Aaron DeLaO

What we talked about

A look at the opening five minutes of the conversation. Watch the full interview above.

More than a grant maker

Aaron DeLaO describes United Way for Greater Austin as an organization with several connected roles. It funds nonprofit partners, brings people together through coalitions, operates programs and helps communities use data to make decisions. In the opening of this Making Names conversation with Aidan Evans, he explains how those functions support families navigating life in Central Texas. Grantmaking is one part of that work, but his account extends beyond distributing money. He also sees a role for United Way in helping organizations and community leaders address the systems that shape a family’s options.

Bringing people around the same table

DeLaO describes the organization’s ability to convene nonprofit partners, policymakers, business leaders, volunteers and advocates. United Way serves as a supporting backbone for coalitions, helping participants work together on shared challenges. He points to Success By Six coalitions in Travis and Williamson counties, along with two-generation work focused on economic advancement. Early education, health and economic opportunity do not sit in separate compartments for families. His explanation connects those priorities and shows why a community organization might work across several of them rather than treat each as an isolated issue.

Programs that help families navigate

The conversation also introduces United Way’s direct programming, including early childhood work, basic-needs support and its 2-1-1 navigation center. DeLaO describes these services as ways to strengthen how families find their way through challenges in Central Texas. This is the practical side of the broader systems discussion: alongside coordinating partners, an organization needs ways to help people interact with the resources around them. His description brings those two levels together, connecting community-wide work with the experience of families seeking support.

Using evidence to inform advocacy

DeLaO sees data as another resource United Way can share with the community. Information about needs, programs and interventions can help partners decide where to focus and understand what is happening. He describes a data and evaluation team working to make that information more useful beyond the organization itself. Advocacy is connected to the same purpose: bring people together around policies that respond to community needs and the resources families require. The opening also contains a reminder about organizational humility. Longevity and trust matter, but they do not remove the responsibility to keep improving.