Frequently Asked Questions

question and answer

We do the work, so you don't have to. The process of determining which agencies receive United Way funding is rigorous. When donating to the United Way, you can be sure your funds are used wisely.

Giving to the United Way of Norman is the easiest and most efficient way to make one donation that helps the entire community. Your gift will benefit dozens of programs that help children who are victims of abuse, ensure that the hungry can get a hot meal, provide medical services to people who can't afford them, and increase the independence of adults living with disabilities. 

The United Way supports non-profit agencies by assisting with fundraising, publicity, and training. We are there for our agencies with more than funding, but we also ensure the agencies are functioning responsibly. 

The United Way makes a positive impact on the community by mobilizing the caring power of our society because a community working together makes life better for everyone. In times like these, the effect of a community banding together for a cause that helps people is immeasurable. 

The United Way of Norman uses donations to fund programs at partner agencies whose services are vital to our community. These programs are all exceptional, and they are chosen after much consideration by a volunteer impact council and approved by the board of directors. We go further to require detailed reports from partner agencies to ensure the funds are spent as intended and the impact is measurable and significant. The United Way of Norman makes distributing funds to the agencies the #1 priority and keeps operational costs low. We are proud to share that we have received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator. A four-star rating is the highest honor and represents integrity and best practices within the non-profit industry. 

United Way of Norman is committed to responsible stewardship of your donations and transparency in how your gifts are spent. 89-cents of every dollar goes directly toward helping people in our community. United Way of Norman has an overhead of less than 12%, according to our current IRS 990 Form. That is well below the Better Business Bureau standard for nonprofit organizations, 35% or less.

Yes! We allow designations to support programs of any of our current funded partner agencies. The agencies and their destination codes are listed on this website and where you donate, whether a printed brochure, workplace drive or online through the website. When completing your donation, don't hesitate to contact our office if you can't find the code. We want you to be able to donate that is meaningful to you. 

The volunteers serving on the United Way's four Impact Councils decide how to distribute dollars to the agencies requesting funding for their programs. The council's objective is to identify and support strategies and solutions that achieve measurable impact in the goals and outcomes outlined by the United Way of Norman. The council is divided into the impact areas: education, financial stability, health, and independence. The Impact Councils then make recommendations to the Board of Directors, who have final approval on funding. Our impact council is a volunteer group of citizens. If you would like to join the council, contact our office. 

We understand and appreciate the desire to give where you live. Use the designation code 7100 to ensure your donation is forwarded to your Norman United Way. If your employer matches contributions, make sure to ask to send all of your gifts to Norman.