United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra
ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
About United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra
Unite communities to improve lives.
Focus Areas
Early childhood educationLiteracy and reading interventionsFamily support and basic needs (utility assistance)Community healthVolunteer mobilization and advocacy
Who They Fund
pre-K children and families with young childrenlow-income households facing utility crisescommunity volunteers and AmeriCorps mentors/menteesgeneral local community residents attending health/outreach events
Funding Style
direct service deliverycapacity building for community organizations
About United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra
United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra’s recent giving is dominated by preschool access: in 2025, its largest grant went to A Plus Learning Center in Reno for PRE-K, and other major awards supported early-learning providers in Fernley, Wells, Yerington, and Gardnerville. That pattern fits the organization’s stated emphasis on early childhood education and literacy, alongside family support and basic needs, community health, volunteer mobilization, and local advocacy. The funding profile shows a local donor focused on service delivery in northern Nevada rather than broad, multi-state grantmaking. The foundation’s work connects classroom readiness with family stability. Its program list includes Nevada Ready! Pre-K, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, United Readers literacy mentoring, Family Health Festivals, and the SAFE emergency assistance program. Those efforts point to a blend of direct educational support, household relief, and community-based outreach. The recent grants table also shows support for institutions in Reno and surrounding communities, reinforcing a place-based strategy tied to local needs and early learning outcomes.
What United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra Funds
Early childhood education is the clearest theme in the recent grants. United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra awarded $138,225 to A Step Ahead in Fernley for PRE-K and $114,130 to High Desert Montessori School in Reno for the same purpose. Literacy is another defined area. The organization’s Early Literacy & Grade-Level Reading Grant is designed to fund community organizations serving northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe Basin over a three-year cycle, and its United Readers program pairs trained AmeriCorps mentors with K–3 students for reading support. Family support and basic needs also appear in the active programs. The SAFE Program provides short-term help with utility bills for Northern Nevada residents facing financial hardship, and the Emergency Food & Shelter Program locally coordinates with community organizations around food and shelter needs. Community health outreach is part of the portfolio as well, through Family Health Festivals for families in Northern Nevada.
How United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra Gives
Typical grants cluster in a mid-six-figure local operating range: p25 is $50,288, median grant size is $78,225, and p75 is $114,136. The recent grant list shows a 2025-heavy PRE-K pattern, suggesting concentrated annual operating support rather than one-off national awards. UWNNS is a Regular Funder, not a DAF, and it does not make program-related investments. Its active programs also include opportunities that accept unsolicited proposals, including DPIL, EFSP, United Readers, Nevada Ready! Pre-K, Family Health Festivals, and SAFE.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.1M
Total Assets
$2.3M
Total Revenue
$5M
Total Expenses
$6.2M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $114K, with a median of $78K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$78K
75th Percentile
$114K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
BLAKE PANG
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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