Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation provides low-cost financing so that people with disabilities, older Pennsylvanians and their families can buy the assistive technology devices they need. AT makes it possible for someone to go to work, live in their own home, and participate in the community. Examples include: ramps into homes, hearing aids, wheelchairs, adapted vehicles, etc. However, although these devices are important for living independently and safely, most are purchased with private funds--they are paid for out of pocket. This is because there are gaps in government funding, programmatic eligibility requirements, co-pays, and long waiting lists for services. PATF was founded to address these gaps. As PATF's programs have grown, credit-building components have been incorporated so that borrowers can build positive credit and, therefore, have greater opportunities to enter the mainstream financial community.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
No-interest Mini-Loans and Low-Interest Loans
Mini-Loans have loan amounts between $100-$7,000, and have no fees, and no interest. These are great credit-building loans -- repayments are reported to the three major credit bureaus. Low-Interest Loan amounts are between $7,000 and $60,000, and have a fixed interest rate of 3.75% with repayment terms based on the useful life of the device. PATF assists the borrower with the application, provides financial education, and loan monitoring. PATF also provides rescue payments should the borrower encounter an unforeseen circumstance or hardship.
Where we work
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of people provided assistive technology
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities, People with diseases and illnesses, Age groups, Social and economic status
Related Program
No-interest Mini-Loans and Low-Interest Loans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These numbers represent the total unduplicated number of people with disabilities that PATF serves through its development services or through one of its financial products.
Number of loans issued to clients
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities, People with diseases and illnesses, Social and economic status
Related Program
No-interest Mini-Loans and Low-Interest Loans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total number of borrowers across all financial products (mini-loan, traditional low-interest loan, and low-interest loan with a guarantee).
Total dollar amount of loans issued
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups, Social and economic status, Health
Related Program
No-interest Mini-Loans and Low-Interest Loans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total dollars extended across all financial products (mini-Loans, traditional low-interest loans, and low-interest loans with guarantees), & in conjunction with 3 partner banks.
Number of microloan borrowers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups, Health, Social and economic status
Related Program
No-interest Mini-Loans and Low-Interest Loans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
PATF's microloan program is its credit-building, 0% interest Mini-Loan program, extended to beneficiaries for assistive technology devices or services that cost between $100 and $7,000.
Average income of borrowers (in dollars)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Average income of borrowers across all financial products (mini-loan, traditional low-interest loan, and low-interest loan with guarantee.
Amount of loan guarantees (in dollars)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities, Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups, People with diseases and illnesses, Social and economic status
Related Program
No-interest Mini-Loans and Low-Interest Loans
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These low-interest loans are for assistive technology costing $2,000-$35,000. The loans are underwritten and guaranteed by PATF. but are actually made through PATFs three partner banks.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
PATF's overall program goal is to be the preferred agency for people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians for financing assistive technology devices and services. PATF will expand financial education opportunities for people with disabilities, their families, and their allies.
PATF's overall infrastructure goal is to ensure that the organization has the supports and infrastructure in place to effectively and efficiently carry out its mission.
PATF's overall development/fundraising goal is to be a financially sustainable organization.
PATF will build advocacy as an equal PATF pillar for consumers, provider agencies, funders, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In order to achieve its program goal, PATF will:
Expand the numbers of Mini-Loans and Low-interest loans extended for assistive technology (AT); educate individuals with disabilities, their families, and others on possible funding resources for AT; ensure that its brand, including its organizational name, will reflect its mission and programming; continue to implement marketing and outreach strategies so that an ever-increasing number of Pennsylvanians with disabilities, families, older individuals, advocates, vendors, providers, and others know about PATF and understand its programs; and create and disseminate up-to-date, comprehensive financial education information for people with disabilities and their families.
In order to achieve its infrastructure goal, PATF will:
Maintain an enthusiastic, engaged, and knowledgeable Board of Directors who effectively provide PATF with direction and advice; maintain quality staff and provide supports, as needed; and maintain adequate supports (including what is needed to work remotely.)
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
PATF is a financially-sound organization, audited by an independent agency whose findings are available upon request (above).
PATF has an enthusiastic, engaged, and knowledgeable Board of Directors who effectively provide PATF with direction and advice. Board committees include: Executive, Finance, Program, Applications, Public Relations & Marketing, and Governance.
PATF maintains a staff of thirteen quality FTE employees, including three full-time underwriters; a CEO; a Lending & Operations Director; a Strategic Initiatives Director, a Financial Manager I and II; a Communications Director; a Development Manager, an Outreach Director, an Information and Assistance specialist, an Information and Assistance Specialist and Office Manager, and a part-time administrative assistant. PATF also contracts with several consultants. In addition, in order to have a statewide presence, PATF maintains a network of funding assistance coordinators (FACs), who perform outreach for PATF in different parts of the state.
PATF is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), certified by the U.S. Treasury. As such, it is able to draw on the advice and expertise of other CDFI's across the nation.
Finally PATF has a well-maintained office in King of Prussia, PA and a robust online presence at www.patf.us on the web and in various social media platforms. PATF has also created and manages a financial education website (https://www.StudyMoney.us) and a website that provides information about smart home devices for individuals with disabilities and older adults (www.SmartHomesMadeSimple.org).
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In FY 2022 PATF had a number of accomplishments:
1. Published the third edition of "Funding Your Assistive Technology: A Guide to Funding Resources (English and Spanish).
2. Launched the redesigned https://www.StudyMoney.us.
3. Published the seventh edition of Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management.
4. Published the second edition of the Educator Companion Guide to Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management.
5. Hosted financial education webinars connected to the Money Talk series.
6. Helped more than 1,965 people and organizations with Information and Assistance services.
7. Extended more than $45 million (total) in low-interest or no-interest loans. PATF booked $1.5 million in FY 22.
8. Helped more than 4,500 Pennsylvanians (total) with loans so they can purchase the assistive technology devices and services that improve the quality of their lives. PATF helped 300 Pennsylvanians with loans in FY 22.
9. Wrote and published Smart Homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology (English and Spanish), 2nd edition; and updated the new (year old) companion website, www.SmartHomesMadeSimple.org.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, Because of the nature of our program (lending), the questions regarding race, ethnicity are optional
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation
Board of directorsas of 01/16/2024
Ms. Nancy Murray
The Arc of Greater Pittsburg
Term: 2020 - 2024
Derek Baker, Esq.
Reed Smith, LLP
Jeffrey W. Cooper
Retired Colonel USAF and Ret. CEO UCP Central PA
Sybille Damas
Congreso de Latinos Unidos
Katherine Reim
ACHIEVA Family Trust
Dale Verchick
Disability Rights PA
Mitch Bilker
Comptroller, Chestnut Hill College
Lisa Bryant
Melissa Rooney
Secretary of PATF Board
Kay Tyberg
Charles Horton Jr.
Heidi Sheehan
Lisa Robinson
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 04/20/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.