The primary goal of the Congressional Award Foundation is to promote and recognize service, initiative, and achievement in america's youth. We strive to help young people realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Young people register for the Congressional Award program and set personally challenging goals in four program areas voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration. These diverse areas encourage young people to discover new talents, learn about the world around them and to take positive action in their communities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 68,082 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
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 surplus $58K a year · 5% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
68%
of spending
Fine: 68% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$170K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $180K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$144K
15% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 15% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
43
of 43 voting members
Looks good: 43 of 43 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.5M
+26% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
68%
Net assets
$842K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2025▲ +26%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$937K
FY2022$985K
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.5M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$746K
FY2021$830K
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.4M
Net assets
$842K
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$842K
FY2021$948K
FY2022$908K
FY2023$970K
FY2024$769K
FY2025$842K

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 Mar 1985.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $972K Management & general 13% · $188K Fundraising 19% · $272K

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

84 people listed on the 990; $170K 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
National Director
$170,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director (outgoing Fy25)
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Erica W Heyse’s $170K as National Director is at the 77th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1552 $1–10M youth development 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2022FY2021FY2020
Erica W Heyse$170,000$170,000$150,500$150,500$161,423

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 Congressional Award 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Recognizes and promotes youth achievement in service, personal development, fitness, and exploration.

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1 program · $972K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Congressional Award Program Administration

Congressional awards are earned by youth between the ages of 14 and 24 years of age. It represents more than 4,000 hours of volunteer time through self-improvement education and physical fitness. Salaries allocated to the program are for guiding, administering and supporting more than 50,000 youths, their advisors, teachers and mentors.

$972Kprogram 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
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$482K
Investment incomeLn 3$97
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$972K
Managementcol C$188K
Fundraisingcol D$272K
Owns and owesPt X
$842K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$730K
Total assetsLn 16$986K
LiabilitiesLn 26$144K
PeoplePt VI, VII
84
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a43
IndependentVI 1b43
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.1M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$164K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$482K
Investment incomeLn 3$97
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$709K
SavingsLn 2$22K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$730K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$17K
Other assetsLn 15$10K
Total assetsLn 16$986K
LiabilitiesLn 26$144K
Net assetsLn 32$842K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 668,082
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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$674K$730K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$16K$17K
Total assetsLn 16$880K$986K
LiabilitiesLn 26$111K$144K
Net assetsLn 32$769K$842K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$206K$147K$12K$47K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$571K$410K$30K$132K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$15K$10K$2K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$64K$45K$5K$14K
Payroll taxesLn 10$64K$46K$3K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$86K$86K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$41K$39K$1K$914
Office expensesLn 13$98K$74K$16K$9K
Information technologyLn 14$84K$52K$9K$24K
OccupancyLn 16$3K$2K$124$498
TravelLn 17$5K$3K$1K$786
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$156K$128K$11K$17K
InterestLn 20$278$197$16$65
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$9K$6K$530$2K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$3K$4K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$17K$7K$5K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$972K$188K$272K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.5M$1.4M$74K$842K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.2M$1.4M−$201K$769K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.3M$19K$970K 990 PDF
FY2022 $985K$1.0M−$41K$908K 990 PDF
FY2021 $937K$830K$106K$948K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.1M$746K$388K$842K 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 $1,506,664 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,042,284$1,068,363
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $177,625$482,493
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $382$97
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$25,172−$44,289
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,195,119$1,506,664
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 $851,308$920,863
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $545,094$511,552
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,396,402$1,432,415
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$201,283$74,249
Part VI · Governance 43 of 43 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body43
VI-1b Independent voting members43
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $1,506,664 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $7,128 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$163,800
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$904,563
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,068,363
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $482,493$482,493
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $97$97
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$51,417−$51,417
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $482,493 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$44,192$1,506,664
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,432,415 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $146,843 · Management $12,195 · Fundraising $47,349$206,387
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $409,639 · Management $29,503 · Fundraising $132,332$571,474
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $10,179 · Management $1,733 · Fundraising $3,235$15,147
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $44,945 · Management $4,551 · Fundraising $14,447$63,943
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $45,665 · Management $3,387 · Fundraising $14,860$63,912
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $85,922$85,922
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $3,115$3,115
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $38,927 · Management $1,092 · Fundraising $914$40,933
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $73,624 · Management $15,944 · Fundraising $8,548$98,116
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $52,058 · Management $8,627 · Fundraising $23,665$84,350
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,426 · Management $124 · Fundraising $498$3,048
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,632 · Management $1,139 · Fundraising $786$4,557
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $127,858 · Management $10,558 · Fundraising $17,475$155,891
IX-20 InterestPrograms $197 · Management $16 · Fundraising $65$278
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $6,466 · Management $530 · Fundraising $2,126$9,122
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,489 · Management $4,236 · Fundraising $1,131$8,856
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $7,375 · Management $4,989 · Fundraising $5,000$17,364
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $972,323 · Management $187,661 · Fundraising $272,431$1,432,415
Part X · Balance sheet $985,753 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $652,516$708,655
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $21,607$21,704
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $151,138$211,589
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $24,551$17,305
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $16,353$16,689
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $14,035$9,811
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $880,200$985,753
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $97,012$133,978
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $14,128$9,991
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $111,140$143,969
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $682,660$730,551
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $86,400$111,233
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $769,060$841,784
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $880,200$985,753
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $841,784 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,506,664
XI-2 Total expenses$1,432,415
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$74,249
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$769,060
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1,525
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$841,784

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

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