LAKES AREA UNITED WAY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

LAKES AREA UNITED WAY

EIN 41-0950452 · Fund Raising & Fund Distribution - Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking (T12)

What they do

THE MISSION of CROW WING COUNTY UNITED WAY INC. is to IMPROVE LIVES BY MOBILIZING THE CARING POWER of OUR COMMUNITY. IT DOES THIS EACH DAY THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS CREATED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. WHETHER IT is BOARD MEMBERS, PARTNER PROGRAMS, or COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANTING to MAKE A DIFFERENCE for THEIR NEIGHBORS, UNITED WAY PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES for THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND LIVING IN CROW WING and CASS COUNTIES is ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST LIVING INDIVIDUAL LIVES: ITS ABOUT LIVING AS AN INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITY. ITS ABOUT LIVING UNITED.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $79.20 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders11 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

62.12%of revenue went to mission work79.2% of expenses · Program services

8.68%of revenue went to fundraising11.1% of expenses

$78.44spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

7.63%of revenue went to management and office costs9.7% of expenses

$1.38in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

89.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $30,077 for ROBERT GRAGSON (EXECUTIVE DIR.). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$281,727

Mission workProgram services$175,01962.12% of revenue79.2% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$21,5077.63% of revenue9.7% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$24,4518.68% of revenue11.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$60,75021.56% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$220,97778.44% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 79.2% mission · 9.7% management · 11.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 78.44% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 82.2% mission · 8.6% management · 9.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.44% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 80.2% mission · 10.0% management · 9.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.55% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 83.9% mission · 8.3% management · 7.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 115.60% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 83.0% mission · 8.6% management · 8.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 79.04% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 85.4% mission · 8.0% management · 6.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 126.20% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 86.9% mission · 7.1% management · 6.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 116.25% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 88.0% mission · 6.4% management · 5.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 93.48% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$281,727

Expenses$220,977

Annual surplus $60,750 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$175,019 · 79.2% of expenses

Management and office costs$21,507 · 9.7% of expenses

Fundraising$24,451 · 11.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$281,727

Expenses$220,977

Assets$305,088

Income$291,031

Contributions$251,162

Mission work (program services)$175,019

Fundraising$24,451

Grants given$222,100

Average grant$8,884

Management and general$21,507

Executive compensation (total)$52,885

Accounting fees$5,787

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

ROBERT GRAGSONEXECUTIVE DIR. · 40 hrs/week $30,077

JON AGAEXECUTIVE DIR. · 40 hrs/week $26,923

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (11)

ROBERT GRAGSONEXECUTIVE DIR.

JON AGAEXECUTIVE DIR.

BEN LINDSTROMBOARD MEMBER

DON RYANBOARD MEMBER

JESSICA SEIBERTBOARD MEMBER

JOAN THEISENBOARD MEMBER

KIM BLANKCHAIRPERSON

LAURA OBRIENVICE CHAIR

MELISSA MCKAYSECRETARY

RICHARD COURTEMANCHEBOARD MEMBER

TYLER GLYNNTREASURER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1969
Location: PO BOX 381, BRAINERD, MN 56401
County: Crow Wing
In care of: LUCY CHRISTIANSEN
Primary officer: LUCY CHRISTIANSEN, Executive Dir.

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(218) 829-2619

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: KAISER & ASSOCIATES PA
NTEE classification: Fund Raising & Fund Distribution - Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking (T12)
IRS tax category: Fund Raising & Fund Distribution
Grant-giving organization: Yes