Community Needs Assessment
Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties
United Way of Greater Cleveland is committed to finding solutions to help residents of the communities we serve move from poverty to prosperity. Every few years, a Community Needs Assessment is conducted to examine the issues and conditions affecting Greater Cleveland residents. This data is used to inform our grantmaking, policy, and programmatic work. The Center for Community Solutions, a nonpartisan policy and research think tank, collaborates with United Way to gather and analyze data.
The assessment is organized by United Way’s three community strategies: Economic Mobility, Health Pathways, and Housing Stability.
Below, you can explore full reports, executive summaries, and community strategy snapshots by county.
Cuyahoga County Assessment
Cuyahoga County Full Report
Cuyahoga County Executive Summary
Economic Mobility Snapshot
Health Pathways Snapshot
Housing Stability Snapshot
COMING SOON:
Geauga County Assessment
Geauga County Full Report
Geauga County Executive Summary
Economic Mobility Snapshot
Health Pathways Snapshot
Housing Stability Snapshot
A Hopeful Glimpse at Long-term Solutions
There are many ways for you to contribute to our community's future with a gift to United Way. The best one for you will depend on your personal and financial situation.
Currently, estate gifts are invested in United Way of Greater Cleveland’s Legacy Fund held at the Cleveland Foundation.
Will or Trust
Your legacy is reflected in your will, and anyone can take advantage of a bequest or living trust. You can designate an amount, percentage, or the remainder of your estate. United Way is please to offer our supporters the ability to create their own free will at FreeWill.com/UnitedWay.
Outright Gift of Appreciated Assets
You can donate appreciated assets, such as stock, to United Way of Greater Cleveland. This will allow you to make immediate impact while also allowing you to avoid capital gains tax and receive an income tax reduction.
Outright Gift of Cash
These gifts provide immediate income to United Way of Greater Cleveland, and establish your legacy during your lifetime.
Split Interest Gifts
Also known as gifts that pay income, these gifts generate income enabling you to pursue your philanthropic goals while helping provide for living expenses. Examples include charitable gift annuity, charitable lead trust and charitable remainder trust.
Life Insurance
Making a gift of life insurance is a low-cost way to perpetuate a legacy gift. Life insurance offers the opportunity to increase your legacy gift, with a current lower out-of-pocket cost.
Retirement Accounts
You may designate United Way of Greater Cleveland as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, including any 401(k) plans or IRAs. Perpetuating your gift through a retirement plan is simple, flexible, and might be the most tax efficient strategy.
Legacy Circle Levels
-
Founding Member
$1 million+ planned gift or planned giving volunteer service -
Legacy Circle Champion
$500,000 planned gift commitment -
Legacy Circle Philanthropist
$200,000 planned gift commitment
-
Legacy Circle Investor
$100,000 planned gift commitment -
Legacy Circle Humanitarian
$20,000 planned gift commitment -
Legacy Circle
Any planned gift commitment under $20,000
Legacy Circle Brochure
A Hopeful Glimpse at Systems-Level Solutions
Cleveland remains the second-poorest large city in the U.S. Key findings show limited progress in reducing poverty in our region. Most annual data points across economic mobility, housing stability, and health remain relatively unchanged over the past five years.
However, pandemic-related public investments, like emergency rental assistance and the enhanced Child Tax Credit, have protected families from further crisis. Labor market forces caused companies to raise wages and improve benefits to attract workers. These changes offer a hopeful glimpse at potential systems-level solutions to some of our community’s most pressing issues.
At United Way, we remain committed to building a community where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. We appreciate your support and collaboration as we work toward meaningful progress, together.
