Army ranger Lead the Way Fund is an active duty, casualty assistance, recovery, transition and veterans organization that provides financial support to u.s. Army rangers and the families of those who have died, have been disabled or who are currently serving in harm's Way around the world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
63¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 30 volunteers and 4 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $260K a year · 16% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
63%
of spending
Worth a look: 63% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$90K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $15.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $6K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$267K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.6M
+15% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
63%
Net assets
$16.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2025▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2025▲ +0.6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.4M
Net assets
$16.6M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$12.4M
FY2021$15.3M
FY2022$13.6M
FY2023$14.3M
FY2024$15.6M
FY2025$16.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 2007.

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

Where the money goes

63 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 63% · $863K Management & general 31% · $428K Fundraising 6% · $89K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $90K 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
Program Director
$90,000Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman & CEO
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Mary Regan’s $90K as Program Director is at the 25th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3868 $1–10M human services 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jill Depaola Resigned 1121———$145,484——
Jill Depaola————$120,037$106,700
Mary Regan$90,000$100,000$100,000$99,000$99,000$88,000

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Supports Army Rangers and their families facing injury, loss, or deployment.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $841K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Ranger and Family Health and Wellness Programs

With consecutive deployments since the start of the global war on terrorism, the preservation of this extremely pressured force is a necessity. When a ranger is deployed, so is his family. The long separations can be challenging and strenuous on the family unit.

$435Kprogram expense
02

Recovery, Resiliency, Education, and Transition Program

When our wounded, ill or injured rangers return from combat, the severity of their injuries is often to the degree that their disabilities prevent them and their families from being able to fully support themselves. The care provided by the government is often limited and insufficient to support their needs.

$312Kprogram expense
03

Gold Star Program

When a ranger has paid the ultimate sacrifice, whether, in combat or training, army ranger lead the way fund believes there is a moral obligation to support the dependents of these heroes. Through this program we can honor and memorialize deceased rangers and their gold star families.

$95Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$6K
Grants paid · 25 grants · $2.6M · 2019–2024
Department of the Army HeadquartersFY2024$308,259
Fort Benning Ctof-Bi-Annual Chaplain DonationFY2024$83,535
Unitemized GrantFY2024$54,110
Unitemized GrantFY2024$16,156
Department of the Army HeadquartersFY2023$298,496
Fort Benning Ctof-Bi-Annual Chaplain DonationFY2023$87,494
Unitemized GrantFY2023$47,393
Unitemized GrantFY2023$20,999
Department of the Army HeadquartersFY2022$311,901
Fort Benning Ctof-Bi-Annual Chaplain DonationFY2022$98,279
Unitemized GrantFY2022$52,414
Unitemized GrantFY2022$24,553
Department of the Army HeadquartersFY2021$281,159
Unitemized GrantFY2021$113,438
Unitemized GrantFY2021$40,170
Fort Benning Ctof-Bi-Annual Chaplain DonationFY2021$40,000
Department of the Army HeadquartersFY2020$125,633
Unitemized GrantFY2020$80,561
See all 25 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$996K
Investment incomeLn 3$687K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$863K
Managementcol C$428K
Fundraisingcol D$89K
Owns and owesPt X
$16.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$279K
Total assetsLn 16$16.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$267K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$996K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$10K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$452K
Investment incomeLn 3$687K
Gains on assetsLn 7$239K
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$41K
SavingsLn 2$238K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$279K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$15.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5K
Other assetsLn 15$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$16.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$267K
Net assetsLn 32$16.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 630
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$141K$279K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$14.0M$15.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8K$5K
Total assetsLn 16$15.9M$16.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$315K$267K
Net assetsLn 32$15.6M$16.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$441K$441K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$134K$134K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$92K$92K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$309K$127K$135K$47K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$12K$6K$4K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$34K$18K$11K$5K
Legal feesLn 11b$272$272
Accounting feesLn 11c$38K$38K
Investment management feesLn 11f$87K$87K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$36K$36K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$6K$64
Office expensesLn 13$79K$12K$65K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$36K$36K
TravelLn 17$26K$26K$124
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$6K$983$5K$261
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$38K$5K$33K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$863K$428K$89K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.6M$1.4M$217K$16.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.4M$1.4M$22K$15.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.2M$1.4M−$174K$14.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.2M$1.4M$843K$13.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.9M$1.2M$720K$15.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.2M$1.3M−$69K$12.4M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,597,729 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,020,410$995,561
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $495,407$687,266
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$120,899−$85,098
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,394,918$1,597,729
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $544,821$575,224
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $435,937$446,928
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $392,125$358,284
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,372,883$1,380,436
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $22,035$217,293
Part VI · Governance 7 of 9 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,597,729 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $167 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$452,232
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$543,329
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$9,525
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$995,561
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $448,713$448,713
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $238,553$238,553
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$111,802−$111,802
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $26,537$26,537
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $602,168$1,597,729
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,380,436 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $441,469$441,469
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $133,755$133,755
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $91,577$91,577
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $127,315 · Management $135,146 · Fundraising $46,803$309,264
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,640 · Management $4,473 · Fundraising $1,892$12,005
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $18,072 · Management $11,285 · Fundraising $4,725$34,082
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $272$272
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $38,465$38,465
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $87,459$87,459
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $35,691$35,691
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,961 · Management $64$6,025
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $12,300 · Management $64,850 · Fundraising $1,811$78,961
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $36,430$36,430
IX-17 TravelPrograms $26,370 · Management $124$26,494
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $4,117$4,117
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $983 · Management $4,634 · Fundraising $261$5,878
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $5,402 · Fundraising $33,090$38,492
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $863,442 · Management $428,412 · Fundraising $88,582$1,380,436
Part X · Balance sheet $16,906,591 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $29,516$40,970
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $111,589$237,669
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $57,500$28,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $85,573$85,977
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,903$4,681
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $13,991,836$14,972,332
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $2,374$21,479
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,583,359$1,515,483
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $15,869,650$16,906,591
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $86,488$56,309
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $152,858$168,796
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $75,295$41,522
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $314,641$266,627
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $15,355,009$16,439,964
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $200,000$200,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $15,555,009$16,639,964
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $15,869,650$16,906,591
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $16,639,964 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,597,729
XI-2 Total expenses$1,380,436
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$217,293
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$15,555,009
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$867,662
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$16,639,964

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

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