Purpose Institute INC

Tax-deductible

Canton, OH501(c)(3)ReligionEIN 04-3615764

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Training in ministerial studies and leadership provided to pastors and ministers

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 15 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $13K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$99K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 61% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.5 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $48
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$908K
+6% vs prior year
Spent
$947K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$47K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$908K
FY2025▲ +6%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$410K
FY2022$405K
FY2023$963K
FY2024$860K
FY2025$908K
Expenses
$947K
FY2025▲ +10%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$376K
FY2022$436K
FY2023$993K
FY2024$858K
FY2025$947K
Net assets
$47K
FY2025▼ -45%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$145K
FY2022$115K
FY2023$84K
FY2024$86K
FY2025$47K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending July 2025) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 2005.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $839K Management & general 11% · $107K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $99K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Director of Campuses
$38,698Pt VII · Sec A
$28,779Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Academics
$12,450Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Operations
$10,450Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Marketing
$8,350Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Brian Michael’s $39K as Director of Campuses is at the 39th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2132 $100K–1M religion nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Brian Michael$38,698$41,648$43,348$43,348$39,616
Finis Joe Ellis$28,779$29,579$29,729$29,729$29,152
Dr James Littles$12,450$13,200$11,500$11,500$8,557
Steve Schobert$10,450$11,200$11,450$11,450$8,433
Thomas Ellis$8,350$9,000$10,350$10,350$9,257

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Trains pastors and ministers in ministerial studies and leadership.

Provided by the organization

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1 program service account for $839K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Training in ministerial studies adn leadership provided to pastors and minsters. PI has approximately 100 campuses in 16 nations and 26 US states serving nearly 800 students.

$839Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$48

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$908K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$530K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$378K
Money outPt IX
$947K
Ln 25
Programscol B$839K
Managementcol C$107K
Owns and owesPt X
$47K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$41K
Total assetsLn 16$56K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$530K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$526K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$378K
Total revenueLn 12$908K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$41K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$41K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$15K
Total assetsLn 16$56K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
Net assetsLn 32$47K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderJuly
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$73K$41K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$23K$15K
Total assetsLn 16$96K$56K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K$9K
Net assetsLn 32$86K$47K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$124K$124K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$37K$37K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$25K$25K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$9K$9K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$8K$5K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$175K$167K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$549K$539K$11K
Total functional expensesLn 25$947K$839K$107K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $908K$947K−$39K$47K 990 PDF
FY2024 $860K$858K$2K$86K 990 PDF
FY2023 $963K$993K−$30K$84K 990 PDF
FY2022 $405K$436K−$31K$115K 990 PDF
FY2021 $410K$376K$34K$145K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $907,937 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$530,142
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$525,700
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$530,142
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $377,795$377,795
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $377,795 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$907,937
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $946,654 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $123,539$123,539
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesManagement $36,832$36,832
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $6,000$6,000
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $3,456$3,456
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $7,094$7,094
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $25,469$25,469
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $3,689$3,689
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $9,077$9,077
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,574 · Management $3,049$7,623
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $166,537 · Management $8,120$174,657
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $538,666 · Management $10,552$549,218
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $839,316 · Management $107,338 · Fundraising $0$946,654
Part X · Balance sheet $55,943 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $72,812$40,681
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $22,885$15,262
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $95,697$55,943
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $9,877$8,840
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $9,877$8,840
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $85,820$47,103
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $85,820$47,103
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $95,697$55,943
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $47,103 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$907,937
XI-2 Total expenses$946,654
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$38,717
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$85,820
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$47,103

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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