Special Operations Fund FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Arlington, VA501(c)(3)Since 1992EducationEIN 52-1765222Revenue $1.9M in FY2021

On file with the IRSspecialoperationsfund.org901 N Stuart St Ste 1200, 22203-4129 · Arlington, VATax-exempt since Oct 1992Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Special Operations Fund (the "Fund") is a nonprofit organization that provides educational grants and support to the families of special mission unit warriors killed in action, killed in training, died in the line of duty, suicide, and Medal of Honor recipients. We also support the families of current and veteran special mission units' warriors with merit scholarships and other educational opportunities and programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$115K 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

FY2021 · 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $725K a year · 30% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$115K
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
Cash reserves
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 10.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $50K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$172K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
23
of 23 voting members
Looks good: 23 of 23 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.9M
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$11.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.9M
FY2021▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$3.6M
FY2025$2.9M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2021▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$2.2M
Net assets
$11.6M
FY2021▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.1M
FY2021$11.6M
FY2022$10.2M
FY2023$11.6M
FY2024$13.0M
FY2025$14.8M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1992.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $1.2M Management & general 12% · $165K Fundraising 1% · $11K

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

24 people listed on the 990; $115K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$115,000Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman/Founder Emeritus
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President Emeritus
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Becki Chambers’s $101K as Executive Director is at the 32nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Susan Grant$76,350$68,000$90,417$120,000$115,000$115,000
Becki Chambers$101,000$95,000$82,053———
Ginny Owen$8,450$8,450————

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports families of fallen or severely wounded special operations service members.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Financial assistance provided for the secondary education of children and spouses of deceased members of the special operation units of the armed forces and financial assistance provided for the welfare of severely wounded special operations personnel.

$1.2Mprogram 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 1 funder$50K
Grants paid · 43 grants · $8.5M · 2020–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$1,385,838
Vigilant Torch FoundationVA · FY2025$50,000
Unit Scholarship Fund INCNC · FY2025$50,000
Rangers Scholarship Fund INCGA · FY2025$50,000
The AssociationNC · FY2025$20,000
Mayo Clinic ArizonaMN · FY2025$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,316,919
Vigilant Torch FoundationVA · FY2024$60,000
Unit Scholarship Fund INCNC · FY2024$50,000
Rangers Scholarship Fund INCGA · FY2024$50,000
Mayo Clinic ArizonaMN · FY2024$20,000
The AssociationNC · FY2024$12,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,056,944
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,056,944
Vigilant Torch FoundationVA · FY2023$50,000
See all 43 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$696K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$165K
Fundraisingcol D$11K
Owns and owesPt X
$11.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$11.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$172K
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a23
IndependentVI 1b23
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$21K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$30K
Investment incomeLn 3$696K
Gains on assetsLn 7$216K
Total revenueLn 12$1.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$0
SavingsLn 2$1.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Other assetsLn 15$13K
Total assetsLn 16$11.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$172K
Net assetsLn 32$11.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$795K$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$9.0M$10.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$10.2M$11.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$58K$172K
Net assetsLn 32$10.1M$11.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$95K$95K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$852K$852K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$115K$83K$32K$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$35K$33K$2K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$24K$18K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$15K$11K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$12K$9K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$74K$74K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$52K$19K$33K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$11K$6K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$30K$23K$7K
TravelLn 17$17K$11K$6K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$12K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$1K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$10K$8K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.2M$165K$11K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.9M$2.2M$718K$14.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.6M$2.1M$1.5M$13.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.9M$1.8M$80K$11.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.7M$1.5M$227K$10.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $1.9M$1.4M$558K$11.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.3M$1.1M$1.3M$10.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,914,205 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,026,464$1,218,192
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $321,050$696,013
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,347,514$1,914,205
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $746,573$947,085
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $179,019$200,655
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $146,805$208,932
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,072,397$1,356,672
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,275,117$557,533
Part VI · Governance 23 of 23 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body23
VI-1b Independent voting members23
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,914,205 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$20,832
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,197,360
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$29,823
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,218,192
VIII-3 Investment income$479,946
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$216,067
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenue$1,914,205
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,356,672 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $95,000$95,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $852,085$852,085
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $82,800 · Management $32,200 · Fundraising $0$115,000
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $32,942 · Management $2,480$35,422
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $18,467 · Management $5,533$24,000
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $11,331 · Management $3,395$14,726
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,855 · Management $2,652$11,507
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $74,461$74,461
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $18,740 · Management $32,760$51,500
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,560 · Fundraising $5,560$11,120
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $23,084 · Management $6,916$30,000
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,172 · Fundraising $5,600$16,772
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $12,447$12,447
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,200$1,200
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,094$1,094
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $7,747 · Management $2,591$10,338
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,180,230 · Management $165,282 · Fundraising $11,160$1,356,672
Part X · Balance sheet $11,733,134 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $0$0
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $795,156$1,163,081
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $342,000$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 $1,916$2,205
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $9,035,191$10,555,339
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 $15,509$12,509
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,189,772$11,733,134
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $36,678$172,173
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 $57,510$172,173
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $9,977,319$11,411,634
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $154,943$149,327
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $10,132,262$11,560,961
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,189,772$11,733,134
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $11,560,961 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,914,205
XI-2 Total expenses$1,356,672
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$557,533
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$10,132,262
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$871,166
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$11,560,961

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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