Youthroots empowers young people particularly those from underrepresented communities to become changemakers through hands-on experiences in philanthropy, civic engagement, and community leadership. We equip youth with the tools, confidence, and opportunities to identify community needs, raise and distribute funds, collect and analyze youth-led data, and advocate for equitable systems change. Our programs cultivate leadership, amplify youth voice, and foster a lifelong commitment to social impact

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 176 volunteers and 11 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $48K a year · 7% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$132K
to officers and key staff · 20% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 20% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $257K
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$51K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$538K
-36% vs prior year
Spent
$676K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$330K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$538K
FY2025▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$505K
FY2022$640K
FY2023$696K
FY2024$841K
FY2025$538K
Expenses
$676K
FY2025▼ -16%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$316K
FY2022$547K
FY2023$634K
FY2024$806K
FY2025$676K
Net assets
$330K
FY2025▼ -29%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$369K
FY2022$370K
FY2023$432K
FY2024$467K
FY2025$330K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2010.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $520K Management & general 19% · $128K Fundraising 4% · $29K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $132K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$131,804Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sheila Van De Graaph’s $132K as Executive Di is at the 93rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Sheila Van De Graaph$131,804————
Lauren Czajka——$89,142$94,204$81,870
Erin McClain—$52,000———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Youthroots executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowers youth to lead change through hands-on philanthropy and civic engagement.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $520K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Community Youthboards

In youthroots' community youthboards program, high school students form local youthboards, functioning as miniature foundations. Over 19 sessions, they assess community needs, fundraise, and allocate grants to local nonprofits.

$213Kprogram expense
02

Youthscan Project

The youthscan project is a statewide initiative dedicated to amplifying youth voices in decision-making processes. It serves as a platform to elevate youth perspectives on community issues, support schools and communities in addressing local youth needs, identify emerging concerns in real time, and highlight demographic and locational…

$192Kprogram expense
03

Giv Fellowship

Philanthropy internship program for young adults from underserved & underrepresented communities, that offers valuable opportunities for youth to explore and pursue careers in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.

$114Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 8 funders$257K
See all 8 funders →
Grants paid · 4 grants · $26K · 2020–2021
Colorado Lifted FoundationCO · FY2021$7,000
Hide in Plain SightCO · FY2020$8,208
Second Wind Fund INCCO · FY2020$5,531

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$538K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$342K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$186K
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Money outPt IX
$676K
Ln 25
Programscol B$520K
Managementcol C$128K
Fundraisingcol D$29K
Owns and owesPt X
$330K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$202K
Total assetsLn 16$380K
LiabilitiesLn 26$51K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$342K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$186K
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Other incomeLn 4–11$156
Total revenueLn 12$538K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2K
SavingsLn 2$200K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$202K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$133K
Other assetsLn 15$37K
Total assetsLn 16$380K
LiabilitiesLn 26$51K
Net assetsLn 32$330K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 6176
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$360K$202K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$105K$133K
Total assetsLn 16$539K$380K
LiabilitiesLn 26$72K$51K
Net assetsLn 32$467K$330K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$156K$125K$23K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$264K$211K$40K$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$13K$10K$2K$644
Payroll taxesLn 10$50K$40K$8K$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$22K$22K
Accounting feesLn 11c$25K$25K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$97K$97K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$394
Office expensesLn 13$2K$499$846$282
Information technologyLn 14$18K$15K$2K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$18K$14K$3K$876
TravelLn 17$3K$3K$661
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4K$521$3K$525
Total functional expensesLn 25$676K$520K$128K$29K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $538K$676K−$138K$330K 990 PDF
FY2024 $841K$806K$35K$467K 990 PDF
FY2023 $696K$634K$62K$432K 990 PDF
FY2022 $640K$547K$93K$370K 990 PDF
FY2021 $505K$316K$189K$369K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $537,934 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $675,121$341,800
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $159,551$186,407
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,752$9,571
I-11 Other revenue$156
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $841,424$537,934
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $5,470$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $625,132$483,614
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $5,250$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $170,374$192,167
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $806,226$675,781
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $35,198−$137,847
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $537,934 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$341,800
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$341,800
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $186,407$186,407
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,571$9,571
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $156$156
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $186,563 · Excluded from tax $9,571$537,934
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $675,781 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $124,962 · Management $23,430 · Fundraising $7,810$156,202
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $211,354 · Management $39,630 · Fundraising $13,210$264,194
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $10,293 · Management $1,931 · Fundraising $644$12,868
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $40,280 · Management $7,553 · Fundraising $2,517$50,350
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $21,716$21,716
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $25,140$25,140
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $96,507$96,507
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,575 · Fundraising $394$1,969
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $499 · Management $846 · Fundraising $282$1,627
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $14,981 · Management $1,644 · Fundraising $1,644$18,269
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $14,010 · Management $2,626 · Fundraising $876$17,512
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,644 · Fundraising $661$3,305
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,056$2,056
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $521 · Management $3,020 · Fundraising $525$4,066
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $519,682 · Management $127,536 · Fundraising $28,563$675,781
Part X · Balance sheet $380,492 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $623$1,536
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $359,662$200,350
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $33,000$2,452
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,286$6,236
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $105,404$132,864
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $37,054$37,054
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $539,029$380,492
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $33,349$12,659
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $38,296$38,296
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $71,645$50,955
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $467,384$329,537
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $467,384$329,537
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $539,029$380,492
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $329,537 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$537,934
XI-2 Total expenses$675,781
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$137,847
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$467,384
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$329,537

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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