How We Do It

United Way of Greater Los Angeles has the unique honor of being one of the oldest and largest charities in L.A. Because of our deep roots in the community, we are able to bring about change in ways that build trust and establish ties between community leaders, businesses, organizations, and individuals.

We rely on four main strategies to implement the core values in our 10-year action plan, changing lives and strengthening our community.

• Research – To know where we need to go, we must first understand where we are. United Way conducts research on homelessness, financial stability, education and health care to offer in-depth understanding of how poverty affects real people’s lives. We work vigorously to debunk the common misconceptions about poverty, and to bring about informed discussion that leads to actionable results.

Recent Research Reports

• The Tale of Two Cities ReportClick here to view or download
• Homeless Cost StudyClick here to view or download
• Seizing the Middle Ground: Why Middle School Creates the Pathway to College and the WorkforceClick here to view or download
• Quality of Life in Los Angeles County: The 2008 State of the County Report Update Click here to view or download
• Quality of Life in Los Angeles County: 2007 State of the County Report Click here to view or download
• 2006 State of Women in Los Angeles County Click here to view or download
• State of Black Los Angeles Click here to view or download
• The Diverse Face of Asian and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County Click here to view or download
• Latino Score Card 2006 Click here to view or download
• Funding – Thanks to the generous support of community members like you, United Way funds organizations that serve individuals and families in three key areas: meeting basic needs, improving educational achievement and increasing financial stability. We aim to make the largest and most lasting impact in the community through a competitive grant funding process that rewards outstanding organizations with measurable results. In 2009, we partnered with 170 organizations.
• Community Partnerships – Big problems require big solutions. United Way builds the kinds of community partnerships necessary to solve the problems of poverty today. Our annual Homewalk event raises awareness and resources to end homelessness by bringing business leaders face-to-face with community leaders. And our Tax Season campaign harnesses volunteer talent from major accounting firms to help low-income people receive all the tax credits they deserve.
• Advocacy – We are deeply committed to ending the causes of poverty, not just treating the symptoms. We advocate for change both within our alliances, and by supporting legislation aimed at getting homeless people off the street, giving kids a better education and providing working families with affordable health care. We also support local grassroots movements, such as the successful campaign that convinced the LAUSD school district to provide all 727,000 students with the classes necessary for college.