Why is the merger happening?

We are better together.  We can do more together. The merger is a natural next step in our collaborative community-based work. There will be more opportunities to become engaged (volunteer or donate), with a larger reach to empower even more children, youth, families, and individuals across Inland SoCal.

How long will the merger process take?

Mergers have a lot of moving parts. We began working collaboratively about a year ago with a lot of success. Our boards carefully considered if a merger would be best for our communities, and United Way Worldwide approved the merger effective July 1, 2020. Unifying operational logistics and legal entities will be completed over the next 1-2 years. In the current phase, we have already merged staff and are approaching all projects, existing or potential, as one organization.

How does the merger impact volunteering?

There will be more ways to engage across a larger geographic area. Whereas in the past you may have needed to contact different United Ways due to service area restrictions, you will now be able to have one point of contact for our service area and likely more volunteer opportunities closer to the location you work and live.

What is Inland SoCal United Way’s diversity and equity commitment?

Everyone deserves to be healthy, to learn, and to live with dignity. As an organization, we have an obligation to remove barriers, advance inclusion, and serve our communities with respect and integrity. We are actively examining existing structures and developing an Action Plan to further diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice within our work, ourselves, and our community.

• Access to Justice

• Our Collective Commitment to Racial Justice

How does the merger affect programs and those we serve?

Each of our legacy organizations has a full plate of programs. Part of the merger is looking at how we can grow and sustain vital programs across the combined service area. Some programs will stay in their original area based on funding and intended community served, while other programs have a lot of opportunity to expand service type and program accessibility to new regions. There may even be possibilities for new programs. Any changes will be made only after deep consideration and stakeholder input. Inland SoCal United Way will be able to serve more community members in more ways than previously as separate legacy organizations.

How does the merger affect staff?

We developed a new organizational chart to bring together staff from our legacy organizations. There is minimal overlap in existing roles, and we do not anticipate any major changes to staffing levels. We are committed to staff equity and involvement in the merger process, and have assembled a staff-elected Transition Team to represent staff concerns, ideas, and questions to management.

How will this affect United Way grantmaking?

There will likely be a shared application similar to the process for how we accepted nonprofit grant requests to the Inland SoCal COVID-19 Relief Fund. This will streamline and increase accessibility, making it easier for organizations to apply. Grant funds will continue to be allocated to regions based on local giving, so that local dollars stay local.

What organizations are involved?

Inland SoCal United Way combines what we are calling our “legacy organizations.” These include Inland Empire United Way, United Way of the Inland Valleys, 211 San Bernardino County, and 211 Riverside/Community Connect.

Will donations be shared between the regions?

Local dollars stay local. It has always been our practice that donations stay in and benefit community members in the region where they were donated. As we are a growing organization, some costs such as program supplies will be shared because larger organizations can leverage discounts and cost savings. Because of those savings, locally raised dollars stretch farther and have greater impact on local residents.

What does the merger mean for partner organizations who work with us?

Impact will be positive and growth-focused. For example, many partner organizations serve both counties, but currently have to connect separately with different 211 entities that serve those counties. After the merger, it will be easier and more effective to connect with our dual-county 211 department. We will also be looking at new ways to partner and serve our communities.