Credit Builders Alliance Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CBA'S MISSION IS TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS MOVE PEOPLE FROM POVERTY TO PROSPERITY THROUGH CREDIT BUILDING. WE DO THIS BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF OUR NONPROFIT AND MUNICIPAL MEMBERS TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES NECESSARY TO HELP THEIR CLIENTS BUILD CREDIT AND ENTER THE FINANCIAL MAINSTREAM. CBA FILLS A VOID BY BEING A BRIDGE FOR CREDIT BUILDING ACTIVITIES FOR NON- TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS. OUR ACTIVITIES FALL ALONG A CONTINUUM, WHICH ALLOWS CBA TO MEET OUR MEMBERS' NEEDS AT WHEREVER POINT THEY MAY BE IN THE CREDIT BUILDING PROCESS.
- Income
- $4.9 million
- Spending
- $5.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 6.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $234,629, 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (mutual benefit, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 88% of charities in its peer group (mutual benefit, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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 (2)
- $3.4 million spent. 1.CORE PLATFORM SERVICES: MEMBER AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS, CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, AND TRAINING INSTITUTE A.MEMBER AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS IN 2024 OUR MEMBER AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS TEAM SUPPORTED THE ONBOARDING OF 71 NEW MEMBERS. THIS TEAM CONTINUES TO PROVIDE MORE STREAMLINED PROSPECTIVE MEMBER OUTREACH AND RELATIONSHIP CULTIVATION, MEMBER MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENT COORDINATION. AS OF DECEMBER 2024, CBA HAD 637 MEMBERS AND 9 SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED ALLY ORGANIZATIONS. B.BUREAU SERVICES I.CBA REPORTER IS AN AWARD-WINNING, ONE OF A KIND SERVICE THAT OFFERS NONPROFIT AND MUNICIPAL LENDERS THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, CONCRETE SOLUTIONS, AND INTERAGENCY CONNECTIONS THEY NEED TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY HELP THEIR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME CLIENTS BUILD CREDIT AND LONG-TERM FINANCIAL CAPABILITY BY REPORTING THEIR LOW-AND MODERATE-INCOME BORROWERS' MONTHLY MICROENTERPRISE, SMALL BUSINESS, AND CONSUMER LOAN PAYMENTS TO THE MAJOR CONSUMER CREDIT BUREAUS EXPERIAN, TRANSUNION, AND EQUIFAX. CBA OFFERS A STREAMLINED ON-BOARDING PROCESS FOR GUIDING LENDER MEMBERS THROUGH THE CREDIT BUREAU CREDENTIALING PROCESS IN ORDER TO REPORT THEIR LOANS AND SUPPORTS THE REGULAR TRANSMISSION OF THAT LOAN REPAYMENT DATA. CBA PROVIDES ONGOING AND ON-DEMAND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MEMBER LENDERS, REVIEWS METRO2 DATA FOR ACCURACY, AND MONITORS THEIR BORROWERS' EOSCAR DISPUTES. IN 2024, CBA REPORTER ENABLED 259 NONPROFIT LENDERS TO REPORT OVER 112,225 TRADE LINES EVERY MONTH, TOTALING JUST OVER 3.8 BILLION IN CREDIT EXTENDED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE BORROWERS TO START A BUSINESS, MEET A HOUSEHOLD NEED, AND/OR SIMPLY BUILD POSITIVE PERSONAL AND BUSINESS CREDIT HISTORY. II.CBA BUSINESS REPORTER IS AN ADD-ON SERVICE THAT IN 2024 ENABLED 50 MEMBER LENDERS TO REPORT 25,752 MICROENTERPRISE OR SMALL BUSINESS TRADELINES TOTALING 1.28 BILLION TO THE COMMERCIAL CREDIT BUREAUS EXPERIAN BUSINESS INFORMATION SOLUTIONS AND DUN & BRADSTREET IN ORDER TO BUILD THEIR BUSINESS CREDIT PROFILES. III.CBA ACCESS ENABLES NONPROFITS TO PULL AND PURCHASE CREDIT REPORTS AND CREDIT SCORES FROM THE CREDIT BUREAUS TRANSUNION, EXPERIAN, EQUIFAX, LEXISNEXIS (FOR ACCESS TO NON-TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE CREDIT DATA), AND CHEXSYSTEMS (FOR THOSE WORKING WITH THE UNBANKED). IN 2024, CBA CONTINUED ITS OFFERING OF THE CORELOGIC TRI-MERGE CREDIT REPORT UNDER OUR UMBRELLA. CBA ACCESS OFFERS QUALIFIED MEMBERS ACCESS TO ANY OF THESE REPORTS AT POOLED PRICES IN ORDER TO UNDERWRITE LOANS, PROVIDE FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND CREDIT COACHING, AND -- WITH SOME CONTRACTUAL RESTRICTIONS -- TRACK THE CREDIT IMPROVEMENT OUTCOMES OF CLIENTS. SIMILAR TO CBA REPORTER, CBA IMPLEMENTS A STREAMLINED ON-BOARDING PROCESS TO GUIDE NONPROFITS THROUGH THE CREDIT BUREAU CREDENTIALING PROCESS IN ORDER TO ACCESS THEIR CLIENTS' CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTS. CBA ALSO OFFERS ON-DEMAND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO NONPROFITS AROUND GENERAL CREDIT REPORT REVIEWS AND CODES, CREDIT REPORT SCORE INTRICACIES AND OTHER INFORMATION RELEVANT TO MEMBERS AND THEIR CLIENTS AROUND CREDIT REPORTS AND SCORES. IN 2024, CBA ACCESS ENABLED 415 NONPROFITS ENGAGED IN LENDING AND/OR FINANCIAL EDUCATION TO GET CREDENTIALED TO PULL APPROXIMATELY 172,372 CREDIT REPORTS THAT YEAR. C.TRAINING INSTITUTE I.CBA'S SIGNATURE CREDIT AS AN ASSET TRAINING HAS BEEN OFFERED SINCE 2008 TO NONPROFIT LENDER PRACTITIONERS, FINANCIAL COACHES AND EDUCATORS, SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH CONSUMERS AND ENTREPRENEURS TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL STABILITY AND INCLUSION. THE TRAINING AIMS TO HELP PARTICIPANTS: UNDERSTAND CREDIT BUILDING AS AN ESSENTIAL AND VIABLE ACTIVITY, FOUNDATIONAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY FINANCIAL ASSET BUILDING STRATEGY FOR LOW-INCOME AND UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES; EXPLORE TOOLS AND DEVELOP SKILLS IN ORDER TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND MEASURE CREDIT BUILDING PROGRAMS BASED ON CLIENT NEEDS AND GOALS AS WELL AS ORGANIZATION MISSIONS AND CAPACITIES; AND ENGAGE WITH OTHER TRAINING PARTICIPANTS AND LEARN FROM CBA'S GROWING CREDIT BUILDING COMMUNITY ABOUT BEST PRACTICES IN CREDIT EDUCATION, ACCESS TO RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS, AND MEASURING AND COMMUNICATING CLIENT CREDIT OUTCOMES. IN 2024, THE TRAINING INSTITUTE HAD A TOTAL OF 2,622 (934 NEW IN 2024) REGISTERED USERS. AS OF DECEMBER 2024, 66 INDIVIDUALS (11 NEW IN 2024) REPRESENTING 26 DIFFERENT STATES, ARE CERTIFIED AS MASTER TRAINERS TO DELIVER CREDIT AS AN ASSET TRAINING TO OTHER PRACTITIONERS IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. A TOTAL OF 21 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED CBA'S LIVE, VIRTUAL CREDIT AS AN ASSET BOOTCAMP WHILE 16 ATTENDED CBA'S LIVE, VIRTUAL CREDIT AS AN ASSET: SMALL BUSINESS BOOTCAMP. SEPARATELY, 718 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR MORE OF OUR MONTHLY WEBINARS. 49.14% OF CBA MEMBERS HAD STAFF ATTEND AT LEAST ONE WEBINAR IN 2024. CBA ALSO LAUNCHED 5 NEW COURSES IN 2024, INCLUDING VERSIONS FOR THE CREDIT REPORTER AND BUSINESS CREDIT REPORTER COURSES AND A NEW VERSION OF CREDIT HEALTH FOR YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. IN TOTAL, 421 TI USERS TOOK THESE COURSES IN 2024. II.UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE TRAINING INSTITUTE, CBA OFFERS TARGETED CREDIT BUILDING PROGRAM DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND MEASUREMENT CONSULTING TO MEMBER AND NONMEMBER NONPROFITS AND PUBLIC ENTITIES SEEKING TO DEVELOP OR ENHANCE THEIR CREDIT BUILDING EFFORTS BASED ON THEIR RESPECTIVE CLIENTS' NEEDS AND GOALS AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONAL MISSIONS AND CAPACITIES. IN 2024, CBA MANAGED 7 CONSULTING CONTRACTS TO BRING ITS CREDIT BUILDING EXPERTISE, INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS, AND CREDIBILITY TO ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN THEIR CREDIT BUILDING CAPACITY. 