Leadership & Governance
Who We Are
FirstKey Foundation is governed by a board of directors committed to financial transparency, community accountability, and long-term program sustainability.
From the Founder
"California's middle class built this state. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, military families — they show up every day for communities they can no longer afford to live in. That is not a market failure we can ignore.
FirstKey wasn't designed as a charity. It was designed as a model — one where capital recycles, families build equity, and the program doesn't require continuous fundraising to survive. We want to build something that outlasts its founders.
We are early. We are transparent about what we know and what we don't. We will publish our outcomes, our failures, and our course corrections. That's the only way to build the kind of trust this program needs to matter."
Alex Lisnevsky
Founder & Executive Director, FirstKey Foundation
Board of Directors
Governance Structure
[Board Member Name]
Board Chair
Background in real estate development and nonprofit governance. Has overseen capital deployment for multiple community development initiatives in Southern California.
[Board Member Name]
Treasurer
CPA with 20+ years in nonprofit financial oversight. Responsible for internal controls, audit committee, and annual financial reporting.
[Board Member Name]
Secretary
Attorney specializing in real estate and nonprofit law. Advises on loan structure, compliance, and governance policy.
[Board Member Name]
Director
Former public school administrator with deep ties to Southern California educator communities and workforce housing advocacy.
Board member names and bios will be published upon finalization of governance structure.
Advisory Council
Advisors & Domain Experts
FirstKey Foundation is assembling an advisory council of domain experts in real estate, nonprofit finance, housing policy, and community development. Advisory council members will be announced as the program formalizes.
Governance
Policies & Oversight
Conflict of Interest Policy
All board members and officers disclose actual and potential conflicts of interest annually. Affected parties recuse from relevant votes. Policy reviewed annually.
Financial Oversight
Independent annual audit conducted by a third-party CPA firm. Audit committee reports to the full board. Financial statements available upon request.
Investment Policy
Program capital is held in FDIC-insured accounts or low-risk instruments pending deployment. No speculative investment of donor funds.
Whistleblower Policy
FirstKey maintains a whistleblower protection policy ensuring staff and volunteers can report concerns without retaliation.
Document Retention
Corporate records, financial documents, and grant records are retained per IRS guidelines. Document retention schedule reviewed annually.
Transparency
Financial Transparency
501(c)(3) Status
FirstKey Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: [Pending IRS confirmation]. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Annual IRS Filings
Form 990 filings will be published here annually once the organization files its first return. Prior to public filing, copies are available upon written request.
Annual Impact Report
We will publish an annual impact report covering capital deployed, families served, builder loans outstanding, and capital recycled. First report expected in 2026.
Third-Party Ratings
We will register with Charity Navigator, Guidestar (Candid), and California's Registry of Charitable Trusts once the organization qualifies. Links will appear here when active.
Questions about our governance?
We respond to every serious inquiry personally.