About United Way of the National Capital Area
United Way NCA improves the lives of underserved individuals in the National Capital Area by focusing community resources on creating measurable and lasting impact.
Focus Areas
HealthEducationEconomic OpportunityFinancial EmpowermentHousing stability / ALICE
Who They Fund
nonprofit agency programsagency program participants/clients
Funding Style
designated/restricted grantsprogram-specific supportdirect service fundingoperational/program sustainability
Topics
About United Way of the National Capital Area
United Way of the National Capital Area concentrates its grantmaking on agency program support for underserved people across the National Capital Area, with a clear emphasis on direct service and program sustainability. Its recent awards show repeated support for large community-serving nonprofits in Washington, DC, alongside organizations in Maryland and Virginia, all tied to health, education, economic opportunity, financial empowerment, and housing stability. The foundation’s funding pattern is especially visible in multi-year support for Samu Foundation, which received the largest recent grants in the file across 2024 and 2025, and for Capital Area Food Bank, another recurring recipient with awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Those awards sit within a broader portfolio of designated grants that support agency programs rather than individuals. The organization’s focus areas and grant language point to a funder that backs service delivery, program expansion, and maintenance for nonprofit agencies serving clients in the region. Leadership is listed under Rosie Allen-Herring, and the latest 990 year on file is 2025.
What United Way of the National Capital Area Funds
Health is one of the clearest program areas in the grant record. United Way of the National Capital Area gave $439,219 in 2023 to So Others Might Eat (some) in Washington, DC, and supported health-related work through grants to Planned Parenthood of Metro Washington in 2023 and 2024. Food access also appears within this strategic area through support for the Capital Area Food Bank. Economic opportunity is another defined pillar: the foundation awarded $200,000 in 2024 to Greater Washington Urban League in Washington, DC, and $283,214 in 2025 to Britepaths Inc in Fairfax, VA. Education funding is similarly direct, including $190,654 in 2024 to Latin American Youth Center in Washington, DC, with the program taxonomy centered on youth development, school readiness, middle school success, and social-emotional learning.
How United Way of the National Capital Area Gives
Typical grants cluster in the low five-figure range, with a p25 of $7,440, a median of $13,115, and a p75 of $24,911. The recent awards list also shows a few much larger designated grants, indicating a layered approach that combines broad program support with larger commitments to specific agencies. Recipients recur across multiple years, including Samu Foundation, Capital Area Food Bank, So Others Might Eat (some), Britepaths Inc, Manna Food Center Inc, and Arlington Food Assistance Center. The foundation is classified as a mixed community foundation and gives restricted, program-specific support rather than funding individuals. Unsolicited applications are not accepted in the active strategic initiatives.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$6.6M
Total Assets
$48.8M
Total Revenue
$19.2M
Total Expenses
$21.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $7K and $25K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$25K
Geographic Reach
National14 states funded
About 36% of grants go to recipients in DC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
ROSIE ALLEN-HERRING
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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