1.CORE PLATFORM SERVICES: MEMBER AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS, CREDIT BUREAU SERVICES, AND TRAINING INSTITUTE A.MEMBER AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS IN 2024 OUR MEMBER AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS TEAM SUPPORTED THE ONBOARDING OF 71 NEW MEMBERS. THIS TEAM CONTINUES TO PROVIDE MORE STREAMLINED PROSPECTIVE MEMBER OUTREACH AND RELATIONSHIP CULTIVATION, MEMBER MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNICATIONS AND EVENT COORDI
- $1.1 million spent. 2.INNOVATIONS CBA INCUBATES A NUMBER OF EMERGING AND INNOVATIVE CREDIT BUILDING INITIATIVES THAT ADVANCE ITS THEORY OF CHANGE: BUILDING CREDIT IS PART OF THE ASSET BUILDING PATHWAY TO IMPROVED FINANCIAL STABILITY AND MISSION DRIVEN NONPROFITS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO HELP THE LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS THEY SERVE BUILD CREDIT AS AN ASSET. IN 2024 IN PARTICULAR, CBA CONTINUED OR NEWLY CATALYZED: A.RENT REPORTING FOR CREDIT BUILDING IN 2015, CBA FORMALLY ROLLED OUT ITS RENT REPORTING FOR CREDIT BUILDING SERVICE UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A PILOT FOCUSED ON HELPING AFFORDABLE AND PUBLIC HOUSING PROVIDERS REPORT THEIR RESIDENTS' RENTAL PAYMENTS AS A CREDIT BUILDING STRATEGY. IN 2024, CBA CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN SETTING UP RENT REPORTING PROGRAMS VIA ITS RENT REPORTING CENTER, WHICH FUNCTIONS AS A ONE-STOP SHOP TO LOCATE ALL INFORMATION RELATED TO RENT REPORTING. CBA STAFF ADDITIONALLY PROVIDE IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT TO SEVERAL COHORTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS AND ADVISE POLICYMAKERS ON BEST PRACTICES IN RENT REPORTING. B.CBA SYMPOSIUM IN 2014, CBA OFFERED ITS FIRST EVER AND INCREDIBLY POWERFUL CREDIT BUILDING SYMPOSIUM. DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND THE CREDIT BUILDING SYMPOSIUM HAS SINCE BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT. THE SYMPOSIUM IS INTENDED TO BE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN CREDIT BUILDING AND THOSE CORPORATE ENTITIES WHOSE BUSINESS PRACTICES INCLUDE CREDIT REPORTING, CREDIT SCORING AND/OR CREDIT GRANTING. CBA'S GOAL IS TO BROKER MORE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THESE TWO CONNECTED INDUSTRIES WITH THE INTENT OF CONTINUING TO BRIDGE GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING AND STRENGTHENING BONDS IN THE CREDIT REPORTING ARENA. AN OVERARCHING THEME FOR THE SYMPOSIUM EVERY YEAR IS THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE WORK BEING DONE IN THE CREDIT BUILDING FIELD AND THAT OF THE BROADER ISSUES OF INCOME INEQUALITY, POVERTY REDUCTION, AND ASSET BUILDING. THE SYMPOSIUM ALSO OFFERS OUR MEMBERS AND OTHER CREDIT BUILDING INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. IN 2024, CBA'S CREDIT BUILDING SYMPOSIUM ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH 350 REGISTRANTS C.OTHER FIELD BUILDING EFFORTS CBA CREATED THE FINANCIAL EQUITY CONVERSATIONS (FEC) EVENT SERIES TO BRING TOGETHER NONPROFIT PRACTITIONERS, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, POLICYMAKERS, AND CONSUMERS TO DISCUSS CHALLENGES IN ACCESS TO CREDIT AND BANKING. CBA HELD THREE FEC EVENTS IN QUEENS, NY; DALLAS, TX; AND LOS ANGELES, CA. CBA