Center for Urban Families Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOUNDED IN 1999, THE CENTER FOR URBAN FAMILIES (CFUF) HAS AS ITS MISSION TO STRENGTHEN URBAN COMMUNITIES BY HELPING FATHERS AND FAMILIES ACHIEVE STABILITY AND ECONOMIC SUCCESS. CFUF ENVISIONS A SOCIETY WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND RESOURCES TO BE SELF- SUFFICIENT; PARENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN; AND FAMILIES ARE A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.CFUF IS IMPLEMENTING OUR ALL IN STRATEGY BY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC SECURITY, STRENGTHENING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO KEY INTERVENTIONS THROUGH PROGRAMS IN THREE FOCUS AREAS: ECONOMIC SUCCESS PROGRAMS EQUIP MEMBERS WITH TOOLS TO ACHIEVE WORKPLACE SUCCESS. (STRIVE AND BACK TO BUSINESS). FAMILY STABILITY PROGRAMS THAT STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS. (BALTIMORE RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD SERVICES, AND BALTIMORE 2GEN ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE. PLACED-BASED PROGRAMS THAT BUILD THE CAPACITY OF RESIDENTS TO DETERMINE THEIR COMMUNITIES' FUTURE (BCAAN).
- Income
- $9.9 million
- Spending
- $8.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 5.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 72%
- Employees
- 91
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $312,743, president/founder
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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 131% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 19 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 (3)
- $4.4 million spent. ECONOMIC SUCCESS SERVICES/ STRIVEAN INTENSIVE 3-WEEK WORKSHOP THAT COMBINES TANGIBLE SKILLS, SUCH AS RESUME WRITING AND INTERVIEWING, WITH ATTITUDINAL TRAINING THAT PREPARES INDIVIDUALS TO OBTAIN AND RETAIN EMPLOYMENT. BACK TO BUSINESS. A 3-DAY JOB READINESS TRAINING THAT FOCUSES ON REFRESHING THE SOFT SKILLS AND JOB SEARCH SKILLS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE WHO ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.
- $471,580 spent. BALTIMORE RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD SERVICES/ 2 GEN ECOSYSTEMA 6-WEEK PROGRAM THAT UTILIZES CFUF'S DEVELOPING ALL DADS FOR MANHOOD AND PARENTING (DADMAP) CURRICULUM TO ASSIST NON-CUSTODIAL FATHERS WITH LOW-INCOMES, TO INCREASE AND BUILD THEIR FATHERHOOD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.BALTIMORE 2GEN ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE WITH FUNDING FROM THE KRESGEFOUNDATION, CFUF HAS BEGUN TO CREATE A COMMUNITY-DESIGNED, PLACE-BASEDOPPORTUNITY ECOSYSTEM THAT WILL HELP TO INCREASE SOCIAL AND ECONOMICMOBILITY, WHILE MAXIMIZING THE STRENGTHS OF EXISTING COMMUNITY SYSTEMS.USING HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN, CFUF IS FORMALIZING COORDINATED CAREACROSS SECTORS BY FORGING ECOSYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS AROUND WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, SOCIAL CAPITAL, AND HEALTH AND WELL-BEING TOHELP FAMILIES ACHIEVE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY OUTCOMES.THIS 2GEN ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE IS COMPRISED OF BALTIMORE AGENCIES,COMMUNITIES, AND PUBLIC SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT WHOLE FAMILIES TO ACHIEVEOUTCOMES RELATED TO EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, STABILITY, AND PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:HEALTHY AND SAFE LIVING. THIS CITYWIDE STRATEGY INCLUDES ECOSYSTEMPARTNERS LIKE JUDY CENTERS WHICH PREPARE CHILDREN, AGES BIRTH THROUGHKINDERGARTEN, FOR SCHOOL READINESS; UNION BAPTIST HEAD START WHICHSERVES CHILDREN, AGES 3 TO 4, WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR FAMILIES;AND BALTIMORE HEALTHY START WHICH IS COMMITTED TO REDUCING INFANTMORTALITY BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO WOMEN ANDTHEIR FAMILIES.
- $765,464 spent. PRACTITIONERS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PRACTITIONERS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (PLI) IS A NATIONALLY FOCUSED INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING PRACTITIONERS WITH EXPERIENCES, SKILLS AND INFORMATION THAT WILL STRENGTHEN THEIR ABILITY TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR LOW-INCOME FATHERS AND FAMILIES, IMPACTING BLACK MALE ACHIEVEMENT. MOST RECENTLY, PLI HAS TURNED ITS FOCUS TO LOCAL, GRASSROOTS PRACTITIONERS WHO SERVE BALTIMORE'S BOYS & MEN OF COLOR (BMOC). IN APRIL 2018, PLI LAUNCHED IT'S INAUGURAL BMOC 7-MONTH COHORT. PLI FOCUSES ON BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY AMONG THE BMOC FELLOWS VIA INVESTMENTS THAT RETOOL LEADERS, BUILD COMMUNITY NETWORKS, LEVERAGE FUNDING SOURCES AND SYSTEMS, AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
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 April 1999.
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.
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