Founded in 1995, the United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee was formed by a number of area neighborhood centers as a means to share ideas and strategies for addressing local issues, as well as, finding ways to utilize community assets. Many of these neighborhood centers had grown out of the settlement house tradition and had individually worked in Milwaukee for many decades to create positive and healthy neighborhoods for all residents. Directors and staff of these organizations found that they were addressing similar issues in neighborhoods across the city. In order to best take advantages of the great and varied local knowledge base of the neighborhood centers across Milwaukee, the agencies came together to create UNCOM as a best practice and information sharing organization for local neighborhood centers.

Today, UNCOM operates a number of in house programs in addition to the service and support offered to programs provided at UNCOM member agencies and organizations throughout the city. Together UNCOM agencies have an operating budget of over $33 million; contributing significant services and resources to communities across Milwaukee. This significant local presence has allowed UNCOM agencies to create deep and lasting roots in Milwaukee communities. UNCOM is working to nurture and enhance this presence so that these agencies can continue serving Milwaukee neighborhoods and their residents for many years to come.