Book Trust
Book Trust consistently directs funds to programs but faces recent operating deficits, drawing down assets.
EIN: 204124164 · Denver, CO · NTEE: B24 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $5.5M |
| Total Expenses | $5.4M |
| Program Spending | 85% |
| Net Assets | $1.6M |
| Transparency Score | 88/100 |
Is Book Trust Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Book Trust directs 85% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Book Trust
Book Trust (EIN: 204124164) is a nonprofit organization based in Denver, CO, classified under NTEE code B24. The organization reported total revenue of $5.5M and total assets of $1.9M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Book Trust's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Book Trust is a mid-size nonprofit that has been operating for 20 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2012–2024). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 6.8%.
Key Financial Metrics (2024)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $3.5M |
| Total Expenses | $5.4M |
| Surplus / Deficit | $-1,935,926 |
| Total Assets | $2.1M |
| Total Liabilities | $516K |
| Net Assets | $1.6M |
| Operating Margin | -55.6% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 24.8% |
| Months of Reserves | 4.6 months |
Financial Health Grade: B
In 2024, Book Trust reported a deficit of $1.9M with expenses exceeding revenue, holds 4.6 months of operating reserves (adequate), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 24.8% (moderate leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 13 years of filings (2012–2024), Book Trust's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -2.5% | +21.9% | -52.6% |
| 2023 | -12.3% | +38.1% | -9.1% |
| 2022 | +7.8% | +14.4% | +19.4% |
| 2021 | -17.9% | -25.0% | +33.2% |
| 2020 | +4.9% | -14.4% | +67.6% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2006 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Book Trust with a Mission Score of 88 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 10%
- programs: 85%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Book Trust allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2024)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a deficit of $1.9M, with expenses exceeding revenue.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 24.8%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Book Trust reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, indicating that no portion of its expenses is allocated to executive salaries, which is highly unusual and suggests either pro-bono leadership or compensation is categorized differently.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Book Trust's IRS 990 filings:
- Expenses consistently exceeding revenue in the last two reported periods (202406 and 202306), indicating potential financial unsustainability if not addressed.
- Significant decrease in assets from $4,821,313 in 202206 to $2,079,743 in 202406, suggesting reliance on reserves to cover operating deficits.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Book Trust:
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, indicating a strong commitment to directing funds to programs.
- Historically strong program spending, demonstrating a clear focus on its mission.
- Maintained a healthy asset-to-liability ratio, even with recent asset decreases, suggesting underlying financial stability.
- Long filing history (13 filings) indicates consistent compliance and transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions about Book Trust
Is Book Trust a legitimate charity?
Book Trust (EIN: 204124164) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in Colorado. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 88/100. It has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $5.5M. 2 red flags identified. 4 strengths noted. Financial health grade: B.
How does Book Trust spend its money?
Book Trust directs 85% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 5%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Book Trust tax-deductible?
Book Trust is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 204124164). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
What percentage of Book Trust's spending goes to programs?
Book Trust directs 85% to programs, 5% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Book Trust compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 88/100 (Excellent), Book Trust is above average for NTEE category B24 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Book Trust located?
Book Trust is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and files with the IRS under EIN 204124164. It is classified under NTEE code B24.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Book Trust have?
Book Trust has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record at NonprofitSpending. This extensive filing history provides a strong basis for evaluating long-term financial trends. The most recent filing shows $5.5M in total revenue.
Is Book Trust a good charity?
Based on its consistent high program spending and 0% reported officer compensation, Book Trust appears to be a very good charity in terms of efficiency and mission focus. However, the recent trend of expenses exceeding revenue in 202406 and 202306 should be monitored.
Why are expenses exceeding revenue in recent years?
In the 202406 period, expenses were $5,419,936 while revenue was $3,484,010, and in 202306, expenses were $4,444,730 against revenue of $3,572,630. This indicates the organization spent more than it brought in, potentially utilizing reserves or prior year surpluses to fund its operations.
How has Book Trust's asset base changed over time?
Book Trust's assets peaked at $4,821,313 in 202206 but have since decreased to $2,079,743 in 202406, likely due to the recent operating deficits where expenses exceeded revenue.
What is the significance of 0% officer compensation?
Reporting 0% officer compensation across all filings is highly unusual for an organization of this size. It suggests that either executive leadership is entirely volunteer-based, or their compensation is reported under a different expense category, which could impact the transparency of executive pay.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Book Trust showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2012–2024), Book Trust's revenue has grown by 120%, moving from $1.6M to $3.5M. Total assets increased by 75.3% over the same period, from $1.2M to $2.1M. Total functional expenses rose by 227.1%, from $1.7M to $5.4M. In its most recent filing year (2024), Book Trust reported a deficit of $1.9M, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $516K in liabilities against $2.1M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 24.8%), resulting in net assets of $1.6M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3.5M | $5.4M | $2.1M | $516K | — | View 990 |
| 2023 | $3.6M | $4.4M | $4.4M | $884K | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $4.1M | $3.2M | $4.8M | $449K | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $3.8M | $2.8M | $4.0M | $520K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $4.6M | $3.7M | $3.0M | $477K | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $4.4M | $4.4M | $1.8M | $108K | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $4.5M | $4.6M | $2.1M | $396K | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $4.5M | $4.3M | $1.8M | $37K | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $3.3M | $3.2M | $1.6M | $60K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $3.0M | $2.9M | $1.5M | $34K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $2.5M | $2.3M | $1.3M | $20K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $2.1M | $2.0M | $1.4M | $200K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $1.6M | $1.7M | $1.2M | $1.3M | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2024: Revenue of $3.5M, expenses of $5.4M, and assets of $2.1M (revenue -2.5% year-over-year).
- 2023: Revenue of $3.6M, expenses of $4.4M, and assets of $4.4M (revenue -12.3% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $4.1M, expenses of $3.2M, and assets of $4.8M (revenue +7.8% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $3.8M, expenses of $2.8M, and assets of $4.0M (revenue -17.9% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $4.6M, expenses of $3.7M, and assets of $3.0M (revenue +4.9% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $4.4M, expenses of $4.4M, and assets of $1.8M (revenue -3.4% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $4.5M, expenses of $4.6M, and assets of $2.1M (revenue +0.9% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $4.5M, expenses of $4.3M, and assets of $1.8M (revenue +36.3% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $3.3M, expenses of $3.2M, and assets of $1.6M (revenue +8.9% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $2.9M, and assets of $1.5M (revenue +22.9% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $2.5M, expenses of $2.3M, and assets of $1.3M (revenue +15.0% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $2.1M, expenses of $2.0M, and assets of $1.4M (revenue +35.3% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $1.6M, expenses of $1.7M, and assets of $1.2M.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Book Trust:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Book Trust is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.