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Colorado Youth Corps Association

EIN 84-1532028 · Denver, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak49 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE COLORADO YOUTH CORPS ASSOCIATION SERVES ON BEHALF OF CONSERVATION CORPS THAT TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH SERVICE, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION STATEWIDE.

Income
$10.5 million
Spending
$11.1 million
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
1.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 66%
Employees
5
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$130,782, executive director

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

Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 57% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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. $10.0 million spent. CORPS SUPPORT & PROJECT MANAGEMENT:1)SUPPORTED STATEWIDE YOUTH PARTICIPATION OF 1994 YOUTH AT 8 INDEPENDENTLY OPERATING CONSERVATION SERVICE CORPS;2)PROVIDED LAND MANAGERS WITH 385 WEEKS OF WORK THROUGHOUT THE STATE;3)COORDINATED $5,118,242 IN STATEWIDE FEE-FOR-SERVICE CONTRACTS WITH PUBLIC LANDS MANAGERS INCLUDING CYCA'S ADMIN FEES;EXPENSES: $4,742,923 AGAINST CONTRACT PASS-THROUGH INCOME OF $4,520,696; OF THIS ACTIVITY, $1,173,659 IN PASS-THRU INCOME WAS BILLED TO THE COSWAP (COLORADO STRATEGIC WILDFIRE ACTION PROGRAM); ANOTHER $212,640 IN PASS-THRU INCOME WAS BILLED TO COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE STATE TRAILS-OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE PROGRAM. 4)RENEWED AMERICORPS FIXED AWARD GRANT, "YOUTH CORPS FOR COLORADO", FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2023 (PY2023) STARTING 1.1.2024; EXPENSES $2,953,537 AGAINST GRANT PASS-THROUGH INCOME OF $2,922,066. INCOME AND EXPENSE BOTH INCLUDE A QUARTERLY COMMISSION OF APPROX. 2.1% TO SERVE COLORADO, OF $81,015. IN 2024 CYCA BILLED PY2022 ADMIN FEE OF $70,384 AND PY2023 ADMIN FEE OF $120,252. THE BALANCE OF PY2023 ADMIN FEE WAS BILLED IN JANUARY 2025. INCOME TOTAL INCLUDES $69,466 BILLED IN JANUARY FOR DECEMBER 2023 CORPSMEMBER HOURS. IN 2024, AMERICORPS PROVIDED AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARDS FOR 414 YOUNG PEOPLE: FT (1700 HRS) TO 6 MEMBERS AT $6895 EA = $41,370.00 TQT (1200 HRS) TO 30 MEMBERS AT $4826.50 = $144,795.00 HT (900 HRS) TO 30 MEMBERS AT $3447.50 = $103,425.00 RPT (675 HRS) TO 57 MEMBERS AT $2626.27 = $149,697.39 QT (450 HRS) TO 141 MEMBERS AT $1824.07 = $257,193.87 MT (300 HRS) TO 150 MEMBERS AT $1459.26 = $218,889.00FOR A TOTAL OF $915,370.26. NOTE THAT CYCA ADMIN FEE FOR YCCO GRANT BILLED IN 2024 INCLUDED $70,384 FOR PY2022 AND $120,252 FOR PY2023.B) IN 2024, UNDER THIS SAME PROGRAM, CYCA PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AMERICORPS PROGRAM COSTS-PER-MEMBER THROUGH 6 PARTICIPATING CONSERVATION SERVICE CORPS;CONSERVATION LEGACY (AKA SCC) - 92 MEMBERS TOTALING $409,637.46LARIMER COUNTY CONSERVATION CORPS - 45 MEMBERS TOTALING $260,054.46MILE HIGH YOUTH CORPS (2 LOCATIONS: DENVER AND SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE) - 123 MEMBERS TOTALING $854,507.05ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOUTH CORPS - 176 MEMBERS TOTALING $1,132,230.99WELD COUNTY YOUTH CONSERVATION CORPS - 22 MEMBERS TOTALING $112,543.43WESTERN COLORADO CONSERVATION CORPS - 6 MEMBERS TOTALING $33,922.16FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 464 MEMBERS TOTALING $2,802,895.555) IN ADDITION, IN 2024 CYCA ENROLLED MEMBERS UNDER A SECOND AMERICORPS FIXED AWARD GRANT, "COLORADO CLIMATE CORPS (AKA COLORADO COMMUNITY CORPS)."UNDER THIS PROGRAM IN PY2023, CYCA PASSED THROUGH $1,922,103 IN EXPENSES VS. PASS-THRU INCOME OF $1,888,543; INCOME AND EXPENSE BOTH INCLUDE SERVE COLORADO COMMISSION OF APPROX. 