2024-03-28T14:19:31-07:00 2022-12-31 990EZ 2022-01-01 812679227 COLORADO HIGH-COUNTRY EDUCATIONAL TREKS INC COLO 7202967003 1110 S Independence Ct Lakewood CO 80232 Dominic Lucero Executive Director 7202967003 2024-03-28 Dominic Lucero 999009999 1 0 11 0 AAL2 2022 2023-04-26 12:10:37Z X X X www.coloradotreks.org X X 35268 X 25268 10000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 35268 0 0 0 8525 0 0 6632 15157 20111 37657 0 57768 X 37657 57768 0 0 0 0 37657 57768 0 0 37657 57768 charitable Programming for youth and community providing access to outdoor experiences. 25268 15157 15157 Dominic Lucero Executive Director 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CO Edwina Lucero 1110 S Independence Ct Lakewood CO 80232 7202446709 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NONE NONE 1 X 25268 25268 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25268 25268 25268 0 0 0 0 10000 10000 35268 35268 0.71646 0.9 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 fee paid for program services provided Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 fees related to programming events Form 990-EZ, Part II, Line 24 no other assets Form 990-EZ, Part II, Line 26 no liabilities I am writing to explain the circumstances surrounding the late filing of our organization's Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, for the tax year 2022. Our nonprofit, Colorado High-Country Educational Treks encountered several unforeseen challenges that contributed to the delay in submitting the required documentation. One of the primary reasons for the late filing was the lack of personnel, particularly a dedicated finance person, within our organization. At the time, as a one-person organization, we heavily rely on a lean team to manage various aspects of our operations, including financial matters. Regrettably, during the period leading up to the tax filing deadline, we were overwhelmed with operational duties. This resulted in a significant gap in expertise and capacity, as we struggled to promptly fill the vacant positions and ensure continuity in financial reporting responsibilities. Additionally, our organization faced increased workload demands during the tax filing period due to a lack of personnel and recovering from COVID impacts, which required extensive attention and resources from our limited staff. Despite our best efforts to prioritize tasks, the combination of understaffing and heightened operational demands created significant delays in completing the necessary financial documentation for tax filing purposes. Moreover, we encountered technical challenges with our financial software systems, which further impeded our ability to efficiently compile and review the required financial data for submission. Despite investing in technological infrastructure, unforeseen technical glitches and system downtimes exacerbated the delays in our tax preparation process. We recognize the importance of adhering to tax filing deadlines and acknowledge our responsibility to comply with regulatory requirements. Please be assured that we have taken corrective measures to address the underlying issues and mitigate the risk of future delays in tax filings. This includes strengthening our internal controls, expanding our finance team, and implementing additional training programs to enhance staff expertise in financial reporting and compliance matters. Enclosed with this letter, you will find our completed Form 990 and any additional documentation required for the tax year 2022. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay and appreciate your understanding and consideration of the extenuating circumstances outlined above.