First Step Communities will create interim housing and emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Here they will live in safety and dignity, receive the services they require, and take a first-step away from homelessness toward self-sufficiency and permanent housing.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
96¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$214K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $253K a year · 5% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
96%
of spending
Looks good: 96% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$214K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.3 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $11K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$711K
35% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 35% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.1M
+28% vs prior year
Spent
$6.6M
To programs
96%
Net assets
$1.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$7.1M
FY2023▲ +28%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$4.5M
FY2022$5.6M
FY2023$7.1M
FY2024$8.0M
Expenses
$6.6M
FY2023▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.9M
FY2021$4.1M
FY2022$5.3M
FY2023$6.6M
FY2024$8.0M
Net assets
$1.3M
FY2023▲ +64%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$218K
FY2021$512K
FY2022$824K
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.3M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Dec 2015.

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

Where the money goes

96 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 96% · $6.3M Management & general 4% · $271K

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

7 people listed on the 990; $214K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$122,500Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$91,340Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Stephen Watters’s $134K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 58th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Stephen Watters$134,167$122,500$111,875$105,000$90,001
Joseph Pacheco$99,229$91,340$72,223——

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 First Step Housing 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

Provides interim housing and emergency shelter for the homeless.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $6.3M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The department of housing and urban development has established the housing first model calling for housing clients first and providing wrap around services. The hud recommended emphasis remains placing homeless individuals in permanent housing and coordinating access to required services.

$6.3Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$11K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $2.9M · 2020–2024
Volunteers of AmericaCA · FY2024$891,692
Volunteers of AmericaCA · FY2023$611,222
Volunteers of AmericaCA · FY2022$683,588
Volunteers of AmericaCA · FY2020$722,159

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Investment incomeLn 3$9
Money outPt IX
$6.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.3M
Managementcol C$271K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$191K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$711K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$6.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$35K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Investment incomeLn 3$9
Total revenueLn 12$7.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$170K
SavingsLn 2$21K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$191K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$30K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$711K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 553
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1K$191K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$30K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$542K$711K
Net assetsLn 32$824K$1.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$611K$611K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$217K$214K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.8M$3.7M$50K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$390K$381K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$34K−$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$7K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$138K$83K$54K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$84K$47K$37K
Office expensesLn 13$30K$30K
TravelLn 17$30K$23K$7K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$494K$492K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$737K$683K$54K
All other expensesLn 24e$20K$32$20K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.6M$6.3M$271K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $8.0M$8.0M−$56K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $7.1M$6.6M$525K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.6M$5.3M$312K$824K 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.5M$4.1M$348K$512K 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.0M$1.9M$135K$218K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,102,829 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $5,566,940$7,085,436
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$17,384
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$9
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,000$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,567,940$7,102,829
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $683,588$611,222
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,505,573$4,421,246
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,066,426$1,545,210
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,255,587$6,577,678
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $312,353$525,151
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,102,829 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$6,832,903
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$252,533
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$35,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,085,436
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $17,384$17,384
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9$9
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $17,384 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $9$7,102,829
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,577,678 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $611,222$611,222
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $213,909 · Management $2,865$216,774
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,732,988 · Management $50,003$3,782,991
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $381,013 · Management $8,844$389,857
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $33,914 · Management −$2,290$31,624
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $7,264$7,264
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $83,450 · Management $54,491$137,941
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $47,343 · Management $36,981$84,324
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $29,717$29,717
IX-17 TravelPrograms $22,596 · Management $7,395$29,991
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,667$4,667
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $492,462 · Management $1,888$494,350
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $683,246 · Management $54,066$737,312
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $32 · Management $19,612$19,644
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,306,842 · Management $270,836 · Fundraising $0$6,577,678
Part X · Balance sheet $2,059,864 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,073$169,986
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$21,491
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,305,472$1,834,278
X-4 Accounts receivable$2,392
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $59,346$1,384
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$30,333
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,365,891$2,059,864
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $511,899$556,721
X-19 Deferred revenue$154,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $541,899$710,721
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $790,392$1,175,777
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $33,600$173,366
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $823,992$1,349,143
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,365,891$2,059,864
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,349,143 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,102,829
XI-2 Total expenses$6,577,678
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$525,151
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$823,992
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,349,143

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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