Youth on Record

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
421724770
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Denver, CO, USA
Phone
3037171027
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Music

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,110,101
Expenses
$2,150,201
Assets
$1,345,021
Liabilities
$149,131

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SHIELA ENSER (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JAMI DUFFY (EXECUTIVE DI): $157,436 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Mission: youth on record empowers underserved youth to achieve their academic, artistic, and personal best by employing Colorado musicians and artists as their coaches and mentors. Vision: youth on record's vision is for youth to discover how their voices and value can create a better world.

What it reported doing in 2024

Yor sits at the intersections of art, culture, creative youth development, education, and economic opportunity, with a focus on creating positive social change while helping young artists and young people thrive. During calendar year 2024, yor advanced its mission through the following major activities: academic success programming - artist-led, music-based education was delivered in partner schools within denver public schools (dps) and aurora public schools (aps). For-credit classes were offered in nine high schools and one additional campus, led by local professional Colorado musicians trained in yor's engaged and liberatory teaching pedagogy. The organization also supported school partners with professional development trainings. Young creative ecosystem programming - yor provided year-round programs serving youth and young adults ages 11-24, including open labs, open mics, the fellowship of young creatives, and podcasting/audio arts training and project production. These programs connected young creatives with mentors, peers, and industry networks and increased access to paid performance, media, and events opportunities. The work of this program area was highlighted through community block parties and youth-centered music events open to the public. Underground music showcase - mission-aligned activities - as a 30% member of ums llc, yor curated mission-aligned components of Colorado's largest independent music festival. These activities included operation of a free artist care lounge, harm-reduction and mental-health supports, sober- support activations, accessibility auditing and inclusive practices, direct workforce-development pipelines , and the states largest musician conference.through these efforts, yor helped create paid internships and entry-level job placements for young adults in live-events and creative industries such as sound, lighting, production, and guest services. Across all program areas, innovation, inclusion, accessibility, and expanding opportunities for historically marginalized artists remained core tenants of youth on record's organizational activities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 64% 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

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 31
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.3%; rating input score 84
  • Program expense ratio: 82.7%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $23.99 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 23rd 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: 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 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -1.9%; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.63; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.3%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 15.9% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12.5% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.3% of revenue deployed · 82.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $157K · 18 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 33 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 27/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 23/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 40/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 57/100.