Interested in becoming a United Way agency? 

United Way of Central Indiana’s certification process is the means by which United Way assures the community that its affiliated agencies are well-managed, fiscally responsible and provide quality services which address the community's needs. Agencies must meet initial application criteria and provide requested documentation, complete and submit an agency self-evaluation, participate in the site visit process, and provide evidence that they are meeting human needs addressing the community outcomes that United Way has identified. United Way may extend invitations to apply for agency certification if it determines it would meet a particular strategic community need.

The certification process is conducted by community volunteers trained in the agency evaluation process, under the direction of United Way professional staff. The volunteers review paperwork submitted by agencies, conduct site visits to agencies, and gather input from informed community members. The volunteers recommend agencies for certification, with final approval coming from the United Way board of directors.

Agencies that are certified as United Way agencies by the board of directors are eligible to participate in the next funding cycle, which begins on July 1, every two years. However, a newly certified agency's access to the Community Fund is entirely dependent on the success of the annual campaign and availability of funds. United Way does not guarantee that an agency will immediately begin receiving a Community Fund allocation at the start of the next funding cycle. Once certified, agencies are eligible to immediately request Facilities Maintenance, Technology, and Capital Improvement Funds, if funds are available.

The time frame for completing the certification process is roughly nine months.

For more details about agency certification, please consult this document. If you have additional questions, or would like to begin the process, contact Joe Phillips, director of agency evaluation, at joe.phillips@uwci.org or 317.921.1256.