Challenge America connects service members, veterans and their families to resources and solutions that build community and give purpose to their lives.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$58K 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $18K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$58K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $125K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 4 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
$703K
+13% vs prior year
Spent
$555K
To programs
91%
Net assets
$302K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$703K
FY2025▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$385K
FY2021$386K
FY2022$475K
FY2023$139K
FY2024$623K
FY2025$703K
Expenses
$555K
FY2025▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$368K
FY2021$533K
FY2022$355K
FY2023$263K
FY2024$529K
FY2025$555K
Net assets
$302K
FY2025▲ +95%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$187K
FY2021$39K
FY2022$159K
FY2023$60K
FY2024$155K
FY2025$302K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2010.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $508K Management & general 6% · $32K Fundraising 3% · $15K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $58K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Founder & Ce
$57,917Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary\tr
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Houston Cowen’s $58K as Founder & Ce is at the 47th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1043 $100K–1M public & societal benefit 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Dallas Blaney———$53,515$87,807$85,227
Houston Cowen$57,917$47,917$22,917$20,833——

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 Challenge America 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

Connects service members, veterans, and families to resources for community and purpose.

Questions for Challenge America

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $508K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

At challenge america we have made it our mission to connect service members, veterans and their families to resources and solutions that build community and give purpose to their lives. From the beginning, we set out to challenge the status quo by designing and scaling innovative, evidence- based solutions to the needs of the military…

$508Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$125K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 6 grants · $111K · 2020–2021
Hermtac LLCFY2021$50,640
Electric Church INCFY2021$10,000
Wareologie LLCFY2021$10,000
Hermtac LLCFY2020$20,000
OkayaFY2020$10,000
Wareology LLCFY2020$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$703K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$695K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Money outPt IX
$555K
Ln 25
Programscol B$508K
Managementcol C$32K
Fundraisingcol D$15K
Owns and owesPt X
$302K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$298K
Total assetsLn 16$306K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$695K
Government grantsLn 1e$581K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Total revenueLn 12$703K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$298K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$298K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K
Total assetsLn 16$306K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
Net assetsLn 32$302K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$152K$298K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K$6K
Total assetsLn 16$160K$306K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K$4K
Net assetsLn 32$155K$302K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$58K$52K$2K$4K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$131K$117K$5K$10K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$6K$5K$204$409
Other employee benefitsLn 9$7K$6K$555$481
Payroll taxesLn 10$10K$9K$1K$708
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$284K$284K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$8K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$4K$5K
TravelLn 17$11K$11K$70
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$17K$17K$50
Total functional expensesLn 25$555K$508K$32K$15K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $703K$555K$148K$302K 990 PDF
FY2024 $623K$529K$94K$155K 990 PDF
FY2023 $139K$263K−$124K$60K 990 PDF
FY2022 $475K$355K$120K$159K 990 PDF
FY2021 $386K$533K−$148K$39K 990 PDF
FY2020 $385K$368K$17K$187K 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 $702,913 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $605,173$695,354
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $7,795$7,559
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $9,965$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $622,933$702,913
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $210,209$211,926
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $318,322$343,483
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $528,531$555,409
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $94,402$147,504
Part VI · Governance 4 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $702,913 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$581,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$114,354
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$695,354
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7,559$7,559
VIII-12 Total revenueExcluded from tax $7,559$702,913
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $555,409 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $51,610 · Management $2,102 · Fundraising $4,205$57,917
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $116,716 · Management $4,755 · Fundraising $9,509$130,980
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $5,018 · Management $204 · Fundraising $409$5,631
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,904 · Management $555 · Fundraising $481$6,940
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,679 · Management $1,071 · Fundraising $708$10,458
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $10,042$10,042
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $283,786$283,786
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,639$3,639
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $8,140$8,140
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,438 · Management $5,476$9,914
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,701 · Management $70$10,771
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $17,141 · Fundraising $50$17,191
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $507,632 · Management $32,415 · Fundraising $15,362$555,409
Part X · Balance sheet $306,113 assets, 9 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $151,727$297,888
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,614$2,614
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,611$5,611
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $159,952$306,113
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,179$3,836
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $5,179$3,836
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $154,773$302,277
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $154,773$302,277
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $159,952$306,113
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $302,277 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$702,913
XI-2 Total expenses$555,409
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$147,504
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$154,773
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$302,277

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

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