United Way brings together social agencies, schools, organizations, and governments to make a meaningful difference in the community through local programs and services that empower people to improve their lives. By working together, we create lasting change and build a stronger, more vibrant community for everyone.
When you support United Way, you are an important part of a movement with others who share your social purpose and want the best for our community. Your contribution to United Way stays 100% local, providing life-changing support to individuals and families within the Edmonton region.
Let’s work together to align your corporate social purpose and values with the community needs you care about. Partnering with United Way gives your employees immersive personal and professional development opportunities, team-building exercises, engagement activities, and positive recognition and celebration for the difference they are making in community.
Keep up with the latest news, stories, and events happening in the local community.
United Way is a network of more than 75 local United Way offices. Since 1941, we’ve worked in the Alberta Capital Region for the betterment of all.
Whether you are an individual looking for support or an organization looking to collaborate, please reach out to connect.
Search United Way Alberta Capital Region
Home / About Us / Trust and Accountability
Our collaborative approach brings together social agencies, schools, organizations, and governments to make a meaningful difference in the community through local programs and services that empower people to improve their lives. Together, we make the most of your resources by fostering collaboration and amplifying our impact. Your contributions go farther and wider where you'll see the direct impact right here in our community.
Built on over 80 years of experience, United Way’s experts deeply know this community and its support systems – and what it needs most.
Every dollar you give to United Way of the Alberta Capital Region stays 100% local in Edmonton and the surrounding region, and our communities are measurably stronger because of the work you empower us to do.
When you give to United Way, you can be sure that your investments will receive the highest level of stewardship, oversight, and accountability from a trusted, verified, experienced, and credible partner. As a 5 star charity rated by Charity Intelligence, your contributions are well-directed and align your interests to the community’s needs, both emergent and long-term.
United Way is a five star rated charity and a leader in fiscal responsibility and is always well below the 35% threshold for administrative costs as set out by the Canada Revenue Agency.
For every dollar donated, 73 cents goes directly to our local agencies, programs, and initiatives.
And the other 27 cents? They mean we can:
Independent charity analysts believe we’re an exceptional charity too. We received an “A” for results reporting and a “✔+” for financial transparency from Charity Intelligence.
Charity Intelligence impartially analyzes the transparency, accountability, and cost-efficiency of more than 800 Canadian charities each year—empowering donors like you to make informed, intelligent giving decisions.
With our crisis responses and government grants, our number is higher than what Charity Intelligence and the CRA consider when calculating their own ratios.
You can learn more by visiting our charity listing with the CRA, or by reading our annual reports and financial statements, all of which are updated and publicly shared each year.
When you make a contribution to United Way, we administer it with great care. We set high standards for our conduct in all areas of our organization and continuously measure our performance. It is up to us to ensure that our donors remain informed and confident that their contributions will be well managed and result in positive impact.
Our volunteer Board of Directors conduct regular, in-depth reviews of United Way’s financial and community investment performance.
There are also regulatory bodies in place that ensure we are operating to the highest standards:
In addition, we follow internal transparency, accountability, and financial reporting guidelines that are intended to be defendable, acceptable, consistent, transparent, and simple in providing standardized reporting by United Ways across Canada.
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region is externally audited to ensure that we operate in a fiscally responsible manner.
Approximately 5,000 volunteers in the Alberta Capital Region help United Way carry out its community programs and projects. During the campaign season from September to December, approximately 25 temporary employees and company Sponsored Campaign Representatives assist with our fundraising work. This helps United Way leverage resources and decrease overhead costs.
We value the expertise, skills, and hard work our staff provide that translate directly to significant positive impact in our local community. To ensure staff are compensated both fairly and responsibly, salaries are established through compensation comparison to other charitable organizations, an assessment of roles and responsibilities, and our commitment to spending dollars wisely.
United Way brings together community partners throughout the region to share strategies and increase cost efficiency by working in collaboration.
Additionally, United Way events and initiatives are regularly sponsored by corporations whose generosity helps cover costs.
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region works collaboratively across the social services sector, identifying pressing community needs, and convening partnerships across the region to implement solutions with greatest impact. Thanks to United Way supporters, we can provide critical funding and backbone administrative support, so local agencies can focus on delivering much-needed frontline programs and services.
This Canada Day, take the time to reflect on these truths and commit to the reconciliation needed to heal these deep wounds. Together, we can transform Canada into the place that many of us already think it is.
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region is rallying residents of the metropolitan region to support our most vulnerable community members during a season of urgent need.
