Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to Ask Us your questions if they are not listed below.

"I have money from running an event, how do I send it to United Way?"

  1. Individual event organizers collect e-transfers/cash/etc.  

  1. Event organizers transfer fees to our treasury department through an online bill payment method 
    -Find Payee name "Univ of Guelph Treasury" enter account #TRSY000020 
    -* Please note Treasury would prefer larger lump sum donations as opposed to a number of small ones  
    -Alternatively, Treasury can receive payment at the front counter, COVID-19 Hours: Monday 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM of each pay week. Alternative days by appointment only 

  1. Event organizer to complete an online form (https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ctKInXUpneKP3h3) detailing organizers name, transfer amount, department, etc. 

  1.  Treasury to transfer funds to U of G United Way G/L account code. 

  1. At end of the campaign, Mark Colvin will generate a transfer of funds to United Way for all events. 

"What are your fundraising/admin costs?"

In 2020, for every dollar donates, 83 cents went directly to our local community initiatives.

We encourage donors to be cautious about using our organizational overhead as the sole way to gauge effectiveness. This number can fluctuate from year to year based on a variety of factors but that does not mean we are necessarily making less or more impact. To learn more, watch Dan Pallotta's Ted Talk

Whether it is through community or internal investments, donors can trust that we invest our available resources in smart, strategic ways, to ultimately help the people who depend on us.

"How can I be sure my donation will make an impact?"

United Way mobilizes the power of caring communities to address the most complex social issues. We currently focus our work on providing adequate basic needs, ensuring connected kids, creating a sense of belonging and inclusion, supporting positive health and providing supports for seniors. 

We work closely alongside issue experts on research planning tables to understand our community's needs and facilitate investment in programs through a volunteer Community Impact Committee. After our funds are invested in either community programs or collective initiatives, reporting and evaluation is completed and reported annually in our Year In Review Report-PDF.

"Is it possible to keep my donation local?"

Every dollar you give to United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin stays 100% within Guelph, Wellington, and Dufferin. If you prefer for your donation to stay within one of those communities, you may specify that at the time of your donation.

"Can I donate to other charities through United Way?/Why should I give to United Way rather than giving to the charities directly?"

Yes, you can designate your donation to one or more specific programs that United Way funds or to other charities that you may wish to support. 

We encourage donors to consider allowing their gift to be used where needed most, rather than designating to a specific organization because:

  • You can be assured that our research has shown us we are currently focusing on pressing issues, through collective approaches which reduce overlap and provide effective solutions to those issues. 
  • Undesignated donations are more flexible and allow us to be agile when our community requires it, such as responding to urgent situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Increasing funding to United Way allows front-line agencies the relief of some of the burden of raising funds, so they instead can focus on delivering programs and services. 

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