Community Partnership running during leadership transition, says state CAAP
As Community Partnership sits in a state of flux, publicly available financial statements indicate the Franklin Township-based nonprofit ended 2024-25 fiscal year with a deficit of more than $100,000 and a significant decrease in contributions and grants.
The Butler Eagle reviewed the nonprofit’s most recent Form 990 — a public financial statement released each year by all nonprofit organizations -- after the organization abruptly posted a notice that it was “temporarily closed” late last month.
A comment on Community Partnership’s Facebook page indicated that, “Our programs are currently on hold while we are restructuring.”
But daily operational and administrative responsibilities are continuing through the restructuring.
In this year’s form, which was made public in late June, the agency reported an overall deficit of $113,636 for the fiscal year, covering July 2024 through June 2025, with $558,058 in revenue offset by $671,694 in expenses.
A key difference in the 2024-25 fiscal year was a significant decrease in contributions and grants — dropping from $1,180,675 to $543,023 over the course of one year.
Another line in the statement indicates that the agency’s “net assets or fund balances” — the difference between its assets and liabilities — amounts to only $7,302. At the same time last year, the amount was $129,599.
In a short statement to the Eagle, the nonprofit’s former executive director, Sandra Curry, confirmed she was released from her position, but declined to comment about the financial statements.
Since the nonprofit’s location, the Artisan Resiliency Center at 781 New Castle Road, closed, little information has available about the current status of Community Partnership’s programs, which include food distributions, grants for veterans looking to enter agriculture, and a mobile farmers market.
The agency formerly ran Butler County’s food bank, and in more recent years had assisted to Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank-led distributions. The Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank has previously told the Eagle that its distributions are unaffected.
“CAAP and Westmoreland Community Action are working alongside CPI’s board of directors to help ensure a thoughtful transition and support the organization’s continued focus on serving the Butler County community,” said Beck Moore, CEO of the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP). “An organizational review is currently underway to better understand CPI’s fiscal picture, operations, programs, commitments and overall day-to-day operations.”
CAAP is a network of nonprofit “community action” agencies across the Keystone State — Community Partnership being one of them — focused on addressing the root causes of poverty. These community action agencies are all funded by Community Development Block Grants.
CAAP is working with with one of Community Partnership’s sister organizations, Westmoreland Community Action, to assist Community Partnership Inc’s board of directors in plotting the agency’s future after Curry, was given a notice of separation in late July.
Moore declined to comment on the reasons for Curry’s departure.
“Our focus today is supporting CPI through its current shift and helping the board evaluate the organization’s path forward,” Moore said. “Because personnel matters are confidential, we cannot comment on the circumstances surrounding an individual employee’s departure.”
Moore also declined to comment on whether the Artisan Resiliency Center’s closure was connected to broader changes at the agency. A sign was placed in front of the building in July saying it was “temporarily closed for repairs.”
“Regarding the Artisan Resiliency Center, it would not be appropriate to attribute any individual program decision to a single personnel or leadership change,” Moore said. “Program decisions can involve multiple operational, financial, and organizational considerations, and those broader issues are part of the current review.”
Now, a transitional period is underway, Moore said. That the transitional period will last as long as necessary for all parties to make an informed decision about Community Partnership’s future, he said.
“We do not want to make assumptions about the future status of individual programs or services,” Moore said. “(Our) review will help the board understand the organization’s current operations and determine the most responsible path forward.”
Moore said the priority is “ensuring the board has the information it needs to make thoughtful, responsible decisions rather than working toward an arbitrary deadline.”
“We will share additional information when the review has progressed sufficiently, and the board has made decisions appropriate for public communication,” he said.
Last April, a group of state and county officials led by state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-8th, called for a formal state audit into Community Partnership’s finances, after an independent audit from Maher Duessel revealed material deficiencies in accounting practices and financial reporting.
Another independent audit from Maher Duessel covering the following fiscal year was made public only a few months later, revealing that the material deficiencies had not gone away.
Butler County residents who rely on Community Partnership programs and may be impacted by the shake-up can use services such as the PA Navigate website or PA 211 to connect with local resources for their specific needs.
