Steps to Hope Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
561484890
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Columbus, NC, USA
Phone
8288942340
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,346,341
Expenses
$2,312,002
Assets
$7,946,393
Liabilities
$818,346

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHUCK ELDER (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • CECIL BOYLE (SECRETARY)
  • PIPER CLOSE (BOARD MEMBER)
  • CHUCK ELDER (PRESIDENT)

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

The mission of steps to hope is to create a community free from the violence of domestic and sexual abuse through education, advocacy and victim assistance. In addition to offering emergency shelter to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, we offer many programs that are preventive in nature to make a positive impact on the generational cycle of violence. These include: 1) domestic violence intervention program (dvip) (separate classes for men and women)and hope for youth (skills and character building as well as enrichment activities for youth 12-17 years old - gender specific).

What it reported doing in 2024

During the fiscal year, we provided 4,408 services to 242 victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and their families. These services included safe shelter, information, advocacy, referral, transportation, therapeutic counseling, court accompaniment and limited financial assistance. The number of calls received from the hotline for assistance was 791. Shelter was provided to 49 people for various lengths of time. Additionally, we provided educational programs to 18 attendees of dvip and 18 youth skills/character building attendees. 77 volunteers provided 7,534.30 volunteer hours.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 83% 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.
  • 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. Liabilities are high compared with assets.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 80
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 65.1%; rating input score 65
  • Program expense ratio: 87.2%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $116.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 88; 88th 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: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 30.9%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.44; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 13.8% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.5% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.4% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 65.1% of revenue deployed · 87.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 14 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 16 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.

  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 58/100.