Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Baltimore Community Lending Inc

EIN 52-1632468 · Baltimore, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF BALTIMORE COMMUNITY LENDING IS SUPPORTING THE REVITALIZATION AND STRENGTHENING OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE GREATER BALTIMORE REGION THROUGH INNOVATIVE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS AND COLLABORATIVE RESOURCES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

Income
$8.8 million
Spending
$10.0 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
17 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 40%
Employees
21
Volunteers
9
Highest pay
$199,389, president and 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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 62% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 38% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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. $8.1 million spent. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT MAINTAIN, MANAGE AND SERVICE APPROXIMATELY 50 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN ASSETS TOTALING APPROXIMATELY $17 MILLION AND REPRESENTING IN EXCESS OF 400 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, COUNSEL AND ADVISE EXISTING BORROWERS CONCERNING LOAN COMPLIANCE BEST PRACTICES, AND ASSIST STRUGGLING BORROWERS TO IDENTIFY AVAILABLE REMEDIES IN THE EVENT OF PAYMENT AND/OR PERFORMANCE CHALLENGES.
  2. $125,896 spent. THE SMALL BUSINESS DIVISION IS A SIX-YEAR-OLD SMALL BUSINESS LOAN INITIATIVE WHICH PROVIDES FINANCING FOR CREDIT WORTHY BUSINESSES THAT LACK EQUITY OR ARE NOT OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE FOR TRADITIONAL FINANCING. IT MAINTAINS , MANAGES AND SERVICES APPROXIMATELY 180 SMALL BUSINESS LOANS TOTALING APPROXIMATELY $13.9M FOR START-UP AND EXPANDING BUSINESSES.

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 November 6, 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 September 1989.

    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 November 4, 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.