First Steps Kent
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE A COORDINATED, INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES THAT SUPPORTS ALL FAMILIES IN KENT COUNTY SO EVERY YOUNG CHILD IN KENT COUNTY WILL ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY WAS OBTAINING GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO IMPLEMENT, INCREASE, STRENGTHEN, AND COORDINATE THE NETWORK OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES IN KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
- Income
- $10.8 million
- Spending
- $11.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 96%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $166,461, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 33 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 59% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $10.4 million spent. EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT FIRST STEPS KENT ADMINISTERS AND OVERSEES THE READY BY FIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD MILLAGE (THE "READY BY FIVE MILLAGE") FOR PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE THE HEALTH, SCHOOL READINESS, AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN THROUGH AGE FIVE. IT ALLOWS MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM ACROSS KENT COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVEN TO INCREASE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS APPLY FOR FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS HOME VISITING, PLAY AND LEARN GROUPS, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING, AND NAVIGATION SUPPORT TO HELP FAMILIES ACCESS THE HELP THEY NEED AND WANT. DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH ORGANIZATIONS TO FUND ARE BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RESIDENT PROPOSAL REVIEW BOARD, WHICH INCLUDES PARENTS, KENT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, A COMMUNITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERT, AND A FIRST STEPS KENT COMMISSIONER.
- $329,008 spent. MAINSPRING EARLY CARE ALLIANCE - INCREASES ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR WORKING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN BY MAXIMIZING EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER CAPACITY. THE SHARED SERVICES INITIATIVE OFFERS RESOURCES TO INCREASE BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH SUPPORTS SUCH AS: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM EXPERTS ON SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS ON BEST PRACTICES IN QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND DEVELOPING A COORDINATED PURCHASING SYSTEM TO ENSURE PROVIDERS RECEIVE VOLUME DISCOUNTS THAT WILL INCREASE THEIR BUYING POWER FOR SUPPLIES.
- $439,373 spent. EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVES-FIRST STEPS KENT WAS ESTABLISHED TO BE THE SYSTEMS LEVEL ORGANIZATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD IN KENT COUNTY, BORN OUT OF PLANNING BETWEEN COMMUNITY LEADERS, FUNDERS AND THE KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATION IN 2009. ALTHOUGH TERMS AND THE VERNACULAR HAVE SHIFTED OVER SEVERAL YEARS, PROMOTION AND ADVOCACY FOR EARLY LEARNING FOCUSED ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COVERING THE AGE CONTINUUM FROM PRENATAL TO 5 YEARS OF AGE IS A LARGE PART OF THE WORK OF FIRST STEPS KENT. THE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WORK ENSURES THAT CHILDREN ARE BORN HEALTHY AND ARE REFERRED TO SERVICES TO ASSIST THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES AND SERVICES, SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. FIRST STEPS KENT IS A LEAD CONVENER IN KENT COUNTY, STATEWIDE AND EVEN NATIONALLY TO PROMOTE AND ADVOCATE FOR EVIDENCED BASED MODELS TO ENHANCE THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN. THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE DOZENS OF MEETINGS, CONVENINGS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LATEST RESEARCH DOCUMENTS CREATED BY PARTNERS LIKE THE BUILD INITIATIVE, THE PRITZKER CHILDREN'S INITIATIVE, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL POLICY. FIRST STEPS KENT STRIVES TO ADVOCATE FOR SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING IMPACT REPORTS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTS SHOWING WHERE GAPS EXIST IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LANDSCAPE.
- $11,474 spent. DATA PROJECTS-FIRST STEPS KENT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY-WIDE DATA COLLECTION INITIATIVES FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF EXPECTANT PARENTS AND FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN KENT COUNTY. THIS PROJECT TRACKS THE PROGRESS OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES ALIGNING IN THREE KEY AREAS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO KINDERGARTEN READINESS, INCLUDING: CHILDREN ARE BORN HEALTHY, CHILDREN ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY ON TRACK AND CHILD HEALTH. PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED A FORMAL PROCESS TO COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY WITH THE IDENTIFYING OF CONTRIBUTING INDICATORS THAT ADD A MEASURABLE CONTEXT TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD VISION FOR KENT COUNTY, DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEMS STAKEHOLDER MAP SHOWING THE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS DESIGNING PERFORMANCE BASED METRICS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENTS EXECUTED WITH AGENCIES RECEIVING READY BY FIVE MILLAGE FUNDING.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.