To provide support to the families of government employees who have died or been seriously injured in the service of their country but whose employment status prohibits them from seeking assistance from normal governmental sources.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 8 volunteers and 6 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $4.6M a year · 47% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 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
$510K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
19 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 19.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $25K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$451K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$12.8M
+40% vs prior year
Spent
$6.6M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$41.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$12.8M
FY2024▲ +40%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.8M
FY2021$12.3M
FY2022$12.6M
FY2023$9.1M
FY2024$12.8M
Expenses
$6.6M
FY2024▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.2M
FY2021$4.5M
FY2022$4.8M
FY2023$6.4M
FY2024$6.6M
Net assets
$41.0M
FY2024▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$15.7M
FY2021$24.3M
FY2022$30.7M
FY2023$34.1M
FY2024$41.0M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Aug 2014.

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% · $5.4M Management & general 11% · $709K Fundraising 8% · $544K

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

15 people listed on the 990; $510K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$255,000Pt VII · Sec A
President and COO
$255,000Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman/Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Steven T Cashen’s $255K as CEO is at the 64th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Steven T Cashen$255,000$275,000$220,500$200,808$162,500
Melissa Allen$255,000$255,000$184,000$158,000$141,731

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 Third Option Foundation 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

Supports families of government employees injured or deceased in service, when official aid is unavailable.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $5.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Medical and Resiliency Program

Provide support for physical and cognitive health assessment and treatment for officers and their families, as well as family resiliency support for families of deploying officers.

$4.2Mprogram expense
02

Survivorship Program

Provide immediate financial and logistical support during repatriation of a fallen operator, annual retreats and support for surviving families, annual commemoration events, and grief and financial counseling.

$824Kprogram expense
03

Transition Program

Provide support to officers and their family members as officers end their current employment. Provides continued access to the medical and family resiliency & behavioral health programs. Facilitates contact with financial advisory assistance, professional coaching, networking, and certification programs, and participation in legacy…

$382Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$25K
Grants paid · 15 grants · $10.7M · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,568,057
Unitemized GrantFY2024$617,042
Unitemized GrantFY2024$367,791
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,687,311
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,051,112
Unitemized GrantFY2023$849,006
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,040,077
Unitemized GrantFY2022$949,849
Unitemized GrantFY2022$444,880
Unitemized GrantFY2021$449,328
Unitemized GrantFY2021$150,651
Unitemized GrantFY2021$66,599
Unitemized GrantFY2020$237,524
Unitemized GrantFY2020$89,489
Unitemized GrantFY2020$87,782

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$12.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$6.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.4M
Managementcol C$709K
Fundraisingcol D$544K
Owns and owesPt X
$41.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.6M
Total assetsLn 16$41.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$451K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$11.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$163K
Investment incomeLn 3$1.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7$188K
Total revenueLn 12$12.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$9.9M
SavingsLn 2$654K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$25.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$15K
Other assetsLn 15$30K
Total assetsLn 16$41.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$451K
Net assetsLn 32$41.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 68
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.4M$10.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$16.2M$25.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K$15K
Total assetsLn 16$34.6M$41.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$518K$451K
Net assetsLn 32$34.1M$41.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$3.6M$3.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$510K$204K$64K$242K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$207K$106K$27K$74K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$115K$58K$55K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$398K$199K$191K$8K
Payroll taxesLn 10$166K$83K$80K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$33K$33K
Investment management feesLn 11f$60K$60K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$505K$463K$42K
Office expensesLn 13$66K$10K$34K$22K
Information technologyLn 14$67K$37K$24K$6K
OccupancyLn 16$19K$19K
TravelLn 17$1.4M$1.3M$27K$143K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$6K$6K
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3.0M$3.0M$34K$15K
All other expensesLn 24e−$3.5M−$3.6M$8K$27K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.6M$5.4M$709K$544K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $12.8M$6.6M$6.2M$41.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $9.1M$6.4M$2.7M$34.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $12.6M$4.8M$7.9M$30.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $12.3M$4.5M$7.8M$24.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.8M$3.2M−$1.4M$15.7M 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 M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,799,102 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,072,975$11,776,979
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,036,498$1,019,655
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $8,096$2,468
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $9,117,569$12,799,102
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $3,587,429$3,552,890
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,304,822$1,396,278
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,525,191$1,696,753
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $6,417,442$6,645,921
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,700,127$6,153,181
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
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 $12,799,102 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$11,776,979
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$162,561
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$11,776,979
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $831,707$831,707
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$510 · Excluded from tax $188,458$187,948
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,468$2,468
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,958 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,020,165$12,799,102
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,645,921 across 17 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $3,552,890$3,552,890
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $204,000 · Management $63,750 · Fundraising $242,250$510,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $105,515 · Management $26,896 · Fundraising $74,481$206,892
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $57,652 · Management $55,346 · Fundraising $2,306$115,304
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $199,140 · Management $191,174 · Fundraising $7,966$398,280
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $82,901 · Management $79,585 · Fundraising $3,316$165,802
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $33,016$33,016
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $59,550$59,550
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $463,056 · Management $41,569$504,625
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $9,802 · Management $34,180 · Fundraising $22,435$66,417
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $37,190 · Management $24,370 · Fundraising $5,862$67,422
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $19,300$19,300
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,260,357 · Management $27,022 · Fundraising $143,231$1,430,610
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $5,517$5,517
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $6,031$6,031
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,972,940 · Management $34,233 · Fundraising $14,870$3,022,043
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms −$3,552,445 · Management $7,783 · Fundraising $26,884−$3,517,778
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,392,998 · Management $709,322 · Fundraising $543,601$6,645,921
Part X · Balance sheet $41,473,053 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $5,922,505$9,908,679
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,490,651$654,267
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,899,697$5,513,264
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $20,500$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $33,132$44,488
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $19,048$14,737
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $16,214,270$25,307,183
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $7,751$30,435
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $34,607,554$41,473,053
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $518,091$428,190
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$23,141
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $518,091$451,331
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $26,212,979$34,281,351
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $7,876,484$6,740,371
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $34,089,463$41,021,722
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $34,607,554$41,473,053
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $41,021,722 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$12,799,102
XI-2 Total expenses$6,645,921
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$6,153,181
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$34,089,463
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$714,740
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$64,338
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$41,021,722

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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