First Step Staffing
95% goes to programs $19 to raise $100 Thin reserves
First Step Staffing is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, registered in 2007, with $63,422,854 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 95% of spending to programs.
302 Decatur St Se Ste 103, Atlanta, GA, 30312 EIN 20-8038859 Since 2007
Revenue (FY2024)
$63.4M
▼ 0.7% vs prior year
Employment median: $367K
Expenses (FY2024)
$72.5M
Net assets
$58K
Employees
7,578
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B
C+Program efficiency40% of the rating95% to programs · $19 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For First Step Staffing: 95% to programs · $19 to raise $100 earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
CFinancial health25% of the rating0 mo reserves · -14% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For First Step Staffing: 0 mo reserves · -14% margin earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For First Step Staffing: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For First Step Staffing: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Develop a reliable source of income for men, women and children. we focus on persons experiencing homelessness, returning citizens, and disenfranchised veterans.
What they do
First step disability services helps men and women with severe disabilities access social security disability income (ssi) and medicaid. prior to first step disability services, only 19 percent of homeless people who applied for disability are approved. in contrast, over 80 percent of first step's clients are approved and in an average of 12-24 months (compared to 3-5 years in georgia). over the last 4 years first step disability services has secured approximately $3,000,000 in retroactive benefits and almost $200,000 in recurring monthly benefits.
First step operates a housing assistance program in atlanta, ga and philadelphia, pa. the program provides direct housing assistance to those facing eviction and/or homeless during their employment with fss. housing payments vary and do not extend past 6 months.
Contact & location
- Address
- 302 Decatur St Se Ste 103, Atlanta, GA, 30312
- City
- Atlanta
- State
- Georgia
- Category
- Employment
- Subcategory
- Employment Preparation & Placement
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $1.8M (FY2013) to $63.4M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $21.8MNet assets $58K
Operating margin
-14.3%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$21.9M
Total liabilities
$21.8M
Net assets
$58K
Salaries & benefits
$57.2M
79% of expenses
Board members
12
12 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,422,854▼0.7% | $72,503,911▲14.8% | $58,150▼99.4% | $21,895,098▼8.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $63,863,817▲3.7% | $63,161,214▲6.6% | $9,160,974▲8.0% | $24,034,616▼5.7% | 990 |
| 2022 | $61,601,643▼10.3% | $59,275,663▼11.2% | $8,480,138▲37.3% | $25,483,348▲7.9% | 990 |
| 2021 | $68,640,248▲16.2% | $66,778,964▲12.2% | $6,175,925▲42.4% | $23,617,123▼1.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $59,076,475▲19.0% | $59,509,586▲24.1% | $4,336,408▼9.5% | $23,888,590▼14.9% | 990 |
| 2019 | $49,659,167▲19.8% | $47,940,234▲16.7% | $4,791,286▲54.9% | $28,069,621▲56.2% | 990 |
| 2018 | $41,457,637▲80.8% | $41,082,905▲85.6% | $3,094,120▲12.9% | $17,966,748▲70.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $22,931,925▲8.9% | $22,136,772▲9.6% | $2,741,154▲81.5% | $10,543,519▲23.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $21,062,519▲424% | $20,202,654▲435% | $1,510,669▲132% | $8,552,140▼6.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $4,017,643▲167% | $3,773,487▲115% | $650,804▲60.0% | $9,116,655▲2069% | 990 |
| 2014 | $1,502,184▼15.7% | $1,751,457▼5.3% | $406,648▼38.0% | $420,367▼37.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $1,781,450 | $1,848,872▼13.5% | $655,921▼9.3% | $674,988▼13.0% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $2,137,535▼2.0% | $723,343▼5.5% | $775,794▼19.4% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $2,181,327▲31.7% | $765,335▲622% | $962,735▲123% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $1,656,385 | -$146,476 | $430,903 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Amelia Nickerson — $385,710 (0.53% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amelia Nickerson | Ceo | 40 | $385,710 |
| Reggie Harmon | Cfo | 40 | $384,290 |
| Matt Miller | Coo | 40 | $343,394 |
| Kellie Brownlow | Cmo | 40 | $217,423 |
| Trevor Turner | Vp, General Manager | 40 | $215,359 |
| Abraham Heller | Vp | 40 | $201,195 |
| Sheneva Harris | Vp | 40 | $181,420 |
| Elizabeth Henderson | Vp, Operations | 40 | $173,812 |
| Aj Robinson | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Anitra Walker | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Aubrey Harrell | Chairman | 1 | — |
| Brent Reid | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Joe Guerra | Vice Chair/secretary | 1 | — |
| Kim Fleming | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Larry Bailey | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Leigh Wood | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Mark Brodbeck | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Meghan Petrantonio | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Monica Block | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Nicole Armstrong | Board Member | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Pkm Inc | Accounting | $137,632 |
Grants received · $2.5M total
40 grants to First Step Staffing totaling $2.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redf | Portfolio grants | 2024 | $115,000 |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia Inc | Working our way home | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Enterprise Community Partners Inc | Community partner capacity | 2024 | $19,909 |
| Mightycause Charitable Foundation | Unrestricted | 2024 | $16,094 |
| The Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta Inc | Mental health | 2024 | $14,500 |
| The Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta Inc | Employment | 2023 | $654,466 |
| Redf | Growth portfolio | 2023 | $100,000 |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia Inc | Employment, upskill & financial empowerment | 2023 | $75,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2023 | $35,000 |
| Mightycause Charitable Foundation | Unrestricted | 2023 | $21,078 |
| Enterprise Community Partners Inc | Capacity building | 2023 | $14,765 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $14,000 |
| Redf | Growth portfolio | 2022 | $100,000 |
| Stand Together Foundation | General operating | 2022 | $100,000 |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia Inc | Employment, upskilling & financial empowerment | 2022 | $75,000 |
Grants made · $8.2M in FY2024
1 grant totaling $8.2M in FY2024. All grants made by First Step Staffing →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First Step Staffing Support Corporation | Operational support | $8,222,337 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is First Step Staffing a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. First Step Staffing is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 20-8038859, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is First Step Staffing's EIN?
- First Step Staffing's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 20-8038859.
- How much revenue does First Step Staffing report?
- First Step Staffing reported $63,422,854 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of First Step Staffing's spending goes to programs?
- First Step Staffing spends about 95% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does First Step Staffing have?
- CharityIndex grades First Step Staffing B, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does First Step Staffing's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on First Step Staffing's latest Form 990 is $385,710, paid to Amelia Nickerson (Ceo).
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Data for First Step Staffing (EIN 20-8038859) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.