JUMP TO: 5-YEAR TARGETS • STRATEGIC PRIORITIES • ABOUT HFL 2030 • TRACK OUR PROGRESS • BE A PART OF THE CHANGE
Welcome to HFL’s First-Ever Strategic Plan
For 40 years, Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia (HFL) has offered something rare: interest-free loans that treat neighbors with dignity, not charity. What started as a small circle of volunteers has grown into a professionalized pillar of the Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey Jewish community — with a loan portfolio exceeding $1 million and a team more energized than ever.
In 2024, with a loan portfolio exceeding $1 million and a renewed sense of purpose, HFL launched its first-ever strategic planning process — led entirely by volunteers. The result is HFL 2030: a bold commitment to right-size our capacity and meet the real, growing needs of Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey— because every family deserves to hear the words: “Yes, we can.”
This is a pivotal moment. We have the vision. We have the proof. What we need is you.
Show your support — donate today.
5-Year Growth & Impact Targets
How We’ll Get There: Our Five Strategic Priorities
1. Articulate who we are and why we serve.
For over 40 years, HFL was powered on a communal understanding of the power of interest-free loans. As we head into a new phase of the organization, it is time to clarify and solidify our purpose.
- Establish a unified sense of purpose that clearly defines who HFL serves, why, and how.
- Update and adopt a refreshed Mission, Vision, and Values by mid-2026.
- Integrate the new MVV into all operations, communications, and decision-making by 2028.
2. Make every loan count more.
At $7,500, our maximum loan often isn’t enough. Increasing our loan maximum to $15K means real relief — not just partial help. To enhance our lending capacity, we will utilize these strategies:
- Increase personal loan maximums
- Increase gradually with carefully monitored test cases.
- Evaluate for affordability and risk; adjust requirements as needed.
- Align loan limits with peer organizations and demand.
- Launch new specialty loan opportunities
- Assess unmet community needs (e.g., medical, housing, education).
- Partner with funders and organizations to launch new specialty funds for areas of need.
- Explore territory expansion opportunities
- Conduct regional gap analysis
- Develop decision criteria for expansion
- Seek partnership and funding to support unserved counties
(see https://iajfl.org/find-your-agency/ for list of currently served areas)
- Review lending policies and procedures for efficiency and effectiveness
- Update policies and procedures for clarity, risk management, and operational efficiency.
- Establish periodic review schedule.
3. Make Hebrew Free Loan a Household Name
Most people who need us don’t know we exist. Awareness is access. Getting there means more volunteers, more capacity, more “yes, we can” when families call.
- Strengthen Brand Identity
- Refresh our identity including: logo, colors, and tone.
- Create brand guide and staff/board training on consistent messaging.
- Increase Traffic & Engagement
- Increase digital traffic (website and social media) through posts, ads, and targeted campaigns.
- Expand newsletter subscribers through targeted campaigns and curated content.
- Grow our reach to 5,000+ community supporters.
- Grow Strategic Partnerships
- Connect with colleagues and volunteer leaders in local human services and related organizations through networking, partnership opportunities, and events.
- Form 25+ strategic community partnerships that lead to greater communal impact.
- Develop a Volunteer Corps
- Create a variety of volunteer roles to attract diverse volunteer talent.
- Recruit and train 10+ new volunteers per year, increasing our total volunteer group to move than 60 people (at least 50 non-board members).
- Create leadership pathways for volunteers to support HFL according to their skills and capacity.
- Establish a leadership pipeline to identify and mentor emerging leaders.
4. Raise $5M in lendable capital.
Thousands of people need us. Our current $1 million loan fund reaches a fraction. Major gifts, grants, and endowment giving will close the gap—and keep closing it.
- Grow annual donations from $400K → $1.35M
- Tailor campaigns and stewardship to the motivations of our diverse supporters.
- Expand donor base by 3.5× with a 33% new / 66% retained ratio
- Increase the number and types of giving drives:
- Offer naming opportunities and vision-level engagement.
- Develop partnerships with donor-advised funds and wealth advisors.
