Bobbi Watt Geer is president of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

After receiving a “tremendous number of requests” in this three-year funding cycle, the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is campaigning to raise $40 million to put into an endowment fund for the organization’s 100th anniversary in 2027.

Nineteen projects serving Butler County received money from the United Way’s $21 million in partner funding available this three-year cycle. Bobbi Watt Geer, president and CEO of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, said this figure is up about $1 million, or 5%, compared to the previous funding cycle, but the number of funding requests went up 30%.

With nearly 500 applications to review this year, Watt Geer said an endowment fund will help fulfill more projects to help keep up with the needs of United Way partner agencies. The endowment, dubbed the Fund for Transformation and Resilience, will power at least $2 million more in investments each year, according to the United Way.

“We see a lot of need we need to address. We saw an increased need in immediate requests,” Watt Geer said. “Our intent is to be able to provide more over the coming years.”

United Way’s $21 million investment will benefit 138 programs run by 121 nonprofit agencies across Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland counties through fiscal year 2029. According to Watt Geer, the United Way primarily looks at four areas of need for its funding — meeting basic needs, moving to financial stability, building for success in school and life, and capacity building for the nonprofit sector.

The funding requests are also reviewed based on these criteria by the more than 50,000 donors who contribute the funding, according to Watt Geer.

Donors helped whittle the 475 funding requests down to194 full proposals totaling $45.6 million, which were then reviewed by United Way staff and community volunteers and its board of directors.

Watt Geer said the United Way takes into account the needs of a certain geographic area when it awards funding, with reviewers coming from all of its served areas to contribute different perspectives to the decision.

Butler County organizations — including the Center for Community Resources, the Lighthouse Foundation and the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources — received funding. Watt Geer saying they each address rural needs. She also said Kid's Innovation Playground received funding for its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming.

“Transportation in rural areas is more challenging,” Watt Geer said, referencing the need for ANR’s Rise Up Rides program, which received money from the United Way. “We give attention to geographics, because needs are different in a city versus rural.”

A list of agencies and projects that received funding in this three-year cycle is available on the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s website. Organizations getting money will receive their allotted amounts over four quarterly payments for three years and the continued funding is based on progress toward program goals and criteria outlined by the United Way.

United Way has raised $20.5 million so far from foundations and corporations toward its $40 million goal and is now asking the public to donate. Endowment dollars raised are above and beyond the organization’s ongoing fundraising that totals more than $30 million each year, according to the United Way.