2.1%, OF $50,288. IN 2024 CYCA BILLED PY2022 ADMIN FEE OF $52,234 AND PY2023 ADMIN FEE OF $120,106. THE BALANCE OF PY2023 ADMIN FEE WAS BILLED IN 2025. IN 2024, AMERICORPS PROVIDED AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARDS FOR 275 YOUNG PEOPLE:TQT (1200 HRS) TO 15 MEMBERS AT $4826.50 = $72,397.50HT (900 HRS) TO 40 MEMBERS AT $3447.50 = $137,900.00RPT (675 HRS) TO 43 MEMBERS AT $2626.27 = $112,929.61QT (450 HRS) TO 54 MEMBERS AT $1824.07 = $98,499.78MT (300 HRS) TO 123 MEMBERS AT $1459.26 = $179,488.98FOR A TOTAL OF $601,215.87 B) IN 2024, UNDER THIS SAME PROGRAM, CYCA PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AMERICORPS PROGRAM COSTS-PER-MEMBER THROUGH 5 PARTICIPATING CONSERVATION SERVICE CORPS:CONSERVATION LEGACY (SCC-FC AND SCC-LV) - 73 MEMBERS TOTALING $427,379.81LARIMER COUNTY CONSERVATION CORPS - 15 MEMBERS TOTALING $66,597.18MILE HIGH YOUTH CORPS (2 LOCATIONS: DENVER & SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE) - 99 MEMBERS TOTALING $548,616.34ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOUTH CORPS - 57 MEMBERS TOTALING $387,683.02WESTERN COLORADO CONSERVATION CORPS - 69 MEMBERS TOTALING $410,290.34FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF 313 MEMBERS TOTALING $1,840,566.696. IN COOPERATION WITH BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, WE ENROLLED OR CONTINUED 63 INTERNS, 3 OF WHOM SERVED TERM EXTENSIONS, FOR A TOTAL PASS-THRU COST OF $973,456.27.
  2. $942,005 spent. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:EXPENSES OF $173,452 IN STAFF TIME PLUS TRAVEL COSTS OF $20,762 RELATED TO SUPPORTING CORPS TRAININGS AND BEST PRACTICES, WITH INCOME FROM CORPS DUES AND PROGRAM SERVICE FEES OF $57,055;AND EXPENSES OF $59,666 INCLUDING CAEE AND CYCA STAFF TIME, RELATED TO TRAININGS FOR THE CAREERS IN NATURAL RESOURCES INITIATIVE, WITH INCOME FROM GRANTS OF $60,000 FROM US FOREST SERVICE & BLM.1)CONVENED CORPS DIRECTORS, PROGRAM MANAGERS, AND ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR CYCA'S ANNUAL CORPS RETREAT; BROUGHT TOGETHER CORPS DIRECTORS & PROGRAM MANAGERS WITH PROJECT PARTNERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR CYCA FACILITATED MEETINGS, SUPPORTED BY GRANT FUNDING, TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED, AND POTENTIAL COLLABORATIONS & PARTNERSHIPS GOING FORWARD.2)PARTNERED WITH COLORADO ALLIANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (CAEE) TO PROMOTE CAREERS IN NATURAL RESOURCES INITIATIVE, SUPPORTED BY GRANT FUNDING, TO IMPROVE COORDINATION BETWEEN NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCIES, INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING MORE PATHWAYS TO NATURAL RESOURCES CAREERS. TASKS INCLUDED PUBLISHING A WEBSITE, GREENPATHWAYS.ORG, GEARED TOWARD CAREER AWARENESS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; AND BEGINNING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CAREER EXPLORATION WEBSITE FOR YOUNG ADULT JOB SEEKERS.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since June 2000.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.