About United Way Toronto
At United Way Toronto, our mission statement embodies the work we do, which is “To meet urgent human needs and improve social conditions by mobilizing the community’s volunteer and financial resources in a common cause of caring.” United Way Toronto is a charity working to advance the common good and create opportunities for a better life for everyone in our city. Working in partnership with others, we mobilize people and resources to address the root causes of social problems and to change community conditions for the better. Established in 1956, United Way supports agencies that provide services to strengthen individuals, families and communities.
How United Way Toronto operates
A volunteer board of trustees composed of leading community members governs all decision making at United Way Toronto. The board oversees how donor money is used, shapes our strategic vision and plan, and monitors organizational performance. The Campaign Cabinet is the driving force behind our annual campaign and is made up of business and community leaders who meet with colleagues and peers to encourage the participation of their organizations in the United Way campaign. The Campaign Cabinet’s effort ultimately involves over 20,000 volunteers and reaches into workplaces large and small across the city. Susan McIsaac, our President and CEO, leads United Way Toronto. The president’s senior executive team is made up of a chief operating officer, chief development officer, senior vice president of strategic initiatives and community partnerships and vice presidents of community investment, marketing, information services, and a director of human resources and organizational development.
Ensuring we’re accountable and trustworthy
Committed to organizational accountability and transparency, United Way Toronto is a flagship member of Imagine Canada’s new Ethical Code launched in 2008. This code sets the standards for charitable organizations to manage and report publicly on their financial affairs. United Way Toronto has been honoured by the Voluntary Sector Reporting Awards (VSRAs) for three years in a row. In 2010, we were honoured with a special distinction, the Exemplar designation. The VSRAs recognize best practices for financial reporting by registered charities.
Highly efficient fundraising practises
United Way Toronto’s fundraising and administration costs are highly efficient. In 2010, 14.7 percent of our revenue was spent on operating expenses—11.4 percent on fundraising and 3.3 percent on administration. It’s through the support of more than 22,000 volunteers, our generous donors and pro-bono services and supplies that we are able to keep our costs down. An Imagine Canada survey reports that the average fundraising cost ratio of charities in Canada is 21.8 percent, putting United Way Toronto well below the national average. We always strive to go one step further in ensuring that as much as possible of every dollar we raise goes to the community. We foster a spirit of stewardship that extends to every part of our organization; running a lean and efficient organization is part of our internal mission. It’s also thanks to our donors that we can continue to support a vital network of health and social service agencies, helping hundreds of thousands of people every year in our city.
