Challenger Foundation
Challenger Foundation maintains substantial assets despite volatile revenue and expenses, with no reported officer compensation.
EIN: 137109402 · Garden City, NY · NTEE: T20Z · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is Challenger Foundation Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Challenger Foundation directs 75% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Challenger Foundation
Challenger Foundation (EIN: 137109402) is a nonprofit organization based in Garden City, NY, classified under NTEE code T20Z. The organization reported total revenue of $6.7M and total assets of $24.1M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Challenger Foundation's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Challenger Foundation with a Mission Score of 70 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 15%
- programs: 75%
- fundraising: 10%
According to IRS 990 filings, Challenger Foundation allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 15%, programs: 75%, fundraising: 10%. With 75% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Challenger Foundation consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all 11 available filings, suggesting either a volunteer-led executive team or that executive compensation is categorized under other expense lines, which would require further investigation for full transparency.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Challenger Foundation's IRS 990 filings:
- Significant year-over-year revenue and expense volatility without clear explanation in summary data.
- Expenses frequently exceed revenue in multiple periods (e.g., 2023, 2020, 2019), potentially indicating reliance on reserves or other funding sources.
- Lack of detailed breakdown for program, administrative, and fundraising expenses in the provided summary data, hindering efficiency assessment.
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, which may warrant further inquiry to understand leadership compensation practices.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Challenger Foundation:
- Strong and consistent asset growth over the past decade, from $16,150,134 in 2013 to $24,145,896 currently.
- Extremely low liabilities ($1 or $0 across all filings), indicating excellent financial health and minimal debt.
- Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s over 11 periods, demonstrating a commitment to regulatory compliance and transparency.
- Substantial current assets of $24,145,896 provide a strong financial cushion and capacity for future operations.
Frequently Asked Questions about Challenger Foundation
Is Challenger Foundation a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Challenger Foundation (EIN: 137109402) some concerns. Mission Score: 70/100. 4 red flags identified, 4 strengths noted.
How does Challenger Foundation spend its money?
Challenger Foundation directs 75% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Challenger Foundation tax-deductible?
Challenger Foundation is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 137109402). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Is Challenger Foundation a good charity?
Challenger Foundation demonstrates strong asset growth and minimal liabilities, indicating financial stability. However, the significant fluctuations in revenue and expenses, coupled with the absence of detailed spending breakdowns (program vs. admin vs. fundraising) and zero reported officer compensation, make a definitive 'good' assessment challenging without further information on their operational efficiency and program impact.
How does Challenger Foundation manage its assets?
The organization has shown consistent asset growth, from $16,150,134 in 2013 to $24,145,896 currently, despite periods where expenses exceeded revenue. This suggests effective asset management and investment strategies, or significant non-operating revenue sources contributing to asset accumulation.
What is the reason for the high revenue and expense volatility?
The provided data does not specify the reasons for the significant fluctuations in revenue (e.g., $680,996 in 2020 vs. $3,993,460 in 2021) and expenses (e.g., $252,428 in 2024 vs. $3,637,794 in 2020). This could be due to project-based funding, large one-time grants, or varying operational scales year-to-year, which would require reviewing the full 990 forms for details.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Challenger Foundation showing financial trends over 11 years of public records:
Over 11 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2024), Challenger Foundation's revenue has declined by 25.6%, moving from $1.6M to $1.2M. Total assets increased by 34.6% over the same period, from $17.2M to $23.1M. Total functional expenses fell by 69%, from $813K to $252K. In its most recent filing year (2024), Challenger Foundation reported a surplus of $916K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $23.1M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $23.1M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1.2M | $252K | $23.1M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2023 | $3.3M | $3.4M | $22.2M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $2.9M | $422K | $22.2M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $4.0M | $2.2M | $20.6M | $1 | — | — |
| 2020 | $681K | $3.6M | $18.9M | $1 | — | — |
| 2019 | $1.0M | $2.0M | $19.8M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $1.8M | $1.1M | $17.1M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $1.4M | $1.2M | $16.3M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $634K | $912K | $16.2M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $706K | $1.4M | $16.4M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $1.6M | $813K | $17.2M | $0 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2024: Revenue of $1.2M, expenses of $252K, and assets of $23.1M (revenue -64.7% year-over-year).
- 2023: Revenue of $3.3M, expenses of $3.4M, and assets of $22.2M (revenue +14.9% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $2.9M, expenses of $422K, and assets of $22.2M (revenue -27.9% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $4.0M, expenses of $2.2M, and assets of $20.6M (revenue +486.4% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $681K, expenses of $3.6M, and assets of $18.9M (revenue -32.9% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $1.0M, expenses of $2.0M, and assets of $19.8M (revenue -44.5% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $1.8M, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $17.1M (revenue +27.3% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $1.4M, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $16.3M (revenue +126.5% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $634K, expenses of $912K, and assets of $16.2M (revenue -10.2% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $706K, expenses of $1.4M, and assets of $16.4M (revenue -55.1% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $1.6M, expenses of $813K, and assets of $17.2M.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Challenger Foundation is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.