United Way Of Summit And Medina

United Way Of Summit And Medina, doing business as United Way, is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Akron, Ohio, that serves as a prime recipient of federal grants focused on homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, and tax assistance for low-to-moderate-income populations in Summit and Medina counties. The organization does not hold federal contracts but operates exclusively in the grant space, with 75% of recent awards as prime grant recipient and 25% as sub-recipient.

United Way's federal footprint centers on two primary grant programs administered by HUD and the IRS. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development funds the bulk of United Way's work through the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program (CFDA 14.267), which accounts for 30 of 39 prime awards across the portfolio. Representative CoC awards include $225,785 (awarded November 2025, completion October 2026), $272,612 (August 2025, July 2026), and $190,193 (October 2025, September 2026), each supporting permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, supportive services, and Homeless Management Information Systems for homeless individuals and families in the Akron area. The Internal Revenue Service awards United Way through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Matching Grant Program (CFDA 21.009) to fund free tax preparation and electronic filing for underserved populations, including a $100,000 award (October 2025, September 2026) to expand VITA capacity and volunteer training. A smaller footprint includes the Corporation for National and Community Service (1 award).

Customer concentration is extreme: HUD's Community Planning and Development function represents 75% of awards in the recent portfolio, with the IRS accounting for the remainder. All four distinct customer agencies named in the source appear on the prime award side. United Way operates as a sub-recipient through the City of Akron on multiple CoC grants and manages sub-awards including 211 Information and Referral Services (70,000 units of service across calendar 2024–2025, operated twenty-four hours daily), the Home Again homeless prevention and rapid rehousing program (funded through Emergency Solutions Grants with rental assistance, case management, and housing search services), the Akron Financial Empowerment Center (financial coaching and tax preparation for low-income residents), and the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for the Akron/Summit County CoC. Sub-award activity reflects consistent annual execution: July–October 2025 sub-grants funded HMIS operations, ESG-funded homeless prevention and rapid rehousing, 211 services, and the Financial Empowerment Center.

Award volume has remained steady at six to nine awards per year from 2021 through 2025. Four awards carrying ultimate completion dates within the next twenty-four months (by July 2027) face recompete exposure, representing the CoC program's rolling annual funding cycle. United Way holds no parent contract vehicles, GWACs, or BPAs. The organization's capability set is driven by its role as administrator of the Akron/Summit County Continuum of Care, coordinating permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, homeless prevention, HMIS data management, and information and referral services for vulnerable populations experiencing or at risk of homelessness.