Donor Designation Policy

The Grove City Area United Way (GCAUW) encourages donors to make unrestricted contributions to the Community Care Fund.  This fund allows the Allocations Committee to determine the most critical needs in our community and to allocate the dollars to meet those needs.  When considering investments to GCAUW funded agencies, the Allocations Committee will be provided with designation information.  Grant awards may be made in addition to designations.

Donors may choose to designate their gift directly to an organization of their choice, either to a GCAUW grant-funded agency, or to a GCAUW non-grant funded agency, by indicating their desire on the donor pledge form.

DESIGNATION MINIMUM: Donor designations must be at least $25.00 per agency, to a 501c3 non-profit health or human service organization providing service in the United States, preferably in the state or region.  If a designation does not meet these criteria, it will become part of the GCAUW Community Care Fund.  A good faith effort will be made to distribute donor designated funds to the intended recipient.

PROCESSING FEE: Gifts to GCAUW grant-funded agencies and to other United Ways that do not impose a processing fee for designations to fellow United Ways will be passed through without an administrative deduction. For all other designations, a 7% processing fee will be assessed for each check issued.  

Designations to GCAUW grant funded agencies will be paid out quarterly.  Designations to GCAUW non-grant funded agencies will be paid out in January following the close of the calendar year of the grant awards.  All designations will be paid out less the processing fee when applicable as well as a 5% average pledge loss deduction.

Agencies funded by the GCAUW may not promote or encourage designations to their agency in any manner, at any time.  This restriction applies to any form of written or verbal communication to all audiences, including, but not limited to, volunteers, board members, agency staff, current contributors, service recipients and potential contributors at agency events or at workplace presentations.

GCAUW grant-funded agencies will positively promote the United Way’s community-wide campaign with all audiences as the best choice to assist a broad range of health and social service needs and will promote the United Way investment process of distributing funds based upon identified community needs.

Violation of the Donor Designation Policy by a GCAUW grant-funded agency may result in reduced allocations or even grant termination by the Grove City Area United Way.