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Campaign for Working Families

EIN 47-5617041 · Philadelphia, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CWF HELPS WORKING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN PA AND NJ TO INCREASE THEIR FINANCIAL STABILITY BY PROVIDING FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES, RESOURCE BUILDING AND ASSET DEVELOPMENT. CWF CONNECTS THESE TAX FILERS TO VALUABLE TAX CREDITS, QUALITY FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND SCREENS AND PROVIDES APPLICATION ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS.

Income
$4.5 million
Spending
$4.4 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
3.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 76%
Employees
165
Volunteers
705
Highest pay
$322,518, president/ceo

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 7 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. $3.6 million spent. ELEVATING FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, THE CAMPAIGN FOR WORKING FAMILIES (CWF) PROVIDED FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES THROUGH ITS VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) INITIATIVE. OPERATING ACROSS 24 COMMUNITY-BASED LOCATIONS IN PHILADELPHIA (17 SITES) AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY (7 SITES), ALONG WITH OFFERING VIRTUAL TAX PREPARATION SERVICES, CWF PROCESSED OVER 66,000 FEDERAL AND STATE TAX RETURNS (36,000+ FEDERAL AND 30,000+ STATE) IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024. DEMONSTRATING COMMITMENT DURING THE EXTENDED TAX SEASON (MAY TO OCTOBER), CWF MAINTAINED SIX ACTIVE SITES AND CONTINUED ITS VIRTUAL TAX PREPARATION SERVICES. FURTHERMORE, CWF'S COLLABORATION WITH LEADING LOCAL ORGANIZATIONSCOMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES, BENEFITS DATA TRUST, AND CLARIFIEXTENDED CWF'S MISSION TO CONNECT TAXPAYERS WITH A BROAD SPECTRUM OF ESSENTIAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING PUBLIC BENEFITS, FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE. THIS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ENABLED THE SCREENING AND REFERRAL OF OVER 2,800 INDIVIDUALS FOR COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT AND SERVICES.
  2. $19,429 spent. CHAMPIONING PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR TWO DECADES, CWF HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROVIDING IRS CERTIFICATIONS TO A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. RECOGNIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THESE CERTIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FOSTERING CAREER ADVANCEMENT BY AIDING STUDENTS IN SECURING INTERNSHIPS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ASSISTING PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS LAWYERS AND ACCOUNTANTS IN OBTAINING CONTINUING EDUCATION (CEU) CREDITS FOR LICENSURE AND CREDENTIAL MAINTENANCE, AND EMPOWERING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH VITAL FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE TO ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL GOALS. IN THE 2024 TAX SEASON, CWF CONDUCTED OVER 60 TAX TRAININGS, IRS CERTIFYING OVER 705 VOLUNTEERS. THIS INITIATIVE MOBILIZED MORE THAN 705 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED OVER 21,000 HOURS TO DELIVER FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES, INJECTING OVER $37 MILLION DIRECTLY INTO THE LIVES OF HARDWORKING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, THEREBY ENRICHING THE COMMUNITYS ECONOMIC WELL--BEING.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since May 2016.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.