The United Way of Montgomery, Radford & Floyd is a LOCAL, independent organization whose mission is to generate resources for human services for our LOCAL community. Almost every community in the United States is served by its own local, independent, United Way organization too. Local United Ways link together through a national trade organization, the United Way of America (UWA). UWA’s role is to serve local United Ways by providing research, training, information, technical support and resources, networking, etc.

In order to be able to use the United Way name and logo, your United Way (and all other local United Ways) must meet demanding guidelines on an annual basis. These guidelines include meeting legal requirements, standards of governance and financial operation, maintaining a code of ethics, as well as meeting other criteria. UWMRF’s board of directors - all local volunteers - must certify these standards and criteria are met every year and submit proof of certification to UWA. United Ways across a region or area often work together even while each pursues independent goals.

Your United Way’s volunteers (all locals) make community investment decisions and other decisions based on the needs of our community. The local volunteer Board of Directors make all final decisions. The decisions of one local United Way may be very different from those of another United Way. For example, United Way of Montgomery, Radford and Floyd currently has partnerships with 31 local health/human service agencies and programs. UWMRF also partners with businesses, other charitable organizations/programs, and individuals in various community building efforts to provide various resources to meet local human needs.

UWMRF’s board of directors established formal donor choice policies in 1994.  The policies preserve the integrity of the United Way campaign while giving donors the option to designate to partner agencies/charities, other United Ways, and non-partner agencies/charities.  The policies define guidelines for agency eligibility of designations.  Not every choice a donor might feel is appropriate is in keeping with the mission and role of the United Way which has a focus on health and human services.

• Donor designations are restricted funds and are not part of the Community Care Fund
• If a partner agency receives more in designations than their request to United Way, the agency still receives all of the designations
• Non-partner charities must annually sign a certification that they are eligible to receive charitable gifts
• 7% of the total designations to non-partners is retained to pay for the costs of fund-raising, recording, collecting, and distributing the funds.  This is a standard practice.  Non-partner agencies/charities are glad to receive these additional funds for such minimal cost-sharing (our total cost for providing these services annually is approximately 15.5% meaning some of our costs go unreimbursed)

United Way of Montgomery, Radford, & Floyd’s funding of the local Boy Scouts of the Blue Ridge Council assists with helping disadvantaged or at-risk youth participate in scouting activities, increasing outreach to under-served areas, and assisting with the overall quality of local scouting programs.  We continue to partner with the local Boy Scout Council as they provide important character-building programs to boys and teen youth in our community.

The Supreme Court ruling established that the Boy Scouts of America have a constitutionally protected right to set their own membership and leadership criteria.  The ruling does not prohibit local United Ways from funding Boy Scouts in their individual communities.  Our United Way has standards for partner agencies and programs that pertain to legal non-profit status, the use of volunteers, the service area, the provision of human services, and compliance with other United Way policies.  Our standards are consistently applied to all agencies/programs requesting funds.  Our local Boys Scouts Council is in compliance with our United Way’s standards and policies.

The Boy Scouts of America position is they do not believe an avowed homosexual is an appropriate role model for the values espoused in the Scout Oath and Law, which they expect adult leaders to embody.  The Boy Scouts also state that they do not make any efforts to determine the sexual orientation of any person.

Roanoke Valley United Way funding for Planned Parenthood is restricted to educational programs, one of which focuses on teen pregnancy prevention and is not for abortion counseling or the procedure.

Designations made by a donor to Planned Parenthood are accepted as is any other designation made to a non-partner agency which meets donor designation criteria, i.e. 501(c)(3) IRS determination, registered with the state department of consumer affairs, provides local human services, governed by volunteers, etc.