First Descents

Analysis

First Descents is a registered charity in United States, based in Denver, CO. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in June 2002, 24 years ago. Its declared purposes cover recreation and sports, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, First Descents reported income of $4.7m and spending of $4.6m, spending 99% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $3.6m to $4.7m (+31%), an average of +6.9% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income rose by 49%. Over the whole period it spent 72% of the income it received.

Among 30,892 United States charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, First Descents sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 92nd percentile, and in the 92nd percentile within CO. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Amarillo Tri-State Exposition ($4.6m), Camp Eagle ($4.7m) and Kenosha Young Mens Christian Association Inc ($4.6m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 112% of the total. At year end it held assets of $8.5m against liabilities of $473k, net assets of $8.0m. It reported 71 employees.