Step One Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHED O
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $2.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 67%
- Employees
- 67
- Highest pay
- $68,596, vp of outreachdirector
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 37% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 10 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 31, 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)
- $1.8 million spent. EMPLOYMENT ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IN 2025 PROVIDED PAID EMPLOYMENT TRAINING & PLACEMENT SERVICES TO 3 WOMEN IN OUR LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVOCACY PROGRAMS & 10 COMMUNITY RE-ENTRY WORKERS RECENTLY OUT OF PRISON OR DRUG/ALCOHOL REHAB NEEDING TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT WHILE PREPARING FOR COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT INTEGRATION. RETAIL SALES/POS SYSTEMS, COMPUTER PUBLISHING, & LIBRARY SCIENCE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THIS PROGRAM OFFERS. OF THOSE 13 PEOPLE, 0 SECURED EMPLOYMENT, 4 ARE STILL IN THE PAID TRAINING PROGRAM (2024 CARRYOVER) & 9 RELOCATED OUT OF THE AREA OR WE HAVE NO INFO FROM AFTER THEY COMPLETED THEIR EEOP PROGRAM. OVER 234 HOURS OF PERSONAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT TRAINING WERE PROVIDED & PAID FOR THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
- $340,976 spent. MISSION-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISES TO GENERATE REVENUE TO SUPPORT LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER & SERVICES TO WOMEN & CHILDREN IN WEST YAVAPAI COUNTY. $84,000 DIRECTLY SUPPORTED OUR LOCAL DV/SA EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAM.
- $1,749 spent. NOT-FOR-PROFIT MULTI-TENANT RESOURCE/COMMUNITY CENTER 2023 STATES: 10 STEP SELF-HELP MEETINGS PER WEEK (222 PEOPLE PER WEEK). RECOVERY & SELF-HELP LIBRARY & BOOKSTORE PROVIDED OVER 1,315 RECOVERY-BASED MEDALLIONS, BOOKS, WORKBOOKS, & TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE ON THEIR PATH TOWARD HEALING & SOBRIETY.
- BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE ORGS MISSION: 1) GENERATE REVENUE OPERATING MISSION-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISES THAT SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF A 24/7/365 SHELTER SERVING WOMEN & CHILD VICTIMS OF HOMELESSNESS, NEGLECT, EXPLOITATION OR ANY VICTIMIZATION. 2) OPERATE NFP MULTI-TENANT COMMUNITY CENTER SERVING 12-STEP SELF-HELP & NFPS. 3) PAID JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 December 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 November 2003.
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 November 4, 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.