About United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
Our mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our communities to advance equity and the common good.
Focus Areas
Early LearningHousing Stability / Eviction PreventionDisaster & Crisis ResiliencyVolunteerismLiteracy (Dolly Parton's Imagination Library)
Who They Fund
young children / early learnerslocal community organizationscommunity-at-large (place-based communities)out-of-area or nonlocal granteesfiscally sponsored projects / intermediary organizationsdonors (via donor-directed grants)
Funding Style
About United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette’s recent giving is defined by large, repeated investments in early learning and housing-related services. The biggest grants on file go to Washington County HHS and Multnomah County (DCHS) for Early Learning Exp, with awards reaching $1,765,475 in 2023, $1,623,755 in 2024, $1,607,747 in 2025, and $1,394,883 in 2024 across those county partners. That pattern shows a funder using substantial public and community infrastructure to move money at scale. Housing and homelessness-related work is another clear thread. In 2025, the foundation supported Central City Concern, Do Good Multnomah, Transition Projects Inc, New Narrative, Our Just Future, The Salvation Army a California Corporation, and others through JOHS Grants Out. It also backed community-facing partners such as The Urban League of Portland, the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization, the Native American Youth and Family Center, and Cascade AIDS Project through combinations of Community Investment Grants, JOHS Grants Out, and donor-directed support. The foundation’s portfolio also includes literacy through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, volunteerism, and disaster and crisis resiliency.
What United Way of the Columbia-Willamette Funds
Early learning is one of the clearest funding lanes. United Way of the Columbia-Willamette gave $1,765,475 in 2023 and $1,394,883 in 2024 to Washington County HHS for Early Learning Exp, and $1,623,755 in 2024 plus $1,181,057 in 2025 to Multnomah County (DCHS) for the same purpose. It also supported Oregon Community Health Workers Association with $264,402 in 2024 and $223,266 in 2025 for Early Learning Exp. Housing stability and homelessness services are another major area. The foundation awarded $1,372,716 in 2025 to Central City Concern, $903,388 to Do Good Multnomah, and $889,824 to Transition Projects Inc, all through JOHS Grants Out. Its community investment portfolio also reaches immigrant, youth, and health-serving organizations. In 2025, it gave $347,460 to Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization, $273,308 to Native American Youth and Family Center, and $240,478 to Cascade AIDS Project.
How United Way of the Columbia-Willamette Gives
Typical grants sit at a median of $18,000, with a lower quartile of $10,000 and an upper quartile of $47,250. The recent record shows a mix of large public-system grants and smaller operating or project awards, including repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years. That repeat pattern is visible in county early learning funding and in multi-year housing-related grants. The foundation is classified as a mixed community foundation and gives through competitive and non-competitive channels, donor-directed funding, fiscal sponsorship support, and project-specific expense funding.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$15.6M
Total Assets
$43.1M
Total Revenue
$27M
Total Expenses
$29.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $47K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$47K
Geographic Reach
Regional15 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Kelly O'Lague
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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