As champions of christ-centered discipleship, Ascending Leaders equips churches to grow individuals across all stages of their spiritual journey with results that are measurable. By deepening the faith of followers, we help restore the church to its purpose and lasting outcomes are achieved.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
67¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$36K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2020 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $11K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$36K
to officers and key staff · 16% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 16% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$46K
34% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 34% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$280K
Spent
$227K
To programs
67%
Net assets
$90K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$280K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$280K
FY2021$361K
FY2022$238K
FY2023$268K
FY2024$296K
FY2025$255K
Expenses
$227K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$227K
FY2021$259K
FY2022$274K
FY2023$292K
FY2024$263K
FY2025$317K
Net assets
$90K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$90K
FY2021$192K
FY2022$156K
FY2023$133K
FY2024$165K
FY2025$103K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2006.

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

Where the money goes

67 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 67% · $151K Management & general 25% · $56K Fundraising 9% · $20K

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; $36K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Exec Dir & P
$35,865Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Dr Michael Johnson’s $11K as Exec Dir & President is at the 8th 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Dr Michael Johnson$11,340$6,387$11,415$10,814$36,355$35,865

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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Coaches churches and pastors to foster Christ-centered discipleship and achieve lasting impact.

Questions for Ascending Leaders

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $151K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Provides churches coaching in christian discipleship through consulting, classes, and seminars.

$151Kprogram expense

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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$8K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$280K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$221K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$55K
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Money outPt IX
$227K
Ln 25
Programscol B$151K
Managementcol C$56K
Fundraisingcol D$20K
Owns and owesPt X
$90K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$95K
Total assetsLn 16$135K
LiabilitiesLn 26$46K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$221K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$55K
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Total revenueLn 12$280K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$95K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$95K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5K
Total assetsLn 16$135K
LiabilitiesLn 26$46K
Net assetsLn 32$90K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9K$95K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8K$5K
Total assetsLn 16$45K$135K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K$46K
Net assetsLn 32$37K$90K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$94K$66K$14K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$75K$53K$17K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$12K$9K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$6K$4K$1K$693
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5K$5K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$4K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$5K$1K$4K
TravelLn 17$4K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$313$313
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5K$3K$2K$107
Total functional expensesLn 25$227K$151K$56K$20K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $255K$317K−$62K$103K 990 PDF
FY2024 $296K$263K$32K$165K 990 PDF
FY2023 $268K$292K−$24K$133K 990 PDF
FY2022 $238K$274K−$36K$156K 990 PDF
FY2021 $361K$259K$102K$192K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $280K$227K$52K$90K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $279,759 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $194,053$221,352
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $49,296$54,558
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $324$3,849
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $243,673$279,759
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $196,181$187,008
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $65,144$40,255
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $261,325$227,263
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$17,652$52,496
Part VI · Governance 9 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $279,759 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $140 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$221,352
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$221,352
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $54,558$54,558
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $3,709$3,709
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $58,407$279,759
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $227,263 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $65,736 · Management $14,086 · Fundraising $14,086$93,908
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $53,266 · Management $16,997 · Fundraising $4,853$75,116
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $9,390 · Management $2,294$11,684
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,473 · Management $1,134 · Fundraising $693$6,300
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,181$8,181
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,781$4,781
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,915$1,915
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,639 · Management $1,172$4,811
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,069 · Management $3,761$4,830
IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,094$4,094
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $313$313
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $3,264$3,264
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,091$3,091
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,003 · Management $1,865 · Fundraising $107$4,975
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $151,366 · Management $56,158 · Fundraising $19,739$227,263
Part X · Balance sheet $135,243 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $8,885$95,245
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $24,561$35,195
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $8,067$4,803
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $44,713$135,243
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $7,669$3
X-19 Deferred revenue$9,600
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$36,100
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $7,669$45,703
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,108$48,750
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $28,936$40,790
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $37,044$89,540
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $44,713$135,243
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $89,540 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$279,759
XI-2 Total expenses$227,263
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$52,496
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$37,044
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$89,540

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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