First State Community Action Agency logo

First State Community Action Agency

Foundation · Grantmaker Georgetown, DE EIN: 51-0104704 Website

To lessen the effects of the conditions of poverty on low-income residents of delaware and to work toward eliminating the causes of poverty.

Key facts about First State Community Action Agency

In short: First State Community Action Agency gave $425K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $85K), mostly in Delaware. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
51-0104704
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$424,870
Grants made (2025)
5
Average grant
$84,974
Median grant
$70,875
Total assets
$3,771,437
Primary geography
Delaware (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$3.8M

-6.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$425K

+10.3% YoY

Grant Count

5

-16.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$85K

+32.4% YoY

How First State Community Action Agency gives

  • Giving fell 58% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

About First State Community Action Agency

Based on IRS filings

First State Community Action Agency is a nonprofit organization, based in Georgetown, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $425K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of all 5 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

Cities

WilmingtonDoverMilfordMiltonRehoboth BeachSeaford

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M7 grants202011 grants202114 grants20226 grants20236 grants20245 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2025

Goodwill of Delaware: $136KGoodwill of Delaware$136KMinistry of Caring: $96KMinistry of Caring$96KLimen House: $71KLimen House$71KSojourners Place: $66KSojourners Place$66KSaint Patrick's Center: $57KSaint Patrick's Center$57K

Grant Size Distribution

42 grants across all recorded years

24<$50K10$50–100K6$100–250K2$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
GOODWILL OF DELAWARE Dover, DECOMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH RECIPIENTS TO ATTAIN SELF SUFFICIENCY INCLUDING EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, INCREASING CURRENT WAGES, AND REDUCING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.$135,830
MINISTRY OF CARING Wilmington, DECOMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH RECIPIENTS TO ATTAIN SELF SUFFICIENCY INCLUDING EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, INCREASING CURRENT WAGES, AND REDUCING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.$95,679
LIMEN HOUSE Wilmington, DECOMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH RECIPIENTS TO ATTAIN SELF SUFFICIENCY INCLUDING EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, INCREASING CURRENT WAGES, AND REDUCING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.$70,875
SOJOURNERS PLACE Wilmington, DECOMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH RECIPIENTS TO ATTAIN SELF SUFFICIENCY INCLUDING EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, INCREASING CURRENT WAGES, AND REDUCING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.$65,575
SAINT PATRICK'S CENTER Wilmington, DECOMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH RECIPIENTS TO ATTAIN SELF SUFFICIENCY INCLUDING EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, INCREASING CURRENT WAGES, AND REDUCING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.$56,911

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$3,771,437$4,033,685$3,377,245
Revenue$8,219,881$8,567,421$8,578,250
Expenses$8,030,952$8,314,810$8,463,083
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income———
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 25, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 7, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 7, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 27, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 1, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

First State Community Action Agency is led by Bernice Edwards, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 22 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Bernice Edwards

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $92K (2020) → $113K (2025)

  • Anne M. Farley PhD

    President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Evelyn Wilson

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joanne Reilly

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Price

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ronald Handy Sr.

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tesha Miller

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Troy Hazzard

    Director

    Vice President → Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Charlotte King

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Darren D. Blackston

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Jack Young

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brandy Nauman

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Edward Harrison

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Geraldine Thomas

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Reyna Gil Ventura

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dennis Baxter

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kain Johnson

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sherwanda Rachal-Speaks

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Verna Jones

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eugene Dvornick Jr.

    2nd Vice President

    Director → 2nd Vice President, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carrie Casey

    Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan Watson Holloway

    Vice President

    Director → Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (9)
  • Former: Carolyn McNeice (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: James Johnson (2020–2023) — Vice President
  • Former: Michael Cannon (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Sarah Keifer (2023) — Director
  • Former: Brad Whaley (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Brian McGlinchey (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Carrie Casey-Sawyer (2020) — Secretary & Treasurer
  • Former: Frank Paquette (2020) — Director
  • Former: Kirby A. Hudson (2020) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Bernice Edwards — Executive Director: $113KBernice EdwardsExecutive Director$113K

Frequently asked questions about First State Community Action Agency

How much does First State Community Action Agency give each year?

First State Community Action Agency gave $425K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $385K across 6 grants.

What is First State Community Action Agency's typical grant size?

First State Community Action Agency's median grant in 2025 was $70,875, and its average grant was $84,974, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does First State Community Action Agency give grants?

First State Community Action Agency gives mostly in Delaware: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, DE (4 grants).

Does First State Community Action Agency give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on First State Community Action Agency's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.

Who are First State Community Action Agency's largest grantees?

First State Community Action Agency's largest 2025 grantees include Goodwill of Delaware ($135,830), Ministry of Caring ($95,679) and Limen House ($70,875), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is First State Community Action Agency?

First State Community Action Agency reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.2M.

What is First State Community Action Agency's EIN?

First State Community Action Agency's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0104704. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

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