The Christian Broadcasting Network INC

Tax-deductible

Virginia Bch, VA501(c)(3)Since 1960ReligionEIN 54-0678752

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Cbn's mission is preaching the gospel of jesus christ into all the world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$3.9M 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
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $21.9M a year · 7% 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
$3.9M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 72% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Named funders
3
named funders · $56K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$32.8M
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$282.4M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$267.5M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$234.8M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$282.4M
FY2025▼ -6%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$313.1M
FY2022$317.9M
FY2023$294.7M
FY2024$300.1M
FY2025$282.4M
Expenses
$267.5M
FY2025▼ -6%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$269.6M
FY2022$282.7M
FY2023$295.3M
FY2024$283.4M
FY2025$267.5M
Net assets
$234.8M
FY2025▲ +8%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$167.4M
FY2022$201.4M
FY2023$200.4M
FY2024$218.3M
FY2025$234.8M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 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 Dec 1961.

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% · $217.6M Management & general 6% · $16.5M Fundraising 12% · $33.3M

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; $3.9M 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
Chairman / CEO / President
$582,155Pt VII · Sec A
$356,359Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President / CFO
$299,367Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$286,036Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$274,377Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$272,661Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$272,625Pt VII · Sec A
VP / Secretary
$229,975Pt VII · Sec A

Gordon P Robertson’s $582K as Chairman / CEO / President is at the 72nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 18 $100M+ religion 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021
Gordon P Robertson$582,155$586,559$579,434$601,136
Terry Meeuwsen$356,359$398,638$341,115$286,395
James R Barr JR$299,367$278,315$299,983$246,593
Marvin B Edwards$286,036$265,903$233,766$249,783
David K Griffith$272,625$270,962$271,739$277,662
Michael Stonecypher$274,377$260,972$233,896$250,521
Robert L Allman$272,661$256,860$225,493$240,262
Edie L Wasserberg—$120,305$137,755$264,836

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 The Christian Broadcasting Network INC executive salaries →

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Programs and updates

Preaches the Christian gospel globally through television, social media, and a 24-hour telephone prayer center offering biblical literature, spiritual counseling, and ministry outreach.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $205.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

International Outreach

In 2024 CBN produced programming and other content in 90 different languages, and broadcast programs to audiences in 174 countries and territories. Since inception, CBN has worked in 164 foreign languages and dialects. See schedule o for more details.

$103.0Mprogram expense
02

Domestic production and airing of christian television programming, internet and radio: the 700 club, a live television program that airs weekdays from CBN broadcast facilities, is the primary program used by CBN to preach the gospel of jesus christ.

$86.5Mprogram expense
03

The prayer center is a department of CBN that provides scripture based prayer, biblical literature, account service, and product orders to people through CBN'S telephone prayer line and digital channels. It also performs outbound calling for ministry and fundraising purposes.

$15.5Mprogram 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 3 funders$56K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 101 grants · $40.4M · 2020–2023
Unitemized GrantFY2023$757,112
Regent UniversityVA · FY2023$274,720
Kenneth Copeland MinistriesTX · FY2023$100,000
Shield of Faith MissionsFL · FY2023$80,000
Mercy Chefs INCVA · FY2023$50,000
Loom InternationalOR · FY2023$35,598
NeighborhoodVA · FY2023$30,200
The Union MissionVA · FY2023$25,000
Oral Roberts UniversityOK · FY2023$25,000
Christian Mens NetworkTX · FY2023$25,000
Christ for the NationsTX · FY2023$25,000
FreekindVA · FY2023$24,000
New City FellowshipMO · FY2023$21,000
See all 101 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$282.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$205.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$77.1M
Money outPt IX
$267.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$217.6M
Managementcol C$16.5M
Fundraisingcol D$33.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$234.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Total assetsLn 16$267.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$32.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$205.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$77.1M
Total revenueLn 12$282.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Total assetsLn 16$267.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$32.8M
Net assetsLn 32$234.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51,250
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $282.4M$267.5M$14.9M$234.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $300.1M$283.4M$16.7M$218.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $294.7M$295.3M−$617K$200.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $317.9M$282.7M$35.2M$201.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $313.1M$269.6M$43.5M$167.4M 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

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

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