- Create drives for monthly giving and honor gift programs.
- Develop major giving program and launch legacy giving
- Obtain $1M in grants (approx. $200K/year)
- Build a target list of 40 funders and maintain a rolling grant calendar.
- Enlist a part-time grant writer or consultant.
- Create long-term investment/endowment strategy ($750K by 2030)
- Form investment committee; develop investment and gift policies.
- Hire or partner with a fund manager/community foundation.
- Diversify revenue streams
- Explore program fees, managed loan partnerships, or corporate sponsorships.
5. Strengthen the trust that makes our work possible.
A renewed focus on cybersecurity protects the trust we’re given, because growth demands responsibility. Ensure zero critical security incidents annually. We will protect borrower, donor, and organizational data as HFL grows and maintain trust and compliance through strong digital practices.
- Monitor cybersecurity continuously.
- Conduct annual third-party security audits and penetration tests.
- Train 100% of staff and board members each year.
- Implement dual-factor authentication across all platforms.
- Assess breach risks and reduce liability.
- Map all data flows and eliminate unnecessary sensitive data.
- Transition to encrypted platforms for all file sharing and storage.
- Establish and enforce annual data deletion and retention policy.
- Ensure vendor contracts include security and privacy clauses.
About HFL 2030
The Planning Process
The HFL 2030 5-year Strategic Plan was developed by a committee of dedicated volunteers who brought expertise in business strategy, organizational development, leadership development, nonprofit management, and fundraising and sales. At each phase of the process, the HFL board provided feedback and guidance.
- July 2024 – the planning framework & process were drafted and approved
- Aug-Nov 2024 – the committee conducted 12 stakeholder interviews with borrowers, guarantors, donors, and local community stakeholders
- Nov 2024-Jan 2025 – the committee conducted a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and collected feedback from the board and external stakeholders.
- Feb-Apr 2025 – based on the results of the SWOT analysis, the committee evaluated the opportunities and threats for importance, probability, and time sensitivity. The top items were adopted as the strategic priorities for the next five years.
- May-Aug 2025 – the committee laid out goals, strategies, and tactics for each priority area.
- Sep-Nov 2025 – the committee developed a thorough timeline (Gantt chart), conducted a resource assessment, and created metrics to track the progress of the plan
- Nov-Dec 2025 – the HFL board engaged in multiple discussions about the complete plan, including budgeting, reality checks, and timeline adjustments.
- January 2026 – HFL Board officially adopted HFL 2030, its first-ever strategic plan
Cost & Infrastructure
Based on a thorough assessment of current human and financial resources, the strategic plan assumes the need for significant investment to meet the strategic goals while maintaining the high-quality service to the community our constituents have come to expect.
Estimated Investment
Estimated Staffing Needs
Note: Full Time Equivalent (FTE) measures total work hours. Two FTEs might be covered by two full-time staff or two to three part-time staff members sharing responsibilities.
5-Year Timeline
The following timeline outlines the planned steps to reach the goals of the five-year plan.
