About Us
Financial Facts
The History of Another Way Texas Shares
In August 1991, several socially progressive agencies began regular organizational meetings and by April of 1992, 19 agencies incorporated as a cooperative fundraising coalition in the Central Texas area. Another Way Texas Shares is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization which raises funds in the workplace through payroll deduction campaigns and is modeled after successful funding federations throughout the U.S.
The first campaign began in late October 1992, when the City of Austin government granted access to Another Way Texas Shares in a combined charitable campaign with Black United Fund, Brackenridge Hospital Foundation, Environmental Fund for Texas, International Service Agencies, National/United Service Agencies, National Voluntary Health Agencies, and United Way. Another Way Texas Shares was third in the amount of funds raised, behind only Brackenridge Hospital Foundation and United Way.
In 1993, enabling legislation was passed by the Texas legislature to allow charitable payroll deduction for the 290,000 employees in state government and university offices. The legislation, sponsored by seven of the above-named organizations and Combined Health Appeal of Texas and Earth Share, resulted in an initial $2 million campaign that has now grown to over $8 million.
In 1994, Another Way Texas Shares expanded fundraising and educational opportunities to 19 workplaces, raising over $85,000 in pledges for its member organizations. By 1995, there were thirty non-profit members in Another Way Texas Shares. Since then, we have continued to grow, adding new member organizations, entering new workplace giving campaigns, as well as further developing our provision of support, network opportunities and training to our member organizations.
In 2002, AWTS joined Community Shares U.S.A., a national coalition of fundraising federations working together to develop and implement combined campaigns at national corporations and other employers we might be unable to access alone.
The Need
The 44 agencies of Another Way Texas Shares address a wide range of issues that include affordable health care, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, homelessness, poverty, refugee and human rights, racial and economic equality, low income housing, animal welfare, children and youth, cultural awareness, peace, and the concerns of people who are elderly or disabled. In our society, most of these agencies are traditionally underfunded with limited foundation support, since there are a limited number of foundations with progressive agendas and little available government funding, despite many needy constituencies.
Workplace fundraising is one of the best ways of raising charitable funds, as evidenced by the success of United Ways across the country. It is also one of the most easy and cost-efficient ways for nonprofits to raise money. With the emergence of diverse funding federations, employees have a choice in how they direct their charitable contributions.
The experience of other workplace fundraising campaigns around the country has proven the value of recognizing the diversity of employee interests and human needs. National studies have shown that additional donor options have increased participation in workplace fundraising campaigns and boosted overall charitable donations. Employees have welcomed the opportunity to contribute to an expanded range of critical human needs in an efficient and convenient way, with virtually no extra cost.
The time has come for Texas to participate in workplace giving campaigns that offer expanded choices for giving. As more employers offer this benefit, they not only provide a more stable funding base for the nonprofit agencies that serve the needs of low-income and marginalized persons, but often benefit from increases in productivity, morale, and employee retention.