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Community First Fund

EIN 23-2689714 · Lancaster, PA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY AND WORK-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES LOANS FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE A DIRECT AND MEASURABLE BENEFIT TO LOW INCOME PERSONS AND CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIAL PROGRESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA REGION.

Income
$40.0 million
Spending
$34.7 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
17.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 41%
Employees
89
Highest pay
$428,184, president &

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (housing, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 66% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 77% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (housing, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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)
  1. $29.3 million spent. COMMUNITY FIRST FUND PROMOTES COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE LOANS TO ENTITIES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESSES, DEVELOPERS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION CLOSED 348 NEW LOANS. THE ORGANIZATION FINANCED 424 HOUSING UNITS FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS. THROUGH THE ORGANIZATIONS FINANCING EFFORTS, 3,312 JOBS WERE CREATED OR RETAINED, AND 1,234,212 SQUARE FEET OF BUSINESS REAL ESTATE WAS DEVELOPED OR REHABBED. IN MARCH 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE ORGANIZATION SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO PARTICIPATION IN AND PROMOTION OF VARIOUS GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAMS TO BUSINESSES LOCATED IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR. BY JUNE 30, 2020, THE ORGANIZATION HAD DIRECTLY PROVIDED EMERGENCY FINANCIAL RELIEF IN THE FORM OF LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO 24 BUSINESSES AND HAD MANAGED THE PROGRAM TO FUND 461 SBA PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS TOTALING 15,784,735 THROUGH ITS SUBSIDIARY COMMUNITY FIRST CAPITAL CORP. COMMUNITY FIRST FUND PROMOTES COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE LOANS TO ENTITIES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESSES, DEVELOPERS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION CLOSED 348 NEW LOANS. THE ORGANIZATION FINANCED 424 HOUSING UNITS FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS. THROUGH THE ORGANIZATIONS FINANCING EFFORTS, 3,312 JOBS WERE CREATED OR RETAINED, AND 1,234,212 SQUARE FEET OF BUSINESS REAL ESTATE WAS DEVELOPED OR REHABBED. IN MARCH 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE ORGANIZATION SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO PARTICIPATION IN AND PROMOTION OF VARIOUS GRANT AND LOAN PROGRAMS TO BUSINESSES LOCATED IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND OWNED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR. BY JUNE 30, 2020, THE ORGANIZATION HAD DIRECTLY PROVIDED EMERGENCY FINANCIAL RELIEF IN THE FORM OF LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO 24 BUSINESSES AND HAD MANAGED THE PROGRAM TO FUND 461 SBA PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS TOTALING 15,784,735 THROUGH ITS SUBSIDIARY COMMUNITY FIRST CAPITAL CORP.
  2. NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT PROGRAM TO DATE THE ORGANIZATION WAS GRANTED 90 MILLION OF NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT ALLOCATION FROM THE US TREASURY. THE ORGANIZATION HAS ENTERED INTO AGREEMENTS WITH INVESTOR MEMBERS TO FUND 14 NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND EASTERN PA. EIGHT PROJECTS ARE REMAINING AT 6/30/2025.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1993.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.