Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Fire Foundation of Denver

EIN 86-3861726 · Littleton, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceGood81 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

Our mission is to champion the inclusion of students with disabilities in Catholic schools by providing educational resources, fundraising and promoting a culture of belonging. Our vision is that Catholic school students with disabilities are welcomed, supported and valued.

Income
$948,578
Spending
$731,509
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
10 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 77%
Employees
2
Volunteers
60
Highest pay
$72,450, 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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 33% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 43% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
  1. $519,411 spent. We continued our fundraising efforts in 2024 in order to make grants to schools for the 2024/2025 school year. During the course of 2024, the Board of the Fire Foundation made grant commitments to 14 schools within the Archdiocese of Denver totaling $482,182. This represents a 46% increase in support over last year and enabled 207 students to attend Catholic schools who would not have been able to and 624 students to benefit from special education support. Such grant commitments were partially paid in 2024 and the remainder of these obligations will be paid during the first half of 2025. Ongoing fundraising efforts in 2024 have provided the Board of the Fire Foundation with additional resources to make new grant commitments to qualifying schools for the 2025/2026 school year during the first quarter of 2025. Such funding will continue to allow Catholic schools practicing inclusive education of children with disabilities with much needed financial resources to expand and enhance their respective educational programs.
  2. $76,500 spent. The Fire Foundation of Denver (FIRE) was able to continue providing grant funding of $20,000 in 2024 to the Office of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Denver in order to partially fund the salary for an important position relating to the mission of FIRE, the Director of Student Support Services. This position oversees and assists schools in educating children with significant special needs throughout the Archdiocese of Denver. FIRE also provided $56,500 in funding to teachers and other school administrators for professional development needs education, including the reimbursement of travel expenditures to approved conferences. Additionally, both the University of Notre Dame (through its program for inclusive education) and St. Louis University, provided in-kind/contributed services to FIRE during 2024 to further enhance the professional development of teachers in the Archdiocese of Denver.
  3. $8,000 spent. In 2024, FIRE commenced the Spark school initiative. Spark schools are those schools that are evaluating the feasibility of becoming an inclusive Catholic school within their parish and/or high school community. In 2024, four parish schools engaged in professional development alongside our Partner schools and received exclusive access to training through the Learning Research Network. Total expenditures for the four parish schools in 2024 was $8,000. Additionally, these Spark schools also received exclusive access to training through the Notre Dame Program of inclusive education and from St. Louis University, all of such services were contributed.

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 November 6, 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 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 November 4, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Denver Foundation (Denver, CO), EIN 84-6048381. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

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