Our Own Lives
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 102 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF OUR OWN LIVES IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY SUPPORT ON OUR TERMS, FOR US TO BE FREE TO BE OURSELVES. WE CENTER THE DISABLED COMMUNITY TO BE HEARD, AND WE BUILDEACH OTHER UP TO CHANGE OUR WORLD. WE ARE ALL EXPERTS IN OUR OWN LIVES.
- Income
- $5.2 million
- Spending
- $4.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 49
- Highest pay
- $105,412, ceo
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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Spending floor
0 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 102 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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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 (3)
- $2.9 million spent. SUPPORTIVE LIVING SERVICES:HOST HOME: WE COLLABORATE WITH PEOPLE IN SERVICES TO FIND A PERSON OR A FAMILY TOLIVE WITH THAT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT UP TO 24 HOURS A DAY. THE HOST HOME CAN PROVIDEMEALS, CAN HELP CLEAN, CAN HELP WITH SHOWERING/BATHING, GETTING DRESSED, MANAGEMONEY, MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, AND PROVIDEACCESS TO COMMUNITY EVENTS AND RUNNING ERRANDS.TRANSITION SERVICES:WE COLLABORATE WITH PEOPLE IN SERVICES TO FIND A PERSON OR A FAMILY TO LIVE WITH THATWILL PROVIDE SUPPORT UP TO 24 HOURS A DAY. THE HOST HOME CAN PROVIDE MEALS, CAN HELPCLEAN, CAN HELP WITH SHOWERING/BATHING, GETTING DRESSED, MANAGE MONEY, MEDICATIONADMINISTRATION, TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, AND PROVIDE ACCESS TOCOMMUNITY EVENTS AND RUNNING ERRANDS.IN HOME SUPPORT SERVICES:FOR CLIENTS WHO OWN OR RENT THEIR OWN HOME, OUR STAFF STOP BY AS NEEDED TO HELP WITHHOME UPKEEP AND LIFE. WE SUPPORT CLIENTS WITH THE SAME TYPES OF THINGS AS A HOSTHOME, BUT USUALLY NOT ALL DAY EVERY DAY. THESE SUPPORTS ASSIST CLIENTS WITH THE SAMESERVICES AS THE ABOVE HOME SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT IN THE SLS PROGRAM THEY ARE SPLITINTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES:PERSONAL CARE: HELP BATHING, USING THE BATHROOM, GETTING DRESSED, MANAGING MONEY,TAKING MEDICATIONS, MEDICAL VISITS, AND GROCERY SHOPPING.HOMEMAKER: HELP KEEPING CLIENTS HOMES CLEAN AND ORGANIZED, HELP WITH COOKING AND FOODPREP, AND SUPPORTING CLIENTS TO LEARN HOW TO DO MORE THINGS AROUND THE HOUSEINDEPENDENTLY.RESPITE SERVICES: IF A PERSON IN SERVICES LIVES WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER(FAMILY CARE GIVER) THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT ON A DAILY BASIS, RESPITE SERVICES CAN GIVE THAT PERSON TIME OFF. RESPITE CAN BE A FEW HOURS AT A TIME OR WHOLE CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
- $605,504 spent. DAY SERVICES:SUPPORTED COMMUNITY CONNECTIONWE PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY ACCESS AND HELP CLIENTS GO ANYWHERE IN THECOMMUNITY THAT THEY CHOOSE TO BUILD SKILLS TO BE MORE CONFIDENT AND INDEPENDENT INACCESSING COMMUNITY SERVICES, EVENTS, AND ACTIVITIES. PEOPLE IN SERVICES USE OURSUPPORTED COMMUNITY CONNECTION TO VOLUNTEER, ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS, VISIT SHOPS,RESTAURANTS, LIBRARIES, REC CENTERS, AND WHEREVER THEY WISH WITHIN SOUTHWESTCOLORADO.SPECIALIZED HABILITATIONTHIS PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPORT TO ASSIST CLIENTS TO BUILD SKILLS IN VARIOUS AREAS OFTHEIR LIFE THAT ULTIMATELY HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. SOME PEOPLE USE THISSERVICE TO LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE, TO COOK MEALS AS A GROUP, TO GET BETTER AT USING ACOMPUTER, OR MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA OR DATING PROFILES.MENTORSHIPWE PROVIDE MENTORSHIP TO HELP CLIENTS UNDERSTAND ISSUES AND MAKE COMPLICATED ANDCOMPLEX DECISIONS IN THEIR LIFE. WE BELIEVE IN INFORMED DECISION MAKING AND PROVIDECLIENTS WITH POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OF DIFFERENT DECISIONS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THEBEST DECISIONS FOR THEIR OWN LIVES. MENTORSHIP SUPPORTS PEOPLE IN SERVICES WITHSELF-ADVOCACY, INTERVIEW DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS, MANAGE BENEFITS, COMPLETECOMPLEX PAPERWORK, GET ADVICE ABOUT DATING AND INTIMACY, SERVING ON BOARDS OFDIRECTORS OR OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, AND MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT HAVINGCHILDREN/PARENTING AND FAMILY LIFE. NON-MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION OUR OWN LIVES PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO AND FROM DAY SERVICES, WORK, RUNNINGERRANDS, OR TO OTHER PLACES CLIENTS NEED OR WANT TO GO WITHIN OUR REGION.
- $123,266 spent. VOCATIONAL SUPPORT:JOB DEVELOPMENTTHIS SERVICES HELPS CLIENTS LOCATE, INTERVIEW, AND GET A PERFECT JOB. WE ASSISTPEOPLE IN SERVICES WITH PUTTING TOGETHER A RESUME, FINDING EMPLOYERS, NAVIGATING JOBINTERVIEWS AND MEETING THE EMPLOYER, REQUESTING ACCOMMODATIONS, AND HOW WORKING MAYAFFECT THIER BENEFITS. THIS CAN HAPPEN BOTH INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A JOB CLUB GROUPWHERE PEOPLE CAN BUILD EACH OTHER UP. WE FOCUS ON CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT, WHERE WEASSIST CLIENTS AND AN EMPLOYER BUILD A JOB THAT IS TAILORED TO A PERSONS SPECIFICSTRENGTHS AND NEEDS.JOB COACHINGWE PROVIDE 1 ON 1 SUPPORT AND HELP (AS NEEDED) ON THE JOB. THIS SUPPORT CAN HELPPEOPLE LEARN JOB TASKS, TIPS AND TRICKS TO STAY FOCUSED, HELP RESOLVING CONFLICTS ORPERFORMANCE CONCERNS, SUGGEST ACCOMMODATIONS, AND PROVIDE OTHER HELP PEOPLE NEED TOBE SUCCESSFUL AT THEIR JOB.
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
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 June 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 June 2023.
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.