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Colorado Center on Law and Policy

EIN 84-1264154 · Denver, CO

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

COLORADO CENTER ON LAW AND POLICY IS AN ANTIPOVERTY ORGANIZATION ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF EVERY COLORADAN.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
6.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 83%
Employees
18
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$179,508, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 41% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (2)
  1. $2.1 million spent. WE FOCUS ON SECURING ACCESS TO FOOD, HEALTH, HOUSING AND INCOME TO BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE STATE. THROUGH RESEARCH AND POLICY ANALYSIS, LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL ADVOCACY AND COALITION BUILDING, WE ADVOCATE TO REMOVE BARRIERS THAT PREVENT COLORADANS FROM MEETING THEIR BASIC NEEDS AND BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT. RESEARCH & POLICY ANALYSIS WE INFORM THE POLICY DIALOGUE BY UNDERSTANDING COLORADANS' CHALLENGES AND IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS. LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY WE BUILD SUPPORT FOR POLICIES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. LEGAL ADVOCACY WE PURSUE LEGAL ACTION WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS THOSE WHO LACK RESOURCES. COALITION BUILDING WE NOURISH AND CULTIVATE STRONG AND EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT COLORADO.
  2. $62,873 spent. OUR CORE VALUES EQUITY THE BARRIERS TO SUCCESS ARE HIGHER FOR CERTAIN GROUPS DUE TO HISTORICAL OPPRESSION, ONGOING DISCRIMINATION AND AN ECONOMY THAT ADVANTAGES THOSE WHO HAVE MORE OVER THOSE WHO HAVE LESS. WE ADVANCE LAWS AND POLICIES THAT ADDRESS THOSE WRONGS SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. INTEGRITY THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS REQUIRES CAREFUL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY TRUST. WE ARE DELIBERATE AND ETHICAL IN OUR WORK TO ENSURE THE RESULTS ARE RELIABLE, UNBIASED, GROUNDED IN FACT AND DRIVEN BY OUR MISSION TO END POVERTY. STRATEGIC ADVOCACY CREATING LASTING SOCIAL CHANGE REQUIRES SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE POLICY. WE USE COLLABORATION AND RESEARCH TO INFORM OUR AGENDA AND LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL EXPERTISE, RELATIONSHIPS WITH DECISION-MAKERS AND INFORMED POLITICAL STRATEGIES TO ADVANCE AND IMPLEMENT THAT AGENDA. COLLABORATION WE ARE ONE PART OF A BROADER EFFORT TO ELIMINATE POVERTY AND ENSURE EVERYONE HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. WE STAND WITH THAT ANTI-POVERTY MOVEMENT AND HONOR THE COMBINED STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS, SHARED KNOWLEDGE AND TEAMWORK. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PEOPLE BURDENED BY POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. WE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THEIR IDEAS, HONOR THEIR PRIORITIES, GROW THEIR LEADERSHIP AND INCREASE THEIR ACCESS TO DRIVE SYSTEM CHANGE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

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