September 15, 2026 - United Way of the Lowcountry has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, the highest rating the national nonprofit information service awards for public disclosure.
Candid, formed in 2019 by the merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center, maintains the country's largest database of nonprofit organizations. Donors, foundations, and researchers use it to check an organization's finances, leadership, and track record before deciding whether to invest. Its Seals of Transparency are awarded in four levels based on how much an organization discloses.
The lower tiers require basic financial and governance information. Platinum requires an organization to report the measurable outcomes of its programs, meaning not only how money was spent but what the spending produced. Candid reports that fewer than 1% of all registered nonprofits in the United States holds a Platinum seal level.
For United Way of the Lowcountry, the seal adds a third outside review to two it already holds. The organization is an accredited charity with the Better Business Bureau and carries the highest Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator. Each evaluator uses different criteria, and each reaches its conclusion independently.
Dale Douthat, president and CEO of United Way of the Lowcountry, said the organization sought the Platinum level because of what it owes the people who fund it.
"People in Beaufort and Jasper counties who invest in our work deserve to see exactly where their dollars go and what those dollars accomplish," Douthat said. "The Platinum Seal is an independent confirmation that we are open about our finances, our leadership, and our results. We hope it gives our community the confidence to keep investing in neighbors right here at home."
United Way of the Lowcountry is structured differently from many United Ways. In addition to funding vetted community partners, it delivers several programs directly. The Read Indeed! early grade reading program places tutors in local elementary schools during the school week to work one-on-one with students who are behind in reading. Its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program prepares tax returns for free for working households. HELPLINE, a local information and referral service, is answered by staff in Beaufort who direct callers to local resources. The Francis Dignity Project includes the Showers of Dignity, bringing mobile showers, laundry, and related services to unhoused and underhoused neighbors in the two counties.
Because it operates those programs itself, the organization collects its own outcome data, which is what the Platinum level requires it to publish.
Read United Way of the Lowcountry's full Candid profile here.