3Rd Decade Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
842298062
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Tucson, AZ, USA
Phone
5202024095
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Financial Counseling

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,343,823
Expenses
$1,574,990
Assets
$655,496
Liabilities
$46,454

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JOE'MAR HOOPER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)
  • JEFF LOCKE (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JOE'MAR HOOPER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $172,500 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Changing financial futures forever starting now. 3rd decade is an award-winning program providing financial education and mentorship to young adults ages 18-40, with a focus on low to moderate-income individuals.

What it reported doing in 2025

3rd decade is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve financial stability and independence. Our comprehensive program focuses on behavioral change, long-term financial goal setting, and equipping participants with the necessary knowledge and tools to achieve a secure financial future. With a growing team and 315 volunteers, 3rd decade serves participants through a two-part program offered quarterly. The program consists of: financial education: a ten-hour curriculum delivered through live or on-demand classes covering essential financial concepts. Mentorship: two-year one-on-one guidance from a financial mentor to create and implement personalized financial plans. Financial jumpstart: to encourage long-term savings, 3rd decade contributes $250 to participants' roth iras. Mentors from across the country donate their time, expertise, and passion to guide participants on their financial journeys.key impacts:- participants from 48 states participated in the 3rd decade program- 912 new participants onboarded in 2025 - 1,875 number of individuals served in 2025, including newly onboarded- 1,583 alumni graduated from the full 2-year mentoring program- average age of participants: 29- 72.2% female participants- 21% male participants- 4.2% non-binary-1% trangender- 1.7% prefer not to answer- average net worth change over 2 years: $68,792-median change in net worth $52,264- average gross income: $44,1213rd decade offers both in-person and virtual financial education workshops tailored for businesses, schools, non-profits, and other community organizations. These workshops are designed to provide participants with practical knowledge and skills in personal finance, including budgeting, saving, credit management, investing, and retirement planning. Our sessions aim to empower individuals to make informed financial decisions, build long-term financial stability, and develop confidence in managing their money. Workshops are customized to meet the needs of diverse audiences, with content appropriate for different age groups and professional backgrounds. Through these workshops, 3rd decade advances its mission of improving financial literacy and fostering economic empowerment in the communities we serve. Key impacts:-24 english workshops-4 spanish workshops-served 343 participants -average aged served 36

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 91% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 19
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 85.1%; rating input score 85
  • Program expense ratio: 72.5%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.54 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -17.2%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.42; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 19.9% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.3% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 20% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 85.1% of revenue deployed · 72.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $172K · 11 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2019 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 8/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 21/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 35/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 39/100.