A Step to Freedom

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
954704879
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2018, Form 990-N 2008
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
3236969727
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Homeless Shelters

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,281,925
Expenses
$4,962,195
Assets
$1,123,848
Liabilities
$595,674

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JIMAR WILSON (PRESIDENT)
  • KENYA CROOM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • KENYA CROOM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $124,512 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To enhance the lives of low-income individuals and families who struggle with social and economic disparities such as homelessness, lack of education, substance abuse, mental illness, and recidivism by providing a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment to break cycles, heal and thrive.

What it reported doing in 2024

Community supports program (housing navigation and time-limited subsidy)a step to freedom's community supports program offers vital resources, services, and guidance, including case management, peer support, and resourcenavigation, to help individuals and families overcome homelessness, unemployment, food insecurity, and limited healthcare access and achieve stability and self-sufficiency. This program includes housing navigation and time-limited subsidy services.a step to freedom's (asf) housing navigation and time-limited subsidy (tls) programs work together to address the complex needs of individuals and familiesexperiencing homelessness. Guided by a trauma-informed and client-centered approach, these services offer a transition from housing instability to permanenthousing, financial independence, and long-term stability.asf's community supports program supported 7 participants in 2024 and grew to 17 active participants in 2025, providing intensive housing navigation andfinancial assistance that bridges the gap from homelessness to self-sufficiency through trauma-informed services and subsidized housing support.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 82% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% 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. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 78.2%; rating input score 78
  • Program expense ratio: 83.3%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $38.67 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 6.1%; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.23; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.53; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.5%; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 22.6% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 29.6% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 35.7% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 78.2% of revenue deployed · 83.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 5 filed program accomplishments · $4.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $125K · 7 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $345K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • 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.

  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 7/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 54/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 20/100.