Provide education services for four to five year old children and regular education to elementery,middle,and high school age chilren and youth in grand junction, colorado, with the aim of making access to such education afordable to people with different financial resources.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 22 volunteers and 33 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $2K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$50K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.4 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$36K
132% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 132% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$515K
-0.6% vs prior year
Spent
$528K
To programs
100%
Net assets
−$9K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$515K
FY2025▼ -0.6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$184K
FY2022$453K
FY2023$508K
FY2024$518K
FY2025$515K
Expenses
$528K
FY2025▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$182K
FY2022$446K
FY2023$508K
FY2024$523K
FY2025$528K
Net assets
−$9K
FY2025▼ -301%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$2K
FY2022$9K
FY2023$9K
FY2024$4K
FY2025−$9K

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

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2021.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $528K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. 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; $50K 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
President
$38,126Pt VII · Sec A
Acting Principal
$12,000Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Derek L West’s $38K as President is at the 29th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022
Derek L West$38,126$37,800$37,800$37,800
Rebecca West$12,000$12,000$12,000$12,000

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.

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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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers affordable education services for children and youth of all ages in Grand Junction.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $528K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Life academy GJ organization brought positive impact on the kids lives, residing in grand junction, colorado by making school attending more affordable. Money was generated tru school activities and events: activity fees: $6,928 cafeteria fees: $15,591 GRANTS/PLEDGE FUND/OTHER donations: $50,476 fundraisers: $18,910 miscellaneous income…

$528Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$515K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$368K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$148K
Other incomeLn 4–11$229
Money outPt IX
$528K
Ln 25
Programscol B$528K
Owns and owesPt X
−$9K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$18K
Total assetsLn 16$27K
LiabilitiesLn 26$36K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$148K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$19K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$368K
Other incomeLn 4–11$229
Total revenueLn 12$515K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$18K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$18K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9K
Total assetsLn 16$27K
LiabilitiesLn 26$36K
Net assetsLn 32−$9K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 533
VolunteersI 622
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$14K$18K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10K$9K
Total assetsLn 16$24K$27K
LiabilitiesLn 26$20K$36K
Net assetsLn 32$4K−$9K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$284K$284K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$4K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$28K$28K
Legal feesLn 11b$73$73
Accounting feesLn 11c$5K$5K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$109$109
OccupancyLn 16$91K$91K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$925$925
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$27K$27K
All other expensesLn 24e$83K$83K
Total functional expensesLn 25$528K$528K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $515K$528K−$13K−$9K 990 PDF
FY2024 $518K$523K−$5K$4K 990 PDF
FY2023 $508K$508K−$151$9K 990 PDF
FY2022 $453K$446K$7K$9K 990 PDF
FY2021 $184K$182K$2K$2K 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 $515,371 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $136,081$147,560
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $378,353$367,582
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,993$229
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $518,427$515,371
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $344,772$316,156
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $178,251$212,181
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $523,023$528,337
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$4,596−$12,966
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $515,371 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$6,928
VIII-1c Fundraising events$18,910
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$121,722
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$147,560
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $367,582$367,582
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $229$229
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $367,811 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$515,371
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $528,337 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $284,072$284,072
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,115$4,115
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $27,969$27,969
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $73$73
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $4,675$4,675
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $109$109
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $91,000$91,000
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $925$925
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,327$5,327
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $27,343$27,343
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $82,729$82,729
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $528,337 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$528,337
Part X · Balance sheet $26,987 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $13,838$17,795
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,117$9,192
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,955$26,987
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $19,644$35,642
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $19,644$35,642
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $4,311−$8,655
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,311−$8,655
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,955$26,987
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$8,655 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$515,371
XI-2 Total expenses$528,337
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$12,966
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,311
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$8,655

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

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