Our Income Strategy

United Way Silicon Valley helps people help themselves by creating opportunities for local families and individuals to get the tools they need to succeed

Our strategy focuses on realistic solutions that increase financial stability and long-term economics independence for individuals and families.

Increasing Income

Job Training/Retraining.  Through strategic grants, we are investing funds to help people gain skills to be able to move up in the workforce through job training and small development programs.

Basic Needs.  United Way Silicon Valley’s Emergency Assistance Network helps to restore stability in the loves of those facing crisis, providing a foundation for achieving self-sufficiency. We partner with eight nonprofit agencies and seven police departments to provide safety-net services to those in need.

Access to Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Through the Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Santa Clara County initiative,  United Way partners with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), churches, nonprofits and other organizations to offer free tax assistance to local families and individuals who work hard but don’t earn a high wage.  Many of these families qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, a federal tax benefit for working families with low to moderate incomes.  The EITC improves financial stability for many local families who are working hard, but barely making it, by significantly boosting their annual incomes – nearly $6,000 for some families.

Building Savings and Gaining Assets

Financial Education.  Through our Bank on San Jose Financial Education workshops and Credit Coaching program, United Way Silicon Valley provides families with practical money-management skills that help them use their income wisely, manage their debt, increase their credit scores and access resources from financial institutions. 

Access to Mainstream Financial Products and Services. As the lead organization for the Bank on San Jose Initiative, United Way Silicon Valley partners with banks, credit unions and community organizations to empower low-income residents to take advantage of financial services that can help them build and sustain assets.

Matched Savings Accounts. As part of United Way Silicon Valley’s Innovation Grant Program, we are investing in a new matched savings program  that helps low-income households build an emergency savings fund while improving their financial management skills.

How You Can Help

Give. Help us reach our goal. Your contribution to United Way’s Community Action Fund is an investment in your community. 

Advocate. Sign up for Advocacy Alerts and exercise your civic voice.

Volunteer. Volunteers make United Ways Silicon Valley programs possible. We need your help.

Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED.