United Way of Greater St. Louis Raises $60 Million for Local Nonprofits

Campaign led by business leaders supports 160 organizations across Missouri and Illinois

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The United Way of Greater St. Louis (UWGSL) annual community campaign has raised $60 million to invest in helping local individuals and families in need across 16 counties in Missouri and Illinois. The funds will support a safety net of 160 local nonprofits that provide assistance with basic needs, early childhood and youth programs, jobs and financial mobility, health and well-being, and community stability and crisis response.

Why it matters

The United Way's partnership with local nonprofits is crucial in providing vital services and support to communities in the St. Louis region, especially during challenging times. The successful campaign demonstrates the community's commitment to coming together and making a difference through collective giving.

The details

The $60 million raised through the UWGSL community campaign will support 160 local nonprofits in the region. The campaign was led by Lal Karsanbhai, President and CEO of Emerson, and Andrew Davidson, Managing Partner for KPMG's St. Louis Office. With additional grants and donations, the total raised is $78.4 million. Major corporate partners contributing $1 million or more include Edward Jones, World Wide Technology, Emerson, Ameren, Enterprise Mobility, Bayer, Hunter Engineering, BJC Healthcare, Nestle Purina Petcare Company, and Schnucks Markets.

  • The 2025 UWGSL community campaign took place.
  • The campaign raised $60 million to support local nonprofits.

The players

United Way of Greater St. Louis (UWGSL)

A nonprofit organization that provides funding and support to a safety net of 160 local nonprofits in the St. Louis region, helping people with basic needs, early childhood and youth success, jobs and financial mobility, health and well-being, and community stability and crisis response.

Lal Karsanbhai

President and CEO of Emerson, who served as the campaign chair for the 2025 UWGSL community campaign.

Andrew Davidson

Managing Partner for KPMG's St. Louis Office, who served as the campaign co-chair for the 2025 UWGSL community campaign.

Michael McMillan

President and CEO of Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, a nonprofit organization that has partnered with UWGSL for nearly a century.

Meredith Knopp

CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank, a nonprofit organization that has collaborated with UWGSL.

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What they’re saying

“United Way's partnership with us for nearly a century has been crucial to giving us the capacity to feed, shelter and nurture the people we serve, and our collaborative efforts make for a stronger St. Louis region.”

— Michael McMillan, President and CEO of Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

“The success of United Way's annual campaign speaks to how much their mission and efforts resonate with our community, and we all share tremendous gratitude to United Way for being a longstanding source of support.”

— Meredith Knopp, CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank

“Our campaign galvanizes the community through collective giving, and having so many people uniting with us to make a difference is what makes our campaign so special.”

— Michelle D. Tucker, President and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis

The takeaway

The successful $60 million fundraising campaign by the United Way of Greater St. Louis demonstrates the power of community collaboration and collective giving to support vital local nonprofits and make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families in the St. Louis region.