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First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc

First step: a response to domestic violence's mission is empowering survivors to break the cycle of violence and abuse in their lives. The vision of first step: a …

First Step A Response To Domestic

Human Services Harrisonburg, VA EIN: 510243177 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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80
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
80/100 · methodology

About First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc

First Step: A Response to Domestic Violence is a private, non profit organization that provides safe emergency shelter, support services, counseling, and resources to survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence.

Founded
Headquarters
Harrisonburg, VA
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
P43Z
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1980

Mission

First step: a response to domestic violence's mission is empowering survivors to break the cycle of violence and abuse in their lives. The vision of first step: a response to domestic violence is a community free of abuse. First step provides free and confidential services to survivors of domestic violence and their children. First step's services include: 24-hour crisis hotline, planning for safety, emergency transportation and shelter, legal advocacy and court accompaniment, financial empowerment, housing advocacy, rental assistance, information and referral, support group, individual counseling, and children's support and advocacy.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar human services in United States
Program spending This charity: 80%
Peer average: 93%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 7.03%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 80
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.80
Program$0.80
80% to programs beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 94% of comparable charities. See the sources
  • It is one of the better-documented human services charities in the United States GiveRadar currently tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
  • It has more complete contact information than nearly all comparable charities, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc is a registered human services nonprofit based in Harrisonburg, VA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1980 and has been operating for 46 years. Its EIN is 510243177. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $773K in annual revenue. 46 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected. Recent news coverage is predominantly positive.

First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 510243177. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 80% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for human services charities in United States is 90/100.

First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc is located in Harrisonburg, VA, United States. The organization was established in 1980 and has been active for 46 years.

Based on official tax filings, First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc has $773K in annual revenue. It allocates 80% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 93% for human services charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $3M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc is classified as a Human Services organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $773K in annual revenue. The organization has 46 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 80% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 93%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

First Step: A Response to Domestic Violence is a private, non profit organization that provides safe emergency shelter, support services, counseling, and resources to survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence. First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc is classified as a human services organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1980.

Among human services charities registered in United States: It allocates 80% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 93%. Its annual revenue of $773K is below the peer average of $3M.

Yes, donations to First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc are generally tax-deductible in the United States. First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 510243177, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
80% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
22

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

CA
Candy P•••••••
Executive Director

Officers & trustees (16)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

16 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

2 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.8M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Sentara Community Impact: First Step - A Response to Domestic Violence - WHSV
Jan 2024
www.whsv.com
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.9M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.9M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Community Spotlight: First Step - WHSV
Sep 2021
www.whsv.com
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services this charity 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 46 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 46 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1980
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc

What is First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc?
First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc is a human services publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Harrisonburg, United States. First Step: A Response to Domestic Violence is a private, non profit organization that provides safe emergency shelter, support services, counseling, and resources to survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence.
When was First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc founded?
First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc was founded in 1980.
Who leads First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc?
Candy Phillips serves as Executive Director.
Where is First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc located?
Headquartered in Harrisonburg, VA, United States.
What is First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100K-$1M. 80% of expenses go to program services.
Is First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc trustworthy?
First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc's registration number?
IRS EIN: 510243177.
What is First Step a Response to Domestic Violence Inc's website?
http://www.firststepva.com