Innovative, cost-effective, timely science and technology solutions for defense and commercial customers.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 196 volunteers and 131 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 deficit $326K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.4M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $16
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$146.1M
100% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 100% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$195.8M
+74% vs prior year
Spent
$195.7M
To programs
100%
Net assets
−$469K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$195.8M
FY2025▲ +74%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$46.8M
FY2021$34.2M
FY2022$42.7M
FY2023$84.2M
FY2024$112.5M
FY2025$195.8M
Expenses
$195.7M
FY2025▲ +74%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$46.7M
FY2021$34.3M
FY2022$44.8M
FY2023$84.1M
FY2024$112.4M
FY2025$195.7M
Net assets
−$469K
FY2025▼ -163%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$567K
FY2021$355K
FY2022−$1.6M
FY2023$652K
FY2024$746K
FY2025−$469K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 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 2013.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $194.8M Management & general 0% · $874K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $2.4M 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
Former Chief Tech. Officer
$427,648Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Executive Officer
$382,561Pt VII · Sec A
Dir. Hswerx
$258,086Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operations Officer
$254,234Pt VII · Sec A
Dir. Sofwerx
$240,197Pt VII · Sec A
Hub Chief Technology Officer
$238,775Pt VII · Sec A
Dep. Dir. Sofwerx
$228,418Pt VII · Sec A
Dir. Erdcwerx
$222,193Pt VII · Sec A

Brad Chedister’s $428K as Former Chief Tech. Officer is at the 9th percentile of top reported officer pay among 43 $100M+ science & technology 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Brad Chedister$427,648—————
Brian Liesveld$382,561$316,948$294,448$266,899$159,767$179,267
Craig Zamary$258,086—————
Teresa Harrington$254,234—————
Leslie Babich$240,197—————
James Andrews$238,775—————
Anthony Pettengill$228,418—————
Paul Sumrall$222,193—————

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 Defensewerx INC 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Develops innovative, cost-effective science and technology solutions for defense and commercial clients.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $194.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Pia

Partnership intermediary agreement that includes innovation and collaboration, technology transfer, workforce development, and neutral facilitation. For innovation and collaboration services the organization creates and maintains innovation and colloboration environments that enable customers to effectively expand their scientific…

$194.8Mprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$16

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$195.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$195.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$46K
Investment incomeLn 3$14K
Money outPt IX
$195.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$194.8M
Managementcol C$874K
Owns and owesPt X
−$469K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$129.3M
Total assetsLn 16$145.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$146.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$195.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$195.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$14K
Other incomeLn 4–11$46K
Total revenueLn 12$195.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$129.1M
SavingsLn 2$141K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$129.3M
Other assetsLn 15$9.9M
Total assetsLn 16$145.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$146.1M
Net assetsLn 32−$469K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5131
VolunteersI 6196
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
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$89.1M$129.3M
Total assetsLn 16$96.6M$145.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$95.9M$146.1M
Net assetsLn 32$746K−$469K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$106K$106K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.2M$1.0M$162K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$9.6M$9.4M$173K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2.1M$2.1M$39K
Payroll taxesLn 10$797K$783K$14K
Legal feesLn 11b$144K$144K
Accounting feesLn 11c$218K$218K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$175.5M$175.5M$32K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10K$9K$109
Office expensesLn 13$5K$5K$57
Information technologyLn 14$634K$627K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$264K$261K$3K
TravelLn 17$528K$495K$33K
InsuranceLn 23$72K$71K$818
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4.5M$4.5M$48K
Total functional expensesLn 25$195.7M$194.8M$874K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $195.8M$195.7M$71K−$469K 990 PDF
FY2024 $112.5M$112.4M$94K$746K 990 PDF
FY2023 $84.2M$84.1M$55K$652K 990 PDF
FY2022 $42.7M$44.8M−$2.1M−$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $34.2M$34.3M−$117K$355K 990 PDF
FY2020 $46.8M$46.7M$82K$567K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $195,761,877 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $112,452,271$195,701,236
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $17,436$14,476
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$46,165
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $112,469,707$195,761,877
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$106,126
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $11,340,093$13,708,438
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $101,035,152$181,876,362
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $112,375,245$195,690,926
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $94,462$70,951
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
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-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $195,761,877 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$195,621,666
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$79,570
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$195,701,236
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $14,476$14,476
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $46,165$46,165
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $60,641$195,761,877
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $195,690,926 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $106,126$106,126
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,042,683 · Management $162,303$1,204,986
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $9,388,385 · Management $173,026$9,561,411
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,106,166 · Management $38,816$2,144,982
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $782,636 · Management $14,423$797,059
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $143,802$143,802
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $217,600$217,600
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $175,470,221 · Management $32,475$175,502,696
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $9,450 · Management $109$9,559
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,921 · Management $57$4,978
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $626,720 · Management $7,209$633,929
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $261,187 · Management $3,004$264,191
IX-17 TravelPrograms $495,323 · Management $33,014$528,337
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $71,154 · Management $818$71,972
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,451,526 · Management $47,772$4,499,298
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $194,816,498 · Management $874,428 · Fundraising $0$195,690,926
Part X · Balance sheet $145,613,776 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $88,996,179$129,120,351
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $141,336$141,336
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $7,361,258$6,347,308
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $77,575$117,172
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $48,093$9,887,609
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $96,624,441$145,613,776
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,540,880$7,280,085
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $94,337,387$138,802,499
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $95,878,267$146,082,584
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $746,174−$468,808
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $746,174−$468,808
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $96,624,441$145,613,776
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$468,808 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$195,761,877
XI-2 Total expenses$195,690,926
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$70,951
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$746,174
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$1,285,933
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$468,808

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

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