The Third Story Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
841493413
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Denver, CO, USA
Phone
3039461787
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Youth Development Programs
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$133,538
Expenses
$164,695
Assets
$109,102
Liabilities
$38

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

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Amy Beth Barlow (President)
  • Adam Barlow (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Amy Beth Barlow (President): $83,825 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The Third Story creates and run year-round programs for at-risk youth in two west Denver neighborhoods. The Third Story provides the following programs and services to the community: Summer Programs (Summer JAM), Street Church, Whiz Kids Tutoring, The EDGGe (opportunities for middle-school boys and middle/high school girls), Community Outreach, Smart Sacks Dinners and Healthy Mini Meals. The Third Story also raises awareness and funds for these programs through written media and music.

What it reported doing in 2025

Top Achievements * Continuing our mentoring/discipleship program * Reaching out to urban youth through our after-school and summer year-round program, and our school year tutoring program. * Assisting families in crisis situations (medical emergencies, grocery assistance, rent and utility help) * Providing youth in our community with a healthier meal/snack program Healthy Mini Meals (year-round healthy, substantial snacks, 2-3 times a week) * Equipping our volunteer staff through training and ministry experience * Raising awareness through written word (West Side Stories) * Providing community support to our neighbors through home visitations and support. NumbersYouth involved in after-school and summer programs 71 different children came to our programs during 2025 Volunteers 58 (including subs) (including three on-call teachers) West Side Stories 4 issues published in 2025 Events held * Two sessions of weekly tutoring throughout the school year * Two sessions of weekly after-school Bible Clubs throughout the school year * Two sessions of weekly summer clubs (June/July) * Various opportunities for service for middle/high-schoolers * Three healthy mini-meals a week during school year / Two during summerApproximate percentage of your 2025 program expenses for each listed accomplishment: * Street Church 30% * Neighborhood Tutoring 15% * West Side Ministries 5% * Summer JAM 25% * West Side Stories (+ supporter communication) 5% * Community Ministry 20%

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% 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

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 54
  • Sustainability: 20
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92.5%; rating input score 93
  • Program expense ratio: 75%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 75%; rating input score 75; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -23.3%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.66; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 50.9%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.1% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 92.5% of revenue deployed · 75% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 4 board members independent · 2 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $124K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $84K · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 10/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 31/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 3/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 52/100.