Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequently asked questions about our programs, contributions and services.
What is the mission of Aloha United Way?
How much of the money I donate stays in Hawaii?
How much money was raised last year?
Why give to Aloha United Way when you can give directly to other agencies?
How are donations distributed?
What are Impact Councils?
Of the monies raised, what percentage goes to management?
Is my Aloha United Way contribution tax deductible?
Since the break-in occurred in 2009, what additional security measures have been taken?
Have you caught the burglar?
What is the mission of Aloha United Way?
Aloha United Way’s mission is to improve lives, motivate people to help others, increase resources to meet needs and inspire collective solutions to community problems.
How much of the money I donate stays in Hawaii?
One hundred percent (100%) of your donation goes to support Hawaii non-profits.
How much money was raised last year?
Late pledges are still coming in, but so far we have raised about $8.7 million.
Why give to Aloha United Way when you can give directly to other agencies?
We address the most pressing community issues
Aloha United Way focuses its dollars and work on five key areas that the community has identified are the most pressing problems: homelessness, early childhood development, financial stability and independence, emergency and crisis services and crime and drug use.
Your money stays local
The money you donate to Aloha United Way stays in Hawaii to support local programs and agencies. Money is raised locally, used locally and reinvested back into OUR community to help build a better place for us all to live, work and raise our families.
You have a choice
Through our Donor Choice Program, you can choose where your money goes. You can designate your donation to any of our impact areas, 96 Partner Agencies and/or 103 Community Support Agencies and Programs. Plus, you can be assured that each one of the nonprofit agencies and programs comply with government standards. For example, you may want to promote self sufficiency, help children and youth succeed, sustain people in crisis or help families in need. This allows your financial gift to become personal and meaningful to you!
It’s easy
Online giving and payroll deduction through our employee workplace campaigns makes giving back to our community both easy and convenient. It enables you to make a difference all year long!
We do the work for you
We identify and research the community issues that polls confirm are the MOST important health and human service needs in our community. We also go through a competitive review process to select nonprofit agencies that can provide necessary work in these areas. Through Aloha United Way, community volunteers continuously review and monitor those local nonprofits that we’ve invested both time and money into, ensuring that those organizations are working together to create systemic change in those areas.
There’s strength in numbers
Giving to Aloha United Way is the most powerful way to give back to our community. We mobilize nearly 60,000 donors through our yearly workplace campaign to help create lasting change in our community. The combination of these aggregated donations and coordinated volunteer work make the biggest impact possible.
How are donations distributed?
Funding to agencies comes in two streams.
- Impact Areas: Knowledgeable volunteers assess community needs and determine how these dollars are distributed to agencies.
- Donor Choice Designation Process: This year we have 96 partner agencies, 103 community support agencies/programs and 101 Neighbor Island agencies that are eligible for designations through our Donor Choice program. For the list of eligible agencies, please log onto our website at auw.org and click on “DONOR CHOICE DESIGNATION LIST.” Donors may also choose to designate their donations to impact areas, 211 or Volunteer Hawaii.
What are Impact Councils?
Impact Councils are comprised of knowledgeable community volunteers from all sectors who meet and consider our community’s most difficult challenges. They are responsible for the complete management of the funding and advocacy in their impact area under the oversight of the Aloha United Way Board.
Of the monies raised, what percentage goes to management?
As an organization in the business of community impact we incur costs for fundraising, marketing and common business operations such as accounting, human resources and overall organizational management.
As careful stewards of our investors' contributions to the community, we aim to operate with the utmost efficiency and effectiveness.
Only 7.7% is spent on fundraising and 9.1% on administrative costs, while 83.2% is invested in programs and allocations to agencies that improve lives and deliver results that matter to the community.
Our overhead is well below suggested guidelines. The Better Business Bureau and National Charities Information Bureau guidelines suggest fundraising costs should not exceed 35% and total fundraising and administrative costs should not exceed 50% of total income.
Is my Aloha United Way contribution tax deductible?
Yes. Your contribution is tax deductible if you itemize your contributions.
Since the break-in occurred in 2009, what additional security measures have been taken?
We’ve significantly enhanced our comprehensive physical security system and improved our pledge processing system. In addition, individuals can donate directly online without having to turn in a pledge form or use a check.
Have you caught the burglar?
Unfortunately the burglar has not yet been apprehended. The case is still currently under investigation by the Honolulu Police Department.
