Sola Media

Tax-deductible

San Diego, CA501(c)(3)ReligionEIN 27-0565982

To promote the advancement of the Christian faith from a Protestant perspective through broadcasting, publishing, and the dissemination of recorded messages, public speaking educational efforts and matters related.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
55¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$651K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $128K a year · 4% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
55%
of spending
Worth a look: 55% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$651K
to officers and key staff · 18% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 77% of similar orgs
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 18% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$177K
9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 9% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.1M
+20% vs prior year
Spent
$3.7M
To programs
55%
Net assets
$1.8M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$3.1M
FY2025▲ +20%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$6.4M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$2.8M
FY2024$2.6M
FY2025$3.1M
Expenses
$3.7M
FY2025▼ -6%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$3.3M
FY2022$3.8M
FY2023$3.8M
FY2024$4.0M
FY2025$3.7M
Net assets
$1.8M
FY2025▼ -22%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$5.3M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$3.7M
FY2024$2.4M
FY2025$1.8M

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 Feb 2011.

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

Where the money goes

55 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 55% · $2.0M Management & general 13% · $497K Fundraising 32% · $1.2M

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $651K 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
President and CEO
$151,050Pt VII · Sec A
Major Gift Officer
$134,346Pt VII · Sec A
Founder, Editor in Chief
$132,021Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Theo Global
$125,162Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$108,423Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Robert Olson’s $151K as President and CEO is at the 77th 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Mark Green—$210,188$174,392$168,090$151,551
Robert Olson$151,050$32,526———
David Merchant$134,346—$134,886$117,437$115,711
Micheal Horton—$132,161———
Michael Horton$132,021—$127,022$96,883$74,003
Dave Merchant—$128,452———
Adam Smith$125,162$112,888$108,336——
Chris Thibodeau——$115,172——

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.

See Sola Media executive salaries →

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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

Promotes Christian faith through broadcasting, publishing, and educational outreach.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Sola Media claims this page.

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1 program service account for $2.0M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Core Christianity

dedicated to helping the body of Christ transform their story from being themselves to being about God through Curate, Create, and Communicate. We have established an online portal with resources and bible studies to assist all levels to explore the word of God.

$2.0Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$125K
Investment incomeLn 3$48K
Money outPt IX
$3.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.0M
Managementcol C$497K
Fundraisingcol D$1.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$1.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.7M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$177K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$269K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$125K
Investment incomeLn 3$48K
Other incomeLn 4–11$16K
Total revenueLn 12$3.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$313K
SavingsLn 2$1.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$102K
Other assetsLn 15$22K
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$177K
Net assetsLn 32$1.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 529
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$480K$1.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$196K$102K
Total assetsLn 16$2.8M$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$461K$177K
Net assetsLn 32$2.4M$1.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$651K$259K$108K$284K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$846K$231K$259K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$35K$17K$8K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$184K$95K$43K$47K
Payroll taxesLn 10$155K$91K$24K$41K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$138K$51K$14K$73K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$29K$28K$570$704
Office expensesLn 13$243K$157K$38K$48K
Information technologyLn 14$45K$38K$4K$4K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$138K$110K$2K$27K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$258K$23K$2K$232K
InterestLn 20$44K$27K$7K$9K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$94K$64K$13K$17K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$5K$1K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$335K$212K$1K$122K
All other expensesLn 24e$22K$22K$368$404
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.7M$2.0M$497K$1.2M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.1M$3.7M−$591K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.6M$4.0M−$1.4M$2.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.8M$3.8M−$971K$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.0M$3.8M−$808K$4.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $6.4M$3.3M$3.1M$5.3M 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 $3,125,770 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,936,801
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$268,652
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,936,801
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $125,187$125,187
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $48,006$48,006
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $7,369$7,369
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $8,407$8,407
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $132,556 · Excluded from tax $56,413$3,125,770
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,716,524 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $259,471 · Management $107,896 · Fundraising $283,635$651,002
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $845,879 · Management $231,095 · Fundraising $259,069$1,336,043
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $16,910 · Management $8,130 · Fundraising $9,807$34,847
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $94,873 · Management $42,799 · Fundraising $46,533$184,205
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $90,660 · Management $23,540 · Fundraising $40,753$154,953
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $51,171 · Management $13,778 · Fundraising $73,078$138,027
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $28,090 · Management $570 · Fundraising $704$29,364
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $157,002 · Management $37,814 · Fundraising $48,109$242,925
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $38,355 · Management $3,542 · Fundraising $3,542$45,439
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $109,608 · Management $1,557 · Fundraising $27,179$138,344
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $23,278 · Management $2,195 · Fundraising $232,246$257,719
IX-20 InterestPrograms $27,132 · Management $7,335 · Fundraising $9,061$43,528
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $63,849 · Management $13,487 · Fundraising $16,661$93,997
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,293 · Management $1,451 · Fundraising $1,793$8,537
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $212,280 · Management $1,467 · Fundraising $121,564$335,311
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $21,511 · Management $368 · Fundraising $404$22,283
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,045,362 · Management $497,024 · Fundraising $1,174,138$3,716,524
Part X · Balance sheet $2,016,525 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $479,742$313,362
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$1,342,606
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$62,612
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $3,072$1,008
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $101,033$173,236
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $196,112$102,114
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,039,796$21,587
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,819,755$2,016,525
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $336,866$154,593
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $97,771$22,335
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $461,067$176,928
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$30,985$1,416,554
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,389,673$423,043
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,358,688$1,839,597
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,819,755$2,016,525
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,839,597 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,125,770
XI-2 Total expenses$3,716,524
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$590,754
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,358,688
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$42,786
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$28,877
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,839,597

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

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