Rise Colorado

Tax-deductible

Aurora, CO501(c)(3)Since 2013EducationEIN 47-3566342Revenue $1.7M in FY2025

On file with the IRSrise-colorado.org1595 Elmira St Suite 201, 80010-2115 · Aurora, COTax-exempt since Aug 2015Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Work to educate, engage, and empower low income families and families of color to end educational inequity in our public school system.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 261 volunteers and 13 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 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.3M a year · 36% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$509K
to officers and key staff · 22% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 81% of similar orgs
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 22% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
45 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 44.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $125K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$78K
0.8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.7M
-48% vs prior year
Spent
$2.4M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$9.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.7M
FY2025▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$3.5M
FY2022$9.3M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$3.3M
FY2025$1.7M
Expenses
$2.4M
FY2025▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$2.4M
FY2025$2.4M
Net assets
$9.5M
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.7M
FY2021$3.6M
FY2022$10.2M
FY2023$9.3M
FY2024$10.1M
FY2025$9.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2015.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $1.7M Management & general 21% · $487K Fundraising 5% · $125K

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; $509K 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
Lead Executive Officer
$194,190Pt VII · Sec A
Lead Strategy Officer
$165,429Pt VII · Sec A
Lead Operating Officer
$149,103Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Veronica Palmer’s $194K as Lead Executive Officer is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Veronica Palmer$194,190$194,190$191,105$169,550$162,401$154,602
Jocelyn Stephens$165,429$165,429$148,686$141,735——
Traci Lacheta$149,103$149,103$138,146$130,178——

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.

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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

Empowering low-income families and families of color to end educational inequality in public schools.

Questions for Rise Colorado

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Education

Through knowledge building, leadership development, and organizing, our families will end educational inequity. They will become active leaders who have a voice and the tools to define, demand, and lead systematic change to transform our public schools.

$1.7Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$125K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$354K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Money outPt IX
$2.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$487K
Fundraisingcol D$125K
Owns and owesPt X
$9.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.8M
Total assetsLn 16$9.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Investment incomeLn 3$354K
Total revenueLn 12$1.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$101K
SavingsLn 2$8.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$8.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$754K
Total assetsLn 16$9.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K
Net assetsLn 32$9.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 6261
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.4M$8.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$779K$754K
Total assetsLn 16$10.2M$9.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$67K$78K
Net assetsLn 32$10.1M$9.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$509K$338K$110K$61K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$814K$668K$110K$36K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$85K$60K$19K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$132K$105K$17K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$137K$104K$23K$10K
Legal feesLn 11b$12K$12K
Accounting feesLn 11c$101K$101K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$308K$300K$8K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$4K
OccupancyLn 16$7K$6K$655$328
TravelLn 17$10K$511$10K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$27K$22K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$26K$22K$3K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$21K$21K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$137K$108K$29K$715
All other expensesLn 24e$25K$11K$13K$652
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.4M$1.7M$487K$125K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.7M$2.4M−$660K$9.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.3M$2.4M$855K$10.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.8M$2.7M−$929K$9.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $9.3M$2.8M$6.6M$10.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.5M$2.6M$930K$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.5M$1.4M$1.1M$2.7M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,694,506 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,954,137$1,335,784
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $26,115$5,000
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $291,522$353,722
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,208$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,272,982$1,694,506
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,611,638$1,676,139
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $806,491$678,717
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,418,129$2,354,856
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $854,853−$660,350
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $1,694,506 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,335,784
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,335,784
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $5,000$5,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $353,722$353,722
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $5,000 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $353,722$1,694,506
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,354,856 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $337,589 · Management $110,476 · Fundraising $60,736$508,801
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $668,281 · Management $110,010 · Fundraising $35,629$813,920
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $59,919 · Management $18,886 · Fundraising $5,867$84,672
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $104,609 · Management $17,178 · Fundraising $9,895$131,682
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $104,231 · Management $22,847 · Fundraising $9,986$137,064
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $12,252$12,252
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $101,383$101,383
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $299,669 · Management $8,357$308,026
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $4,241$4,241
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $5,571 · Management $655 · Fundraising $328$6,554
IX-17 TravelPrograms $511 · Management $9,979$10,490
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $22,050 · Management $4,641$26,691
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $21,727 · Management $2,556 · Fundraising $1,278$25,561
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $20,890$20,890
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $107,901 · Management $28,785 · Fundraising $715$137,401
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $11,086 · Management $13,490 · Fundraising $652$25,228
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,743,144 · Management $486,626 · Fundraising $125,086$2,354,856
Part X · Balance sheet $9,535,642 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $840,149$101,164
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $8,566,304$8,670,025
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$10,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $778,823$754,453
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,185,276$9,535,642
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $66,828$77,544
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $66,828$77,544
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,543,932$8,271,272
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,574,516$1,186,826
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $10,118,448$9,458,098
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,185,276$9,535,642
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,458,098 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,694,506
XI-2 Total expenses$2,354,856
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$660,350
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$10,118,448
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,458,098

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

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