SoulSpark Learning Foundation
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 824327179
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2020–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2019
- Location
- Boulder, CO, USA
- Phone
- 3035547300
- Rating
- 80
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Youth Development Programs
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $11,209
- Expenses
- $21,491
- Assets
- $18,443
- Liabilities
- $0
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
4 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Dr Kate Bachtel (President)
People named in this filing
- Dr Kate Bachtel (President)
- Dr Chris Wells (Treasurer)
- Rachel Fell (Director)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
To optimize the development and well-being of youth and the educators who care for them.
What it reported doing in 2024
SoulSpark Learning continues to provide high quality professional learning to educators. Our team spoke at education conferences, community events and on podcasts on topics related to human development, equity, neurodiversity, cultural and linguistic responsiveness, mental health and exemplary instructional practices. This includes at the National Association of Gifted Children's Annual Teacher Summit. This year SoulSpark Learning piloted a new Parent/Caregiver Neurodiversity Support Group in response to community feedback. According to survey feedback, the programming was well received. Caregivers report the programming positively transformed parenting (or caregiving) practices and nurtured feelings of belonging among individuals who previously felt isolated. SoulSpark Learning also continues to refine and enhance our library of community resources and advocacy pieces. The nonprofit also continued our collaboration with the nonprofit Gifted and Talented Leaders of Color and Allies. Last fall, we partnered for the second year in a row at an event to support educators across Colorado. In 2024, SoulSpark Learning expanded educator well-being programming and hosted several free, in person educator well-being events that included an array of services, resources and tools.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- 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.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and revenue has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 82
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 88
- Sustainability: 32
- Growth: 0
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 78.2%; rating input score 78
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- 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: -91.7%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.86; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -78.4% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -30.5% per year; rating input score 0; 13th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -27.3% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 78.2% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $17K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
- Consistency: 18 of 18 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- 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.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 22/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 22/100.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.