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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Amy Mangold

Education: Bachelor of Science in business, University of Evansville; master’s coursework in communications, University of Southern Indiana; certificate in fundraising management, Indiana University School of Philanthropy; certificate in nonprofit executive management, IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Hometown: Hatfield, Indiana

Resume: Annual giving manager, St. Mary’s Foundation; morning news anchor, Channel 14 WFIE-TV; development director, Arc of Evansville; community relations and develop- ment officer, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library; brand marketing manager, Berry Global Inc.; evening news anchor, Channel 25 WEHT-TV; development director, Gilda’s Club of Evansville (now Cancer Pathways Mid- west); president and CEO (2024 to present), United Way of Southwestern Indiana

Family: Husband Chuck; children Blake, Shelby, and Max; three grandchildren, with a fourth on the way

The United Way of Southwestern Indiana has transitioned to new leadership at a time when the philanthropic organization is adapting to other changes. Four years after joining United Way, Amy Mangold ascended to the top position following Amy Canterbury’s retirement. She says United Way is funding fewer agencies, but at higher levels, with the intent of having more meaningful community impact.

What’s stayed the same, Mangold explains, is the United Way’s vision to give struggling area residents the resources they need to reach their potential. Mangold says she’s prepared for her new role. “The board and Amy Canterbury have positioned us well for the future. As the landscape continues to change, we will need to continue to evolve and assess and reassess and change along with the times.”

Tell us about the United Way’s accomplishments in 2024.

It was a good year. We completed our financial commitments to our legacy partners, which allowed us to invest more funds into our Pathway Grants. Our four Pathways — employment, mental health, youth, and social capital — focus on the root causes of poverty and economic inequity. They are competitive grants, open to any 501(c)(3) in our service area. This year, we invested $569,000 into mental health programs and $1.68 mil- lion into youth programs. When I say investing more, in the old model we may have given a program $45,000 annually. In the new model, many of the two-year grants are in the ballpark of $200,000-$300,000. We were also able to leverage money from Indiana United Ways to bring into our community to accom- plish specific capital projects that we have not done in the past.

How has the United Way’s scope and impact changed in recent years?

We still serve our three main counties, Vanderburgh, Spencer, and Warrick. We are funding fewer agencies, but at a deeper and larger investment and over two-year time periods. We are now looking at how United Way can leverage funds from other entities to bring into our community. And we are looking at the advocacy space. How can we help influence public policy and advocate for issues that are important to our community to drive systemic change?

That it’s still the old United Way, that we still have the old funding model. … We still partner with employers, but we don’t encourage high-pressure tactics for donations. What we do encourage is the opportunity to educate employees about the work that United Way is doing in the community and invite them into the work. … We encourage people to look outside themselves, to how they can help their neighbor, the greater community, and how we can all build the community where we want to live, work, and play. Encouraging civic responsibility and philanthropy is a piece of that.

Why is it important that people continue to give to United Way?

We want everyone to have the opportunity to become the best that they want to be. … We have those who are in poverty, who are working and sometimes working two and three jobs who still cannot make ends meet, especially with inflationary pressures, with challenges of affordable childcare, affordable housing. How do we resource people who are willing and able and working hard, but still just don’t have what they need to get to that next level of thriving? Sometimes, it takes just an extra resource, an extra bump, to help someone get there.

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