Sophia Institute nurtures the spiritual, moral and cultural life of souls and spreads the gospel of christ in conformity with the authentic teachings of the roman catholoc church. Sophia institue operates several apostolates, including Sophia Institute Press, Sophia Institute for teachers, catholicexchange.com and crisismagazine.com

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$225K 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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FY2021 · 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
FY2021
latest Form 990
Concern: the latest return is for FY2021, 5 tax years back; more than 4 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.6M a year · 20% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$225K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $959K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.1M
25% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 25% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.9M
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$7.4M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$6.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2021
Revenue
$7.9M
FY2021▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$8.3M
FY2021$7.9M
Expenses
$7.4M
FY2021▲ +36%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.4M
FY2021$7.4M
Net assets
$6.3M
FY2021▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$5.9M
FY2021$6.3M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Revoked May 2025, reinstated. IRS ruling Sep 2025, per the IRS master file. Latest filing on record: FY2021. IRS ruling in Sep 2025.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $6.0M Management & general 18% · $1.4M Fundraising 1% · $45K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $225K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$225,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Charles McKinney’s $225K as Executive Di is at the 93rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1636 $1–10M 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

NameFY2021FY2020
Charles McKinney$225,000$224,115

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

Nurtures spiritual life and spreads Christ's Gospel according to Roman Catholic teachings.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $6.0M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

All Program Expenses

To publish and distribute books on philosophical and theological subjects as well as daily commentaries through online resources, WWW.CRISISMAGAZINE.COM and WWW. CATHOLICEXCHANGE.COM.

$6.0Mprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 7 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.9M
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$6.5M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$35K
Money outPt IX
$7.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.0M
Managementcol C$1.4M
Fundraisingcol D$45K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.8M
Total assetsLn 16$8.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$35K
Investment incomeLn 3$230
Other incomeLn 4–11$6.5M
Gains on assetsLn 7$158
Total revenueLn 12$7.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.8M
SavingsLn 2$613
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$236K
Other assetsLn 15$151K
Total assetsLn 16$8.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M
Net assetsLn 32$6.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 565
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.6M$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$225K$236K
Total assetsLn 16$7.4M$8.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M$2.1M
Net assetsLn 32$5.9M$6.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.6M$3.4M$225K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$76K$76K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$316K$316K
Payroll taxesLn 10$298K$286K$12K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$41K$41K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$605K$560K$45K
Office expensesLn 13$159K$159K
OccupancyLn 16$275K$275K
TravelLn 17$43K$43K
InterestLn 20$7K$7K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$94K$94K
InsuranceLn 23$43K$43K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.3M$1.3M
All other expensesLn 24e$567K$567K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.4M$6.0M$1.4M$45K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2021 Latest Viewing $7.9M$7.4M$479K$6.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $8.3M$5.4M$2.8M$5.9M 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,893,743 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,577,258$1,345,725
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $59,885$35,150
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $42$230
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $5,615,228$6,512,638
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $8,252,413$7,893,743
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,339,587$4,282,411
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,106,594$3,131,919
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,446,181$7,414,330
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,806,232$479,413
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,893,743 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $6,293,645 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$1,345,725
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,345,725
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $35,150$35,150
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $72$72
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $38,883$38,883
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $158$158
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $18,548 · Excluded from tax $161,562$180,110
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $53,856 · Excluded from tax $6,494,162$7,893,743
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,414,330 across 14 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,367,302 · Management $225,000$3,592,302
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $75,751$75,751
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $316,203$316,203
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $286,155 · Management $12,000$298,155
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $40,825$40,825
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $559,834 · Fundraising $45,455$605,289
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $159,457$159,457
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $275,048$275,048
IX-17 TravelManagement $42,586$42,586
IX-20 InterestManagement $7,346$7,346
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $93,857$93,857
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $43,447$43,447
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,296,922$1,296,922
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $567,142$567,142
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,003,332 · Management $1,365,543 · Fundraising $45,455$7,414,330
Part X · Balance sheet $8,448,181 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,567,819$1,804,382
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $613$613
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,164,340$1,322,827
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $2,576,498$3,929,557
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $604,808$615,603
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $224,721$236,238
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $63,558$387,873
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $151,088$151,088
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,378,445$8,448,181
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $965,311$1,242,178
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $320,128$320,128
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,525,439$2,114,414
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,442,099$5,922,860
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $410,907$410,907
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $5,853,006$6,333,767
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,378,445$8,448,181
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,333,767 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,893,743
XI-2 Total expenses$7,414,330
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$479,413
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$5,853,006
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,348
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,333,767

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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