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First in Missouri

EIN 85-4204282 · Saint Louis, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FIRST IN MISSOURI PROVIDES SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM) LEARNING

Income
$311,398
Spending
$333,999
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
8.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 66%
Employees
2
Volunteers
838
Highest pay
$62,000, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 June 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 (5)
  1. $160,448 spent. FIRST Robotics Competition is for students in grades 9-12. They are guided by adult mentors to design, program, and build industrial-sized robots to play an action-packed game. They compete on a themed field as part of a three-team alliance in the spirit of Coopertition. We hosted the St. Louis Regional 4-day event at Chaifetz Arena. Forty-five teams from across the Midwest came together for this ultimate Sport for the Mind. The event was staffed by 100+ volunteers. A STEM Pathways Showcase was available on Friday and Saturday.
  2. $61,212 spent. FIRST Tech Challenge is for students in grades 7-12. Teams program classroom-scale robots to follow autonomous commands before student drivers take control in two-on-two matches. On and off the field, students develop STEM skills, engage in community outreach, practice engineering innovation, and build confidence to help them succeed. During the 24-25 school year, we had 207 teams participating in events. We hosted 59 Meets (4 hours), 8 League Tournaments (1 day), 2 Super Qualifiers (1 day) and a 36 team Championship (1 day). This was possible due to the support of 550+ volunteers across that state.
  3. $37,322 spent. FIRST LEGO League introduces STEM to children through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program using LEGO technology, helping todays students and teachers build a better future together. We had 254 teams participating in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge at 14 Qualifiers and 1 Championship. We had 129 registered FIRST LEGO League Explore teams who could share what they learned during the season at one of our 8 Festivals. A total of 270 volunteers supported the FIRST LEGO League programs.
  4. $33,940 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES
  5. ALL OTHER PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES 33940. 0. 49581.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.

    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 2021.

    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.

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.