2026-04-23T10:51:18-07:00 2025-09-30 990 2024-10-01 710464321 COMMUNITIES UNLIMITED INC COMM 4794432700 3 East Colt Square Drive Fayetteville AR 72703 Ines Polonius CEO 4794432700 2026-04-23 1 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Ines Polonius 3 East Colt Square Drive Fayetteville AR 72703 17366019 0 X www.communitiesu.org X 1975 AR Communities Unlimited is committed to helping create self-reliance and resiliency in rural America. 8 8 0 0 0 0 13472759 15166713 1447307 1647535 498913 531670 15707 20101 15434686 17366019 421149 1160594 0 0 9949674 10580899 0 0 56319 4355729 3912222 14726552 15653715 708134 1712304 40019464 46254247 18502424 23024903 21517040 23229344 Communities Unlimited connects rural Americans to solutions that sustain healthy businesses, healthy communities and healthy lives through programs focused on community sustainability, entrepreneurship, charitable lending, healthy food and water initiatives. 0 0 5488561 6882455 CU's Community Infrastructure Services Program works with small population community infrastructure management systems: community drinking water systems; wastewater systems; and solid waste management systems through on-site technical assistance, training, publications, and financing. With a current staff of over 50 highly trained professional technical assistance providers, CU Community Infrastructure Services supports efforts to provide access to safe drinking water for everyone and responsible waste disposal within an ever-changing regulatory environment. Our technical assistance focuses on building local capacity of governing board members, water system operators, and other system staff so that they will develop and maintain the capability to adequately manage and operate their water/wastewater management systems. CU provides infrastructure technical assistance and training throughout a seven-state region of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. 1968748 3815 4255300 In 1992, CU started making loans to water and wastewater systems in rural areas to ensure that residents had clean, healthy drinking water and safe wastewater treatment systems. In 2001 CU was certified as a CDFI. Loans made to water and wastewater management systems are used for improvement projects, pre-development financing, purchase of equipment and emergency financing needs. In 2025, CU closed $3,970,346 in loans to 18 water and wastewater systems to improve their systems. These loans included $931,000 (24%) loaned in Persistent Poverty Counties. Loans ranged from the small loan needed to meet compliance to larger loans for pre-development work that helped these communities access larger state and federal loans. These loans impacted 9,945 household in Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma in communities with poverty rates as high as 35%. Small business lending was added in 2010 as small businesses were struggling to recover from the 2008 recession and bank lending tightened. Again, CU works to fill the gap in financing with loans from $1,000 to $200,000 to small businesses that do not qualify for traditional financing. Small business loans can be used for working capital, which is one of the biggest gaps in small business financing. Other uses include purchase or repair of equipment and real estate purchase or improvements. CU offers a variety of small business loan products that are designed to grow as the business grows. In 2025, CU increased loan production by 14%. Sixty-five small businesses received $2,068,354 in loans, averaging $31,821. 63% of small business loans went to rural areas. In 2025, CU's home improvement program provided 146 loans, making a direct impact on the resident' living conditions and often increasing the values of their largest asset. In March 2025, CU expanded the program's territory by launching the home improvement program in the Arkansas Delta region, providing 38 loans and $132,000 in loan capital The program also offers credit counseling and financial incentives to pay on time and improve individual credit scores allowing for improved access to traditional financial products. Through CU's credit counseling efforts, payment monitoring and one on one personal assistance, 81% of the renewal customers have seen an increase in their FICO score, with at least 49 borrowers reporting a score for the first time. 5131684 1156779 5206022 Housing, Entrepreneurship, and Community Sustainability: CU follows a holistic, community-centered housing approach with a focus on local capacity building, technical assistance, resource development, and housing preservation and development. CU staff works with their communities to create a housing taskforce, complete a comprehensive housing needs assessment, assist with strategic planning, and support the communities in grant writing. CU provided prepurchase homebuyer education and housing counseling to support individuals and families as they apply for mortgages for home purchases or loans for home rehabilitation. - Entrepreneurship - During fiscal year 2025, the Entrepreneurship Team assisted 357 clients in one-on-one engagements ranging from 25 to 100 hours of management consulting. The program served 325 business in various training events such as webinars, live workshops, and our self-paced Learning Management System. Through the Entrepreneurship team's wealth building initiative (launched in August 