Fiscal Challenge Inc. provides experiential educational programming focused on fiscal policy economics budgeting and public policy analysis. Through a nationwide collegiate competition students develop analytical research presentation and policy-making skills by creating long-term fiscal solutions and presenting recommendations to professionals and subject matter experts. The organization coordinates educational programming competition events networking opportunities and policy-focused experiential learning activities designed to prepare students for careers and graduate study in economics public policy government and related fields. Programming includes student engagement opportunities educational resources public policy analysis exercises live presentation events mentorship and career exploration programming.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
8¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$17K 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
Spent on programs
8%
of spending
Concern: 8% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$17K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $121K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$200K
+66% vs prior year
Spent
$158K
To programs
8%
Net assets
$110K
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$200K
FY2025▲ +66%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$77K
FY2023$125K
FY2024$121K
FY2025$200K
Net assets
$110K
FY2025▲ +62%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$41K
FY2023$46K
FY2024$68K
FY2025$110K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 2014.

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

Where the money goes

8 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 8% · $12K Management & general 92% · $146K

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

2 people listed on the 990; $17K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Program Director
$16,816Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Erica Patella’s $17K as Program Director is at the 13th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Erica Patella$16,816$18,000

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.

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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

Fiscal Challenge INC is an education nonprofit based in Chapel Hill, NC, formed in 2013.

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1 program · $12K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Fiscal Challenge Inc. provided experiential educational programming designed to enhance students understanding of fiscal policy economics and public policy analysis. Through a nationwide collegiate competition students researched and developed long-term fiscal policy solutions prepared analytical presentations and presented…

$12Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$121K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $12K · 2025–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$12,034

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$200K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$200K
Money outPt IX
$158K
Ln 25
Programscol B$12K
Managementcol C$146K
Owns and owesPt X
$110K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$110K
Total assetsLn 16$110K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
2
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a0
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$200K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Total revenueLn 12$200K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$110K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$110K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$110K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$110K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$68K$110K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$68K$110K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$68K$110K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$12K$12K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$28K$0$28K$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0$0$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0$0$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$17K$0$17K$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$101K$0$101K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$158K$12K$146K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $200K$158K$42K$110K 990 PDF
FY2024 $121K$68K 990 PDF
FY2023 $125K$46K 990 PDF
FY2022 $77K$41K 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 $200,304 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$200,304
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenue$200,304
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$12,034
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$27,865
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$118,099
I-18 Total expenses$157,998
I-19 Revenue less expenses$42,306
Part VI · Governance 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body0
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $200,304 across 13 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$200,304
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$200,304
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$200,304
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $157,998 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $12,034$12,034
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $0 · Management $27,865 · Fundraising $0$27,865
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $16,816 · Fundraising $0$16,816
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $0 · Management $101,283 · Fundraising $0$101,283
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,034 · Management $145,964 · Fundraising $0$157,998
Part X · Balance sheet $110,491 assets, 22 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $68,185$110,491
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $68,185$110,491
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$0
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $68,185$110,491
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $68,185$110,491
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $110,491 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$200,304
XI-2 Total expenses$157,998
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$42,306
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$110,491

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

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