UWCHQ Merger

In 2024, the two separate United Ways in Chautauqua County began exploring a merger into one county-wide organization. In June of 2024, the Board of Directors of each United Way reviewed and approved the merger proposal — with the state of New York signing off on the merger in the spring of 2025.

The United Way of Northern Chautauqua County and United Way of Southern Chautauqua County were each begun as a local "Community Chest" more than 100 years ago. In the decades thereafter, each served their respective halves of the county with the same purpose: To mobilize the caring power of the community to help better the lives of all residents.

Finances and Accountability

United Way of Chautauqua County maintains the highest standards of professionalism, accountability and transparency in our stewardship of contributor dollars and financial management. Internal control procedures include a rigid system of checks and balances that prevents the same individuals from handling transactions in isolation and deters questionable activities.

As a matter of practice, United segregates responsibilities to limit employee involvement to specific functions within the process that are interdependent so that any irregularities that could occur are quickly discovered. The accounting staff are assigned individual duties to safeguard against possible wrongdoing. No one staff member is able to process any transaction from start to finish. 

Our finance committee (made up of volunteers who are high-level financial professionals) oversees accounting and financial procedures, and regularly monitors the finances of the organization. An independent accounting firm audits United Way’s books annually. A separate audit committee (composed of volunteers, including partners from several CPA firms) and board of directors must review and approve the annual audits. 

United Way is committed to maintaining the most effective financial control practices available to ensure that any type of financial impropriety is prevented or quickly identified and appropriately addressed.

Click here to view our audited financial statements and tax returns.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

We stand together to promote humanity, to foster inclusion, and to dignify the lived experiences of all of our community members. We value the richness of diverse identities, backgrounds, languages, cultures, and voices that contribute to better solutions for all. We work to address systemic barriers so that our most vulnerable and marginalized populations will be valued and provided equitable opportunities for education, employment, and growth. We are committed to long term, strategic, and sustainable change even as we take action with a sense of urgency. We recognize our vital role to convene community partners in raising awareness of diverse needs and align resources for diverse communities. 

We are United Way of Chautauqua County, and these efforts are critical to fulfilling our mission and vision in this community. We invite you to join us in supporting these efforts. 

• United Way of  Chautauqua County (UWCHQ) unequivocally denounces all racial and ethnic discrimination in our home community.
• In partnership with other stakeholders and community efforts, we seek to correct and dismantle those longstanding policies and customs that prevent equal justice under law; impede access to quality goods and services, housing, and education; and hinder proportional representation within those bodies that make decisions about policy and funding. The Advocacy Committee of UWCHQ’s Board of Directors will lead efforts to raise awareness and understanding of these issues. UWCHQ will continually assess our own internal culture, language and policies for alignment with our stated values.
• We acknowledge that racism and discrimination in our community is at once systemic and ephemeral, historical and persistent, macro and micro, explicit and implicit, intentional and unintentional.
• We are heartened by and seek to learn from the examples in our history — including strong ties to the anti-slavery movement — in which our forebears have actively worked to overcome racial and ethnic discrimination.
• We strive to create an environment in Chautauqua County, and within its public and private institutions, in which all our neighbors feel valued and are intentionally included. We work to ensure the well-being and vitality of our community, and that all its members can benefit from it.
• We commit to leveraging all of our assets (convening, strategic investments, awareness building, advocacy) to create more equitable communities. Our board and staff will complete yearly racial equity training, and we will apply a Chautauqua County-specific equity lens to our community investments.