In 1940, the Lawrence, Kansas Chamber of Commerce established The Community Chest as the first organized group fund-raising effort in Douglas County. That initial effort ultimately raised $9,000 to support the needs of various Lawrencians. During the early 1950s, a different focus for the group led to a new structure for the organization, and the name was changed to Lawrence United Fund. The first meeting of the Lawrence United Fund was held October 1, 1956. Eleven member agencies participated, setting a fundraising goal of $46,000.

In 1986, the Board of Directors voted to change the name again to United Way of Douglas County, better reflecting the large population served by member agencies. Since the 1980s, United Way has established several volunteer centers, grant projects, and other funding resources for the Douglas County community. Such resources include the Roger Hill Volunteer Center (1990) and the Racial Equity Grant (2020).

In 2022, United Way of Douglas County and United Way of Greater Topeka chose to join forces to become United Way of Kaw Valley, hoping to extend their resources and reach by merging their investments and communities. United Way of Kaw Valley serves the Kansas counties of Douglas, Shawnee, Jackson, and Jefferson. Since its founding as the Community Chest, this non-profit entity has focused on investing in families and individuals in its community by providing aid and resources that no one charity or donor could provide by itself. United Way provides grants, funds service programs, and donates items such as school supplies and food.

[information retrieved from the United Way of Kaw Valley website and https://lawrencekstimes.com/2022/08/03/dgco-unitedway-merger/.]