On October 16, 1887, in Denver, Colorado, a woman, a priest, two ministers, and a rabbi came together with a simple goal: to make their community a better place for everyone through cooperative action.

They conducted a single fundraising campaign that raised $21,700 (over $700,000 in today’s dollars) and supported more than 20 local health and welfare agencies. This ignited a movement that would become known as the “Community Chest,” the “United Fund,” and, by 1970, United Way.

More than 135 years later, there are more than 1,100 United Ways in 35 different countries and territories.

Granite United Way is the result of seven New Hampshire United Ways realigning over the years to form the largest United Way in the state.

Over the last 100 years our mission has stayed the same, but the way we do it has evolved based on our community’s most pressing needs.

Our Mission

Granite United Way is a nonprofit organization that makes strategic investments in our community to help people learn, earn, and be healthy. Our impact covers more than 85% of New Hampshire and Windsor County, Vermont. With the support of more than 22,000 donors and volunteers, we are working together to provide more than $13 million in support to over 450,000 individuals.

Our Vision

Granite United Way’s vision is to be the preferred way people work together to build a community that values its collective responsibility to care for each other.

OUR STRATEGIC PROMISE

Granite United Way promises to stay local, lead, and adapt. We combine expertise, trust, and reach to unite local nonprofits, government, businesses, private foundations, and volunteers toward one goal: creating meaningful community impact. Our commitment to transparency and efficiency has been recognized at the national level and of the highest accolade, by both Charity Navigator and GuideStar, organizations that ensure charities are held to standards of excellence.

Our Impact through time

Discover the pivotal moments that shaped our organization. Each milestone reflects our commitment to community growth and support.

1927

Heritage United Way in Manchester, NH operated as a traditional “Community Chest” organization, pooling donations from community members and distributing them to multiple charitable agencies. This model reduced duplication of efforts, enhanced fundraising efficiency, and ensured coordinated support for community needs.

2010

Heritage United Way and three other New Hampshire United Ways (United Way of Merrimack County, Upper Valley United Way, and North Country United Way) officially merged to form Granite United Way. This merger enabled us to evolve from the traditional community chest model and focus on strategic community impact, volunteer involvement, and accountability rather than simply collecting and distributing funds.

2011 – 2013

The former United Ways of Northern New Hampshire and the Lakes Region joined Granite United Way. This evolution allowed us to expand beyond traditional fundraising toward a more adaptive, community-responsive approach. It also enabled us to coordinate major statewide initiatives, including the 211 NH helpline, recovery-friendly workplaces, free tax preparation services, and multiple public health networks.

2016 – 2018

Granite United Way shifted from only supporting individual programs to driving broader change in the areas of education, financial stability, and health. This strategic approach earned statewide and international recognition for our leadership in creating lasting community impact.

2019

Granite United Way’s 211 NH Information and Referral Helpline helped over 1 million people and began serving as the entry point for statewide substance misuse prevention support.

2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Granite United Way rapidly evolved to meet urgent community needs by launching a COVID-19 Relief Fund, which raised over $400,000.

2022

Granite United Way was asked to serve as the fiscal agent for the New Hampshire Ukraine Relief Fund and The Greater Seacoast United Way joined as its seventh region.

2025 AND BEYOND

Granite United Way’s funding model is evolving toward more responsive, flexible, and frequent grantmaking to better address immediate and emerging community needs.

Join us in making a difference

Your support changes lives in our community.