Central Iowa has a large pool of untapped talent—skilled individuals with a proven track record of working hard but who struggle to apply for better-paying jobs. Meanwhile, many employers are seeking quality candidates to fill open positions.

Resources for Employers Resources for Job Seekers

 

UNITED WE FIGHT

55-percent-2

of all jobs in central Iowa require training after high school but not a bachelor’s degree. Only 32% of the workforce has the right skills.

Iowa Workforce Development

60-percent-2

of people convicted of a crime are not employed one year after release, increasing the risk that they will commit another crime.

National Institute of Justice

40-percent

of central Iowa’s health care workers could retire in the next 5-10 years from jobs that pay more than $40,000 a year, leaving our community with a huge need in the industry.

Iowa Workforce Development

 

THE TOP-NOTCH NURSE WE ALMOST DIDN'T GET

Rhonnie Davis spent months living in her car so she could pay for textbooks to earn her nursing degree. United Way’s Central Iowa Healthworks stepped in to cover her education and to provide emotional support until she graduated. Now this grandmother of 10 supports herself in an industry that desperately needs workers.

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WHAT IF...

every adult had a chance at a good job?

We fight for central Iowa to be a great place to work by:

  • Partnering with employers to access untapped talent and build career pathways
  • Supporting adults in earning their high school equivalency diplomas
  • Offering tuition and support for individuals with barriers to gain training in health care
  • Providing training and case management for citizens returning from prison
  • Connecting youth to post-secondary education and training options

UNITED WE WIN

45-percent

income increase was achieved within 18 months by 614 adults who earned their high school equivalency diplomas through United Way’s Bridges to Success initiative.


Iowa Workforce Development

500

500 individuals are receiving training or education for health care jobs, 100 more than projected through United Way’s Central Iowa Works. Nearly 70% of individuals served represent minority populations.

2,000

employers have experienced what it’s like to return from prison through Central Iowa Works’ re-entry simulation.


JOIN THE FIGHT

Designate your United Way donation to Income

GIVE NOW

Advocate for solutions that give more  access to training 

ADVOCATE

Join a work group that’s helping adults gain employment-skills

OPPORTUNITY

Browse volunteer opportunities related to United Way’s income work

VOLUNTEER

GIVING OUR WORKFORCE A CHANCE

United Way of Central Iowa invests in programs and initiatives that are connecting talent with workforce needs.
Learn more about our strategies in ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

CIW Logo

A workforce intermediary, connecting employers with talented workers in jobs that provide financial stability. This signature initiative works on solutions in retail, health care, re-entry, and public policy.

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Bridges to Success logo

An initiative to fight poverty in central Iowa, with a work group focused on supporting youth.



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OpportUNITY

An initiative to fight poverty in central Iowa, with a work group focused on supporting youth.



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SYEP-1

A program that provides low-income high school students with opportunities to get workplace training.

Oakridge Neighborhood
Evelyn K. Davis Center

FUNDED PARTNERS

We fund several programs at local non-profits at are working on these issues.

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UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA
1111 9TH ST  •  Suite 100
Des Moines, IA 50314
(515) 246-6500   •   contactus@unitedwaydm.org

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Charity Navigator four star rated charity badgeUnited Way of Central Iowa is proud to have earned a four-star rating for 18 straight years from Charity Navigator, an American independent charity watchdog organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the United States. This record places United Way of Central Iowa in the top 1 percent of charities nationwide. Click the logo to review our complete evaluation.

candid-seal-platinum-2024United Way of Central Iowa has received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, the world's largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. The seal is given to nonprofits who have achieved the highest level of transparency through disclosures, information made available to the public, and accuracy and frequency of updates. Click the logo to learn more.

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