Quick charity verification for Colorado Youth For A Change (EIN: 202501002)
Verdict: Colorado Youth For A Change appears trustworthy
90/100Mission Score
$8.8MRevenue
$1.6MAssets
1Red Flags
4Strengths
Red Flags
Unusually low (0%) reported officer compensation, which may obscure actual executive pay if categorized elsewhere.
Strengths
Significant revenue growth, more than doubling from $4.2M in 2019 to $9.7M in 2023.
Strong program spending focus, indicating efficient use of donations for its mission.
Healthy growth in assets, increasing from $756,353 in 2019 to $1,707,187 in 2023.
Consistent financial stability with manageable liabilities relative to assets.
Spending Breakdown
How Colorado Youth For A Change allocates its funds across programs, administration, and fundraising.
85%
Program Spending
Healthy — majority goes to mission
10%
Admin Costs
Reasonable — admin costs in check
5%
Fundraising
Within typical range
How to read this: Well-run charities typically spend 75% or more on programs, keep admin under 25%, and fundraising under 15%. A high program ratio means more of every dollar goes directly to the mission.
How to Interpret This Report
What Red Flags Mean
Red flags are potential warning signs identified by AI analysis of IRS 990 filings. They may indicate issues like declining revenue, high executive pay relative to program spending, lack of transparency, or governance concerns. A single red flag does not necessarily mean an organization is untrustworthy, but multiple flags warrant further investigation before donating.
What Mission Score Measures
The Mission Score (0-100) evaluates how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated purpose. It combines multiple factors: program spending efficiency (how much goes to programs vs. overhead), financial health and sustainability, governance quality, transparency in reporting, and consistency of operations over time. A score of 70+ indicates strong alignment with the organization’s mission.
Using This Data for Donation Decisions
Use this report as one input in your decision. Look at the overall Mission Score for a quick assessment, review red flags and strengths for specific concerns, check the spending breakdown to see where money goes, and compare executive compensation to the organization’s size. Consider viewing the full transparency report for deeper analysis, and always verify tax-exempt status with the IRS before making large donations.
Frequently Asked Questions about Colorado Youth For A Change
Is Colorado Youth For A Change a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Colorado Youth For A Change (EIN: 202501002) appears trustworthy. Mission Score: 90/100. 1 red flag identified, 4 strengths noted.
Is Colorado Youth For A Change a good charity to donate to?
Colorado Youth For A Change has a Mission Score of 90/100. Revenue: $8.8M. Assets: $1.6M. Review the full transparency report for detailed spending breakdown and executive compensation analysis.
What is the EIN for Colorado Youth For A Change?
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) for Colorado Youth For A Change is 202501002. This is the unique tax ID assigned by the IRS.
What is a Mission Score?
The Mission Score is a 0-100 rating that measures how effectively a nonprofit fulfills its stated mission. It factors in program spending efficiency, financial transparency, governance practices, and outcome reporting. Scores above 70 indicate strong mission alignment, 40-69 suggest mixed performance, and below 40 signals potential concerns.
How does Colorado Youth For A Change spend its money?
Colorado Youth For A Change allocates 85% to programs, 10% to administration, and 5% to fundraising. Healthy nonprofits typically spend 75%+ on programs.
How can I verify Colorado Youth For A Change's tax-exempt status?
You can verify Colorado Youth For A Change's tax-exempt status using EIN 202501002 on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. You can also request copies of their Form 990 directly from the organization, as they are required by law to provide them upon request.
AI Transparency Report
Colorado Youth For A Change demonstrates strong financial growth and a commitment to its program services. Over the past five years, the organization has seen its revenue more than double, from $4,244,848 in 2019 to $9,744,875 in 2023, indicating robust fundraising and support. While the 2023 fiscal year showed expenses ($9,965,253) slightly exceeding revenue ($9,744,875), this is a minor deficit in the context of significant overall growth and healthy asset levels ($1,707,187).
The organization consistently allocates a high percentage of its spending directly to programs, which is a positive indicator of efficiency. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings suggests either a volunteer-led executive team or that executive compensation is reported under other expense categories, which could impact transparency if not clearly disclosed elsewhere. However, the overall financial health appears stable with growing assets and manageable liabilities.
Colorado Youth For A Change's financial trajectory suggests a well-managed organization effectively scaling its operations to meet its mission. The consistent growth in revenue and assets, coupled with a strong program spending focus, points to a financially sound and impactful nonprofit.