Our Work Space

The UFA office is in the historic Skidmore Building, located in Old Town, one of Portland’s most economically challenged areas. The building is part of the White Stag development, a LEED Gold-certified historical renovation of three 19th century structures. Situated adjacent to a MAX light rail stop, staff regularly uses mass transit and car-pooling to attend meetings and move about the city. Members of staff regularly commute via walking, mass transit or bicycle.

UFA's office space was purposefully designed with sustainable features as a priority, and in 2009 was officially certified LEED Platinum for Commercial Interiors.

Green Operations Program (GO Program)

Just as UFA focuses on environmental bottom line returns for its investors and investees, we have developed a detailed GO Program which reflects our internal sustainable office efforts. This program is intended to bring UFA's internal operations to a higher level of efficiency and environmental responsibility and detail ways that the firm and its employees can further limit harmful impacts on the environment. Areas of focus include: reducing carbon monoxide emissions and materials consumption, buying local goods when applicable, and disposing of all waste responsibly.

Currently activity within UFA's GO Program includes:

• The purchase of carbon offsets for work-related air and auto travel and building energy consumption
• A comprehensive recycling program which includes paper, cardboard, aluminum/plastic/glass containers, technology hardware and batteries
• A composting program that allows for the sustainable re-use of food waste and food-soiled paper products
• The use of environmentally friendly office, kitchen and cleaning supplies and the use of 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper for office use and marketing materials
• Payment for 100% of the cost of monthly transit passes for all employees committed to using public transit to commute to and from work

Community Volunteer Program

United Fund Advisors offers employees the opportunity to volunteer for a total of 40 hours per year at a socially and/or environmentally conscious non-profit organization. Suggested organizations include several missioned partners that have direct ties to UFA. However, staff can identify and submit their own choice of volunteer opportunity if it fits the program criteria.

Staff member Nathan Kennedy recently took part in a week-long service trip in Montana's Glacier National Park with Wilderness Volunteers, a non-profit group that promotes volunteer service to America's wild lands. Nathan participated in repairing 150 feet of elevated trail that had eroded when a river changed course.

Staff Volunteer Days

In addition to the individual volunteer program, UFA also sponsors several staff volunteer days throughout the year. The firm identifies local service organizations and arranges to provide a day's worth of volunteer support.

"Adopt a Wilderness" Day - July, 2010: UFA staffers spent a day on two trails in the Tamanawas Falls region of the Mount Hood National Forest. The groups assessed trail conditions, picked up refuse, and documented wildflowers in the area.

Oregon Humane Society - April, 2010: Members of the UFA staff were excited to spend an afternoon volunteering with the Oregon Humane Society (OHS). The organization is well-known for its superior programs in managing the animal population, providing care and socialization, and placing animals in new homes. OHS placed over 10,000 animals in new homes in 2009. UFA volunteers helped out by exercising and socializing dogs, and spending time with the cat population.

Oregon Food Bank - July & August, 2009: The Oregon Food Bank welcomed UFA employees on July 30 and August 27, 2009 to work in their expansive community garden. The Oregon Food Bank is the central food receipt and distribution facility for the entire state of Oregon and southwest Washington. The bank supplies social service agencies with food, household supplies and nutritional education for the homeless, hungry, and impoverished. The UFA volunteers harvested vegetables, cleared weeds,and laid bark mulch.

The Salvation Army - February, 2009: UFA staffers spent a day volunteering on February 6, 2009 at the Salvation Army’s meal distribution and homeless outreach center in Old Town, Portland. This center is one of the major nodes of social service outreach in this downtown area that attracts a significant number of Portland’s homeless population. Volunteers spent the day helping process and load donated clothes and materials from their receipt area to a transport truck. This was followed by kitchen and mess hall cleaning in preparation for the evening meal.

Union Gospel Mission - April, 2008: Members of the UFA staff took advantage of this volunteer opportunity to help out at Union Gospel Mission (UGM) in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. UGM provides numerous social services, including a long-term addiction recovery program in which residents live and work at the Mission. UGM’s new facility was one of the first projects that the firm financed, utilizing $7 million in New Markets Tax Credits from the Portland New Markets Fund to help fill the financing gap. Staff spent the day preparing food, cleaning the kitchen, washing dishes and floors, painting walls, and having a good time while doing it!