While the United Way of Spokane County is shutting down after more than 100 years, the United Way of North Idaho is still going strong. 

“We’re moving forward, expanding and deepening with the work we’re doing all over North Idaho,” said Executive Director Rachel Peterson.

Peterson came on as executive director in December to “to right the ship” during a difficult time.

“So many nonprofits are struggling with lack of funding, funding being rescinded and less donor engagement. That's a common challenge for any nonprofit, especially in light of funding being drawn back from state and federal organizations,” Peterson said. 

Although United Way of North Idaho is in a similar boat to other nonprofits with dwindling funds, Peterson said every United Way operates independently and has its own style of management for contractual obligations. 

“For Spokane, although they were close distance-wise, they actually are a completely different organization,” Peterson said. “The things that affect them may or may not affect us.” 

The agency has five employees and according to the United Way of North Idaho data for 2024, the agency had annual revenue of $647,366 and $1,124,688 in expenses.   

Peterson said the group uses data-driven approaches to connect to underserved communities and meet some of their needs.  

One of those issues has been quality affordable childcare coverage. 

Through their childcare scholarships, the United Way of North Idaho offers a support parachute for residents in North Idaho experiencing hardships with school-age children. 

Peterson described a situation where a mother had to have two surgeries in row and was told if she pulled her daughter out of the childcare program during her recovery time, she would lose the spot.

“We were able to help her not fully pay, but offer her a scholarship for her daughter to get childcare for three months while she was recovering, which in turn allowed her to keep the business she was running and keep her daughter in a safe, good place,” Peterson said. 

Nearly 150 childcare scholarships have been awarded since the nonprofit sought to tackle the problem, amounting to more than $162,000 in support. 

Recently, United Way of North Idaho launched Volunteer North Idaho to connect residents looking to help with places in their community that need assistance. 

The project was completed in collaboration with the Innovia Foundation and since then, partners for the project have been brought in from the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber, St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Idaho.

“It was a big community need,” Peterson said, adding that other nonprofits, school districts and chambers of commerce can also use the website to connect to volunteers.

The United Way of North Idaho is also hosting read-ups during the summer to help offset the summer education slide.    

“For the first time ever, we have read-ups in every single county this summer in North Idaho. They read to the children and also let them pick a new book for every single child,” Peterson said.   

The nonprofit serves all five counties in North Idaho and focuses on four impact areas: financial stability, healthy community, youth opportunity and community resiliency.