Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2015.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
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).
Kevin Linderman’s $58K as Executive Di is at the 12th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1842 $1–10M recreation & sports 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.
See We Defy 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 15aYes
Programs and updates
Helps combat veterans overcome disabilities through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and fitness.
Questions for We Defy
Your first name shows with your question. We Defy answers here, for everyone.
We defy provides combat veterans coping with military connected disabilities a long term means to overcome their challenges through brazillian jiu jitsu. We provide twelve months of tuition and equipment as well as private instruction for adaptive approaches.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 47-4543790) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $417K | $477K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $12K | |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $966K | $806K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $3K | $18K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $963K | $789K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $721K | $721K | ||
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $58K | $52K | $6K | |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $64K | $57K | $7K | |
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $164K | $97K | $67K | |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $31K | $31K | ||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $5K | $5K | ||
| TravelLn 17 | $33K | $33K | ||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $109K | $14K | $17K | $78K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.2M | $1.0M | $102K | $78K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 1, 2026 | $1.0M | $1.2M | −$175K | $789K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Jun 4, 2025 | $1.6M | $836K | $753K | $963K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Apr 9, 2025 | $800K | $861K | −$61K | $250K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Feb 4, 2025 | $518K | $467K | $50K | $313K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $1,010,547 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 5 of 6 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,010,547 across 4 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,185,101 across 8 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $806,394 assets, 11 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $788,655 net assets at year end
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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