FORT WORTH, Texas (Sept. 29, 2025) – United Way of Tarrant County (UWTC) is charting a bold new course under its recently appointed president and CEO, nonprofit veteran leader Adam D. Powell, and a revitalized executive leadership team. This month, the organization unveiled its new five-pillar strategic vision, signaling a new era of innovation, collaboration and direct impact. As Powell made clear when he addressed community members over the course of multiple town halls this month, he and his team are focusing on “what’s the value add” when it comes to the United Way of Tarrant County and its community.
The plan zeroes in on the region’s most pressing challenges in education, health, and financial security while positioning the organization as a convenor, innovator and partner to local nonprofits rather than a competitor. The organization is embracing new technologies, data-driven solutions and community-focused programming to tackle long-standing issues in bold, modern ways.
“Our goal is to solve old problems in new ways,” said Powell. “We’re not just continuing the work of the past. Instead, we’re amplifying it, innovating alongside our partners and making a bigger impact than ever before.”
Five strategic pillars define the organization’s renewed focus:
- Leadership: Building a high-performing executive and staff team to drive transformational initiatives.
- Development: Moving beyond traditional fundraising models to secure sustainable revenue streams for long-term community impact.
- Brand Visibility: Elevating UWTC as a recognizable, trusted force in the region.
- Research & Innovation: Acting as a convener and knowledge hub, leveraging data, technology, and research to solve complex challenges in areas such as literacy and maternal health.
- Direct Programming: Deploying innovative programs across four impact areas: education & youth opportunity, community health, financial security, and community resiliency using AI, virtual reality, and other technologies to rethink old solutions.
During the town halls and discussion of his five strategic pillars, Powell highlighted several pressing issues United Way of Tarrant County plans to address under its new strategic vision. These include maternal health disparities, with efforts expanding beyond the organization's current programming to improve access to care through technology and coordinated systems. He also emphasized the third-grade literacy crisis, which is closely linked to long-term social outcomes like homelessness and incarceration, and discussed plans to use tools such as AI and virtual reality to enhance learning.
Financial insecurity was another key focus, as roughly a third of Tarrant County residents fall into the Asset Limited, Income-Constrained, yet Employed (ALICE) category, basically live paycheck-to-paycheck. UWTC aims to tackle this through both immediate support and long-term workforce development. For community resiliency, Powell shared examples of rapid-response initiatives, including fundraising to provide $100,000 directly to families displaced by the Cooper Apartment fire this summer, illustrating the organization’s commitment to helping communities recover quickly from emergencies.
"United Way plays a critical role in Tarrant County, bringing together nonprofits, businesses, and community members to tackle the region’s most pressing challenges," said Powell. "I take this responsibility seriously as its leader, and our focus is on partnership over duplication, while stepping in and continuing with direct programming where we can add value and amplify impact."
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About United Way of Tarrant County
United Way of Tarrant County, a nonprofit leader in North Texas, mobilizes our community to action so all can thrive. We identify critical needs, foster collaboration, and invest in solutions that drive change. Through our four impact areas—education and youth opportunity, community health, financial security, and community resiliency—our programs serve more than 400,000 individuals annually. After celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2022, we remain committed to empowering Tarrant County residents for generations to come.