WORKED WITH KAISER PERMANENTE TO OFFER THE FIRST OF THREE BUILDING CREDIT, BUILDING HEALTH CONVENINGS. THESE EVENTS BRING TOGETHER CREDIT PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO INCREASE CROSS-INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE OF THE CREDIT AND HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME INDIVIDUALS FACE. 2.INNOVATIONS CBA INCUBATES A NUMBER OF EMERGING AND INNOVATIVE CREDIT BUILDING INITIATIVES THAT ADVANCE ITS THEORY OF CHANGE: BUILDING CREDIT IS PART OF THE ASSET BUILDING PATHWAY TO IMPROVED FINANCIAL STABILITY AND MISSION DRIVEN NONPROFITS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO HELP THE LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS THEY SERVE BUILD CREDIT AS AN ASSET. IN 2024 IN PARTICULAR, CBA CONTINUED OR NEWLY CATALYZED: A.RENT REPORTING FOR CREDIT BUILDING IN 2015, CBA FORMALLY ROLLED OUT ITS RENT REPORTING FOR CREDIT BUILDING SERVICE UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A PILOT FOCUSED ON HELPING AFFORDABLE AND PUBLIC HOUSING PROVIDERS REPORT THEIR RESIDENTS' RENTAL PAYMENTS AS A CREDIT BUILDING STRATEGY. IN 2024, CBA CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN SETTING UP RENT REPORTING PROGRAMS VIA ITS RENT REPORTING CENTER, WHICH FUNCTIONS AS A ONE-STOP SHOP TO LOCATE ALL INFORMATION RELATED TO RENT REPORTING. CBA STAFF ADDITIONALLY PROVIDE IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT TO SEVERAL COHORTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS AND ADVISE POLICYMAKERS ON BEST PRACTICES IN RENT REPORTING. B.CBA SYMPOSIUM IN 2014, CBA OFFERED ITS FIRST EVER AND INCREDIBLY POWERFUL CREDIT BUILDING SYMPOSIUM. DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND THE CREDIT BUILDING SYMPOSIUM HAS SINCE BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT. THE SYMPOSIUM IS INTENDED TO BE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN CREDIT BUILDING AND THOSE CORPORATE ENTITIES WHOSE BUSINESS PRACTICES INCLUDE CREDIT REPORTING, CREDIT SCORING AND/OR CREDIT GRANTING. CBA'S GOAL IS TO BROKER MORE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THESE TWO CONNECTED INDUSTRIES WITH THE INTENT OF CONTINUING TO BRIDGE GAPS IN UNDERSTANDING AND STRENGTHENING BONDS IN THE CREDIT REPORTING ARENA. AN OVERARCHING THEME FOR THE SYMPOSIUM EVERY YEAR IS THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE WORK BEING DONE IN THE CREDIT BUILDING FIELD AND THAT OF THE BROADER ISSUES OF INCOME INEQUALITY, POVERTY REDUCTION, AND ASSET BUILDING. THE SYMPOSIUM ALSO OFFERS OUR MEMBERS AND OTHER CREDIT BUILDING INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. IN 2024, CBA'S CREDIT BUILDING SYMPOSIUM ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH 350 REGISTRANTS C.OTHER FIELD BUILDING EFFORTS CBA CREATED THE FINANCIAL EQUITY CONVERSATIONS (FEC) EVENT SERIES TO BRING TOGETHER NONPROFIT PRACTITIONERS, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, POLICYMAKERS, AND CONSUMERS TO DISCUSS CHALLENGES IN ACCESS TO CREDIT AND BANKING. CBA HELD THREE FEC EVENTS IN QUEENS, NY; DALLAS, TX; AND LOS ANGELES, CA. CBA WORKED WITH KAISER PERMANENTE TO OFFER THE FIRST OF THREE BUILDING CREDIT, BUILDING HEALTH CONVENINGS. THESE EVENTS BRING TOGETHER CREDIT PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO INCREASE CROSS-INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE OF THE CREDIT AND HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME INDIVIDUALS FACE.
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 January 2008.
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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.