Higher Things INC

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The mission of Higher Things is to make the gifts of christ jesus known to youth and young adults

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 39-2011837) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 250 volunteers and 11 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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $99K a year · 8% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
71% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$204K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
10.2 mo
of spending, in cash
10.2 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $40K
2 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$422K
35% of total assets
Liabilities are 35% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
1
of 7 voting members
1 of 7 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$1.6M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
71%
Net assets
$781K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$744K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2025▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$645K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.4M
Net assets
$781K
FY2025▲ +44%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$227K
FY2022$189K
FY2023$219K
FY2023$375K
FY2024$542K
FY2025$781K

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

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2001.

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

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $988K Management & general 16% · $225K Fundraising 13% · $176K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $204K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director of Operations
$67,002Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director of Relations
$66,810Pt VII · Sec A
Dir. of Mission and Theology
$55,770Pt VII · Sec A
$9,834Pt VII · Sec A
$2,800Pt VII · Sec A
$950Pt VII · Sec A
$850Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$150Pt VII · Sec A

Crysten Sanchez’s $67K as Executive Director of Operations is at the 25th 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2023FY2022
Erica Jacoby Sorensen——$107,729$80,464$80,475
Crysten Sanchez$67,002————
Patrick Sturdivant$66,810————
Rev Harrison Goodman$55,770————
Erica J Sorensen Left 042024—$39,177———
Tana McKenna Joined 0725$9,834————
Rebekah Clausen$2,800$1,300$500——
Randy Sturzenbecher$950$225$100——

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 Higher Things INC executive salaries →

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Share Christ's gifts with youth and young adults.

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2 programs · $988K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

We held three conferences for youth serving 1,774 youth, pastors, and adult leaders. The conferences promote a christian identity for the youth and provide a place where they can more deeply understand their christian faith. Conferences include daily worship, catechesis classes, breakout sessions and entertainment.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 39-2011837) · Dispute this line
$855Kprogram expense
02

Our resources area produces video shorts, devotional booklets, podcasts, curriculum including vacation bible school packages, bible studies, and confirmation.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 39-2011837) · Dispute this line
$134Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$40K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.1M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$453K
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$988K
Managementcol C$225K
Fundraisingcol D$176K
Owns and owesPt X
$781K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$422K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b1
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$453K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$22K
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$428K
SavingsLn 2$756K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
Accounts receivableLn 4$310
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$19K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$422K
Net assetsLn 32$781K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 6250
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$846K$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$880K$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$338K$422K
Net assetsLn 32$542K$781K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$282K$157K$38K$87K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$192K$79K$81K$32K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$3K$2K$355$786
Other employee benefitsLn 9$883$590$153$140
Payroll taxesLn 10$23K$9K$8K$6K
Legal feesLn 11b$265$265
Accounting feesLn 11c$11K$11K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$19K$10K$6K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$22K$4K$12K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$41K$8K$27K$6K
TravelLn 17$94K$43K$27K$25K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$682K$670K$7K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$14K$6K$2K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$988K$225K$176K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 13, 2026 $1.6M$1.4M$239K$781K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Nov 6, 2025 $1.6M$1.4M$167K$542K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Mar 14, 2024 $1.4M$1.3M$30K$219K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Mar 15, 2023 $1.2M$1.3M−$38K$189K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Feb 26, 2022 $744K$645K$99K$227K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $1,628,884 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $351,259$452,627
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,200,418$1,124,442
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $24,298$22,212
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $23,081$29,603
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,599,056$1,628,884
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $507,024$500,157
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $925,384$889,396
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,432,408$1,389,553
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $166,648$239,331
Part VI · Governance 1 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members1
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,628,884 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $29,603 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$452,627
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$452,627
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,124,442$1,124,442
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $22,212$22,212
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,154,045 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $22,212$1,628,884
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,389,553 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $157,188 · Management $37,694 · Fundraising $86,626$281,508
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $78,703 · Management $80,960 · Fundraising $32,004$191,667
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,770 · Management $355 · Fundraising $786$2,911
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $590 · Management $153 · Fundraising $140$883
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $9,155 · Management $7,844 · Fundraising $6,189$23,188
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $265$265
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $11,309$11,309
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $10,468 · Management $6,352 · Fundraising $2,650$19,470
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,526 · Management $11,961 · Fundraising $6,123$21,610
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $8,119 · Management $27,281 · Fundraising $5,688$41,088
IX-17 TravelPrograms $42,564 · Management $26,777 · Fundraising $24,561$93,902
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $669,764 · Management $7,150 · Fundraising $5,213$682,127
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,353$5,353
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,202 · Management $1,576 · Fundraising $6,494$14,272
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $988,314 · Management $224,765 · Fundraising $176,474$1,389,553
Part X · Balance sheet $1,203,196 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $186,523$428,412
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $659,753$755,965
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $96$310
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $33,324$18,509
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $879,696$1,203,196
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,009$10,788
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $337,047$411,437
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $338,056$422,225
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $523,718$770,000
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $17,922$10,971
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $541,640$780,971
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $879,696$1,203,196
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $780,971 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,628,884
XI-2 Total expenses$1,389,553
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$239,331
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$541,640
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$780,971

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

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