities, mental illness or other health challenges. Click here for more information.
Metro East Basic Needs
Visit and learn about agencies in Illinois that provide food, homeless services, counseling and other basic needs services. Click here for more information.
If you have no panel preference, click here to submit your contact information.
Do you know someone who might be interested in voluteering also? Click here to send them an email with these opportunities.
Looking for something that requires less of a time commitment?
If current panel options do not meet your needs, there are One-Time Grant committees forming now. These committees meet two times to review grant applications and award grants to local agencies. This may be of interest to you if your time is limited but you still want to get involved with and learn about the United Way allocations process. For more information, contact Vanessa Wayne at Vanessa.wayne@stl.unitedway.org.