2026
Q1 (Jan–Mar)
- Board workshop; draft updated Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV)
- Hire & run first cybersecurity audit prep
- Draft lending policy updates; launch endowment committee/policy work
- Build granting pipeline; evaluate grant writer/consultant
Q2 (Apr–Jun)
- Adopt updated MVV
- Conduct first full cybersecurity audit; publish findings & remediation plan
- SEO audit & analytics baseline for website
- Finalize lending policy updates
- Evaluate admin fee & non-donation revenue ideas
Q3 (Jul–Sep)
- Change-management playbook and MVV adoption steps live
- Launch committee/process for new loan opportunities
- Endowment investment policy work; identify/engage advisor/vehicle
- Implement lending policy revisions; begin procedure updates
- Vendor data-protection clauses and access controls tightened
Q4 (Oct–Dec)
- MVV integrated into governance & decision rubrics; semiannual review cadence set
- Procedures updated to match policy; board approval cycle wraps
- Access review & training completion check; name internal cybersecurity liaison
- Subscriber growth initiatives (≥500/yr) in flight; segmentation operating
2027
Q1 (Jan–Mar)
- Launch endowment implementation
- Volunteer recruitment & onboarding system designed
- Rolling grant calendar active; submit/track targets
- Evaluate/launch new loan opportunities
- Hire branding consultant; start brand refresh
- Launch annual fundraising growth plan; major-donor systems setup
Q2 (Apr–Jun)
- Leadership pipeline design
- Test incident-response; data-risk matrix annual review
- Engage 10+ new strategic partners
- Endowment strategy & investment policy finalized
- Finalize brand assets (logo/colors/tones)
Q3 (Jul–Sep)
- Continue evaluation/adoption of new loan funds
- Replace legacy materials with new brand; roll out brand guidelines & training
- Social-media ambassadors expanded
Q4 (Oct–Dec)
- Year-end: donations checkpoint; grants ≈ $200K
- Volunteer growth ≥ 10 new/year; integrate metrics in monthly reports
- Brand guidebook finalized; volunteer one-pager “How to Talk About HFL”
2028
Q1 (Jan–Mar)
- Quarterly homepage refresh
- Co-hosted events with partners (≥ 2 annually)
Q2 (Apr–Jun)
- Reassess loan maximums; align guarantor/terms
- Continue volunteer leadership pipeline placements
- Ongoing grants + major-gift momentum
Q3 (Jul–Sep)
- Evaluate existing loan funds (close-out) & adjust portfolio
Q4 (Oct–Dec)
- Complete brand-recognition goal; conclude 3-month awareness campaigns
- Year-end fundraising & endowment contributions on track
2029
Q1 (Jan–Mar)
- Corporate sponsorship & partnership development push
- Territory-expansion evaluation applied to selected geographies
Q2 (Apr–Jun)
- Scale fundraising operations (drives by tier/segment)
- Lending capacity scaled with updated policies & processes
Q3 (Jul–Sep)
- Continue territory evaluation & funding pathways (e.g., collaborative models)
- Cybersecurity: annual audit, access review, refresher trainings
Q4 (Oct–Dec)
- Year-end targets check (donations, grants, endowment)
- Prep 2030 culmination year milestones
2030
Q1 (Jan–Mar)
- Culmination launch: push to $1.35 M annual donations; finalize endowment target
- MVV fully embedded; change-management review of scale impacts
Q2 (Apr–Jun)
- Program / loan evaluation & impact study published; marketing spotlight on outcomes
- Cyber audit + liability/insurance check (biennial review)
Q3 (Jul–Sep)
- Community-engagement showcases; leadership-pipeline outcomes
- Lending-portfolio / territory decisions finalized for next plan
Q4 (Oct–Dec)
- Final year wrap-up: report on 5-year outcomes
- Board retrospective & next-plan scoping
Track Our Progress
This section will be updated semi-annually to keep you up to date on the progress we are making with your support.
As of May 31, 2026:
- Adopted an updated Mission Statement and new Vision and Organizational Values.
- Launched HFL’s first major donor program: The Visionary Circle.
- Revised loan policy handbook recommended to the board
- Development consultant search underway
- Expanded the professional team
Be a Part of the Change
HFL is determined to change the everyday reality of 84,000 Jews in Greater Philadelphia living paycheck to paycheck, of 1 in 7 Jewish households in or near poverty, of 2 million area residents who have no choice but high-interest debt when a $1,000 emergency strikes.
The need has never been greater.
Your gift of $10, $100, $1000 or more will help launch HFL 2030 with momentum. It will send a message that this community believes financial dignity is within reach.
HFL was founded on a simple, bold idea: that the highest form of charity is to help people help themselves. Forty-two years later, that idea is still changing lives. With your support, it will change twice as many.
Interested in donating your time and talent to making HFL 2030 a reality?
Send an email to our Executive Director, Anna Marx. We are looking for:
- Committee Members: Communications, Fundraising, and Finance
- Expertise: Marketing & PR, Financial Management, Legal Assistance, Leadership Development
- HFL Ambassadors: Help get the word out, let others know about HFL, host gathering and spread the word