2022), CU is teaching business owners how to use their business as a tool for personal wealth creation. Over 144 clients committed to the program so far that includes 100+ hours of consulting and training. Business owners are taught how to grow business retained earnings that are then used strategically toward increasing the owner's personal net worth, establishing retirement accounts, securing capital or other wealth creation strategies. Community Sustainability - As FY 2025 closed, CU's Community Sustainability team worked alongside leadership teams in 152 communities, developing more vibrant, sustainable economies by leveraging local assets for long-term growth. CU's staff facilitates this process and assists by coordinating internal and external resources to address broadband access and education, healthy foods, infrastructure management and improvement, community facility development, small business development and access to financing. Within the CS team our Healthy Foods program provides technical assistance and access to resources that created connections to new market opportunities for farmers; completion of GAP/GHP certification by small-scale underserved farmers; development and/or expansion of local markets; connections between local medical providers and schools to local producers resulting in increased access to fresh produce; and expanded access to resources to meet transportation, aggregation and storage needs in unserved rural areas. The Broadband work impacts communities across all seven states of CU's service area with focus intentionally beginning in those communities where CS teammates have already established trusting relationships and leadership teams allowing for expedited opportunities. The team of broadband content experts uses an award-winning broadband planning methodology recognized through a second USDA Broadband Technical Assistance grant and partnered as a subcontractor on a third USDA BTA award in 2025. Since 2022, the team offers broadband planning, capacity building training, to ensure all homes and businesses have access to high speed Internet. 353778 1022242 Miscellaneous programs 353778 0 1022242 12942771 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 X 127 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 AL AR MS OK TN X X Communities Unlimited Inc 4794432700 3 East Colt Square Drive Fayetteville AR 72703 Ines Polonius CEO 30.00 X 157969 0 24327 Kimberly Griffey CFO 40 0 X 139472 0 24004 Elaine Crutchfield Director of Program Services 40 0 X 126092 0 30255 Cynthia Terry Director of Entrepreneurship 40 0 X 117828 0 22562 Martha Claire Bullen Director of Community Sustainability 40 0 X 106864 0 26336 Michael Rivera Director of Loan Fund 40 0 X 118866 0 13438 Karen Conrad Director of Community Infrastructure 40 0 X 105543 0 14542 Donna Kay Yeargan Board member 1 0 X 0 0 0 Salomon Torres Board Member 1 0 X 0 0 0 Maximillan Sprinkle Board Member 1 0 X 0 0 0 Dominique Gomez Board Member 1 0 X 0 0 0 Justin Maxson Board Member 1 0 X 0 0 0 Deborah Warren Board Chair 1 0 X 0 0 0 Billy Hix Vice Chair 1 0 X 0 0 0 Deb Markley Secretary Treasurer 1 0 X 0 0 0 872634 0 155464 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 9920038 5246675 21700 15166713 Charitable Lending - Interest and Fees 522200 1309970 1309970 0 0 Charitable management consulting services 541610 44160 44160 0 0 Mobile Home Rents 531110 98660 98660 0 0 Maintenance of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program software 541519 150000 150000 0 0 Small population community infrastructure mapping 541370 44745 44745 0 0 0 0 0 0 1647535 531670 0 0 531670 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20101 20101 0 0 20101 17366019 1667636 0 531670 678052 678052 482542 482542 0 0 0 0 140572 42710 92301 5561 0 0 0 0 8305608 7061615 1203350 40643 512545 436589 72451 3505 979312 824577 151519 3216 642862 541299 98169 3394 0 0 0 0 29727 9493 20234 0 304273 0 304273 0 59494 0 59494 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 361655 228044 133611 0 2835 785 2050 0 737330 514112 223218 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 158467 113542 44925 0 690626 613486 77140 0 0 0 0 0 281477 208701 72776 0 171121 170884 237 0 0 0 0 0 78965 37180 41785 0 119476 70592 48884 0 Organizational Dues 9978 7749 2229 0 Bad Debts 722972 722972 0 0 Loan Fees 161511 161511 0 0 22315 16336 5979 0 15653715 12942771 2654625 56319 19579989 23494707 0 0 0 0 2362776 2493843 0 0 0 0 16994481 19389716 0 0 29881 32610 1910872 1067501 922337 843371 0 0 130000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 40019464 46254247 522852 483902 0 0 3862310 7506223 0 0 -38484 -24302 0 0 1540746 1394080 12615000 13665000 0 0 18502424 23024903 X 21517040 23229344 0 0 21517040 23229344 40019464 46254247 1712304 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 1 X 1 1 1 X 10530532 9180615 13975194 13472759 15166713 62325813 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10530532 9180615 13975194 13472759 15166713 62325813 0 62325813 10949 18260 263346 498913 531670 1323138 0 0 0 0 0 0 -37095 -23589 22738 15707 20101 -2138 63646813 19073172 0.97924 0.98615 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 Miscellaneous income of $20,101 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 69941 0 1 59494 129435 0 Schedule C, Part II-B, Line 1 General meetings with elected representatives to discuss rural