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Troops First Foundation Incorporated

EIN 26-3494079 · Mount Airy, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO DEVELOP, OPERATE, AND SUPPORT A SYNERGISTIC GROUP OF WELLNESS, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND EVENT-BASED INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF TODAY'S COMBAT-WOUNDED MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHILE FACILITATING A GREATER RECOGNITION AND ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR RELEVANT NEEDS.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
22.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
7
Volunteers
125
Highest pay
$196,914, chief executive director

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

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 22.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 106% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 47% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 9 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (3)
  1. $1.3 million spent. OPERATION WARRIOR CALL:CONTINUING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN "BATTLE BUDDIES" REDEPLOYED HOME MAY BE ESSENTIAL TO TRANSITION OUT OF THE STRESS ENDURED DOWNRANGE. THE COMFORT OF KNOWING THAT A TRUSTED FRIEND WHO HAS ALSO BEEN "OUTSIDE THE WIRE" IS A PHONE CALL AWAY COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD DECISION AND A BAD DECISION ON ANY GIVEN DAY. HOWEVER, THE CALL NEEDS TO BE PLACED AND THE PHONE NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED. OPERATION WARRIOR CALL IS AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THAT BECKONS OUR BRAVE WARRIORS TO REACH OUT TO ONE ANOTHER IN HOPES THAT RECONNECTING WILL FACILITATE HONEST DIALOGUE, CREATE A DESIRE TO STAY IN CONTACT AND FOR SOME WARRIORS HELP DEFINE A VIABLE PATHWAY FORWARD. THREE "PILLARS" CONSTITUTE THE WARRIOR PLEDGE:1. MAKE THE CALL: THE BEST ADVOCATE FOR A WARRIOR IS ANOTHER WARRIOR AND LESSONS LEARNED ARE VALUABLE ASSETS.2. ANSWER THE CALL: THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTINUE LOOKING OUT FOR THE WARRIORS ON YOUR LEFT AND RIGHT.3. BE HONEST: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAN LEAD TO A POSITIVE COURSE OF ACTION.OPERATION WARRIOR CALL ALSO CALLS ON AMERICAN CITIZENS TO MAKE THEIR OWN "CIVILIAN PLEDGE" TO CREATE AWARENESS OF THE INITIATIVE AMONG SERVICE MEMBERS, ACTIVE AND RETIRED, WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.
  2. $485,940 spent. OPERATION REINTEGRATION:BEYOND OUR LARGER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, THE FOUNDATION INTERACTS ON A DAILY BASIS WITH INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS. TIME SPENT MEETING WARRIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND GAINING TRUST SO AS TO FACILITATE MEANINGFUL FUTURE ASSISTANCE DURING THE MANY STAGES OF RECOVERY HAS ENABLED US TO DEVELOP A NETWORK WITHIN THE WARRIOR CARE LANDSCAPE. OPERATION REINTEGRATION SERVES AS A CATCH-ALL FOR THESE DAILY ACTIVITIES WITH IN-PATIENTS, OUT-PATIENTS AND THOSE WHO HAVE RETURNED HOME AND THEIR FAMILIES. BECAUSE EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS VARYING NEEDS, THE FOUNDATION ASSISTS WITH EVERYDAY SITUATIONS SUCH AS GROCERY SHOPPING AND BUYING GYM CLOTHES FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY THAT FIT OVER THEIR PROSTHETICS. THE FOUNDATION'S GOAL IS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR WARRIORS AS THEY ARISE.24/7 BATTLE BUDDIES:24/7 BATTLE BUDDIES IS A PROGRAM THAT MATCHES CANINES TO WOUNDED MILITARY VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. EACH 24/7 BATTLE BUDDY IS CAREFULLY SELECTED FOR THEIR PARTNER. THE TRAINING IS THEN SPECIFIC TO THE WARRIOR'S NEEDS AND INTENDED TO ASSIST IN SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING EVERYDAY LIFE.
  3. $284,062 spent. LEROY PETRY VILLAGE OF HONOR:MOST OFTEN WHEN A WARRIOR IS SEVERELY WOUNDED IN COMBAT, A PROTRACTED RECOVERY PROCESS BEGINS. THERE ARE MANY STAGES IN THE RECOVERY PROCESS, AND EACH RECOVERY IS UNIQUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL WARRIOR. HOWEVER, ALL MUST GO THROUGH A MEDICAL EVALUATION KNOWN AS THE MED BOARD. THIS USUALLY STARTS WHEN MOST MEDICAL PROCEDURES ARE COMPLETE AND THERAPEUTIC SERVICES ARE WELL UNDERWAY. THE MED BOARD CAN TAKE FROM NINE MONTHS TO ALMOST TWO YEARS. THIS IS WHEN MANY WARRIORS MOST OFTEN NEED AND SEEK ADDITIONAL HOUSING OPTIONS. IN AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE WITH THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION OF DEVELOPING RELEVANT INITIATIVES TO ASSIST WARRIORS WITH REINTEGRATING BACK TO CIVILIAN LIFE, THE LEROY PETRY VILLAGE OF HONOR HAS BEEN BUILT. THIS IS A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM THAT CONSISTS OF SEVEN SINGLE FAMILY ACCESSIBLE HOMES. THESE HOMES ARE AVAILABLE FOR A ONE TO TWO YEAR PERIOD TO WARRIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE MILITARY AFTER INJURIES SUSTAINED IN COMBAT.WARRIOR CALL RANCH:AS THE WARRIOR CALL INITIATIVE GROWS THROUGH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENTS, INDIVIDUALIZED RESPONSES PROVIDING VARIOUS TYPES OF ASSISTANCE AND THE PLANNED LAUNCH OF NATIONAL WARRIOR CALL DAY, THE FOUNDATION HAS ESTABLISHED YET ANOTHER VIABLE RESOURCE UNDER THE WARRIOR CALL UMBRELLA THE WARRIOR CALL RANCH.THE WARRIOR CALL RANCH IS A SIX-BEDROOM, 10,500 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY LOCATED IN MOUNT AIRY, MARYLAND ON 35 MOSTLY WOODED ACRES. IT IS APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR FROM BALTIMORE AND THE NATION'S CAPITAL. THE RANCH IS A PERFECT SETTING FOR THE FOUNDATION TO HOST WARRIOR RETREATS, WARRIOR FAMILY GETAWAYS AND SUMMITS FOR BOTH ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL AND VETERAN GROUPS THAT EXPAND OUR BANDWIDTH AND OUTREACH OBJECTIVES.IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE WARRIOR CALL RANCH WILL PROVIDE A SAFE, RELAXING, NON-JUDGMENTAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL GUESTS CAN "CATCH THEIR BREATH."

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

  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? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2023 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2023.

    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 December 2024.

    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 August 2024.

    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.