Lancaster County Community Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE EMBOLDEN EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY BY INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND IDEAS THAT WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF LANCASTER COUNTY.
- Income
- $24.0 million
- Spending
- $19.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 100.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 16
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $277,368, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 100.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $18.4 million spent. THE LANCASTER COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SERVED LANCASTER COUNTY RESIDENTS IN 2024 BY PROVIDING FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT ORGANIZATIONS (NOT-FOR-PROFITS) AND PROGRAMS THROUGH ITS "EXTRAGIVE" PROGRAM, ITS DISCRETIONARY IMPACT STRATEGIES, AND ITS OVERALL "GRANTMAKING" PROGRAM. THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDED A TOTAL OF $15.0 MILLION IN TOTAL GRANT DOLLARS TO COMMUNITY BENEFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN 2024.APPROXIMATELY 56.7% OF TOTAL GRANT DOLLARS, OR $8.5 MILLION, WERE INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE "EXTRAGIVE," A ONE DAY ONLINE GIVING CAMPAIGN AIMED AT BOOSTING PHILANTHROPIC GIVING IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED COMMUNITY DONATIONS OF $8.0 MILLION WITH A STRETCH POOL AND PRIZES OF OVER $526,000 FROM THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND SPONSORS. 444 COMMUNITY BENEFIT ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM.APPROXIMATELY 10.2%, OR $1,500,000, OF TOTAL GRANT DOLLARS (71 GRANTS), ENHANCED BY ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES IN NON-GRANT ALLOCATIONS AND EXPENSES OF $330,000, WERE INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY VIA THE DISCRETIONARY IMPACT STRATEGIES. THESE INCLUDE THE "BUILDING BRIDGES AND "BUILDING EQUITY" STRATEGIES THAT SEEK TO ENHANCE EQUITY AND INSPIRE CONNECTION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY STRATEGY THAT FOCUSED ON HEALTH AND WELL BEING, CREATIVE EXPRESSION, THE NEXT GENERATION AND OUR PLANET.APPROXIMATELY 33.3% OR $5.0 MILLION OF TOTAL GRANT DOLLARS WERE INVESTED THROUGH ITS GRANTMAKING PROGRAM TO COMMUNITY BENEFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FORM OF OVER 500 GRANTS. SUCH GRANTS WERE DERIVED FROM DONOR ADVISED FUNDS, SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS, FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS, AND DESIGNATED FUNDS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2004.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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