issues and needs in our seven state region. Also advocacy fees paid to RCAP 0 1 X 0 546000 546000 0 1231346 933975 297371 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 133526 133526 0 843371 17366019 0 0 0 0 0 17366019 0 0 0 17366019 15653715 0 0 0 0 0 15653715 0 0 0 15653715 Schedule D, Part IV, Line 2b Escrow funds held to pay insurance and taxes on homes financed 1 Healthy Flavors 300 Tinnan Ave Franklin TN 37067 824453719 6233 0 Farm To School Healthy Food Program Activities Rusk Education Foundation 122 Park Dr Rusk TX 75785 993820395 501 c 3 7500 0 0 0 Quick Win Project - to provide support to innovating teaching programs and the backpack program at Rusk ISD Safe Haven Baby Box 22416 Front Street Woodburn IN 46797 473038555 501 c 3 8036 0 Quick Win Project - Texarkana community match for baby box. City of Vilonia Volunteer Fire Department PO Box 188 Vilonia AR 72173 716097496 City of Vilonia 10000 0 Quick Win Project - fire safety training trailer Noxubee County Historical Society PO Box 892 Macon MS 39341 640756352 501 c 3 11889 0 Quick Win Project = Murals in Noxubee County and flyers to support businesses. Pineland City PO Box 6 Pineland TX 75968 756004678 Pineland City 12346 0 Rapid Access funds - archaeological survey and match for valve replacement Belzoni Humphreys County Industrial Development Foundation Inc PO Box 145 Belzoni MS 39038 640740087 501 c 6 17447 0 Organizational development and community development grant activities. FORGE PO Box 1138 Huntsville AR 72740 710674001 501 c 3 25000 0 Matching funds for SBA TA grant. Mississippi Heritage Trust 140 North Sharpe Ave Cleveland MS 38732 582020318 501 c 3 25000 0 Resource Rural grant - build capacity for historic preservation. SouthWay Foundation PO Box 884 Eupora MS 39744 881216999 501 c 3 25000 0 Resource Rural - build organization capacity to support grant writing. City of Zavalla 242 E Main St Zavalla TX 75980 751634657 City of Zavalla 25000 Rapid Access funds- auditor fees. Mississippi State University PO Box 5307 Mississippi State MS 39762 646000819 501 c 3 25740 0 Resource Rural - Support project to complete First Impressions community assessments. City of Crockett 200 N 5th Street Crockett TX 75835 756000502 City of Crockett 53800 Grant application matching funds for tornado sirens. WE Center 3030 S Midland Drive Pine Bluff AR 71603 861674729 501 c 3 100000 0 WORTH grant activities - completion of modular home. Lamar State College PO Box 310 Port Arthur TX 77641 760658056 501 c 3 259400 0 Rapid Access funds - crane, tuition assistance, equipment for CDL program, tractor trailer rig. Trenton Special School District 2065 HWY 45 By pass Trenton TN 38382 620949407 12154 0 Farm to School Healthy Food program purchase of immersion blender, melon peeler, and food processor. Milan Public School District 1165 South Main Street Milan TN 38358 621112863 12154 0 Farm to School Healthy Food Program purchase of immersion blender, melon peeler, and food processor. Weakley County School Distrist 626000908 22517 0 Farm to School Healthy Food Program purchase of two immersion blenders, two melon peelers, and a food processor. 17 1 Wealth Building grants for small businesses 10 62000 0 Delta Owned grants for small businesses. 10 30000 0 Home repair grants for homeowners in Dumas. 5 36730 0 Grants to homeowners for fortified roofs. 31 300288 0 Farm to School equipment for farmer 1 49709 0 Scholarships for citizenship applications 7 3815 Schedule I, Part I, Line 2 Grand funds were monitored through online meetings. Invoices were reviewed for accuracy and validity prior to payment. X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ines Polonius CEO 157969 0 0 0 0 0 13303 0 11024 0 182296 0 0 0 Kimberly Griffey CFO 139472 0 0 0 0 0 11592 0 12412 0 163476 0 0 0 Elaine Crutchfield Director of Program Services 126092 0 0 0 0 0 11738 0 18517 0 156347 0 0 0 Form 990, Part V, Line 2a Communities Unlimited, Inc. entered into a co-employment arrangement with TotalSource FL XIX, Inc. (ADP), a professional employer organization, effective 7/1/2021 through present, including the processing and reporting of employees' wages and payroll taxes. All of Communities Unlimited, Inc. employees are covered by the co-employment arrangement are reported under ADP's Federal Identification Number 65-0121767 and not under Communities Unlimited's, tax ID. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b A copy of the 990 was provided to the Boad members on April 10, 2026 and reviewed by the CFO with the Board Members in attendance at the Board Meeting. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Annually Board Members must review and sign the Conflict of Interest Policy. Annually all employees must review and sign the employee handbook which includes the Conflict of Interest policy. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 The Board of Directors review the CEO salary and make recommendations for revisions, based on comparable data obtained from a third party consulting agency. The consultant meets with top management to review information and make necessary adjustments. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 Upon written request, documents are available for review at our corporate office or we will copy and mail any requested documents. CRG Realty 3 East Colt Square Drive Fayetteville AR 72703 Affordable Housing AR 0 0 Communities Unlimited Inc