The Ad Fontes mission is to glorify god by assisting christian parents in equipping their children to be servant leaders through a classical education based on eternal biblical truth.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 55 volunteers and 54 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 $180K a year · 6% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$122K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.7 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $51K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$522K
37% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 37% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.1M
-7% vs prior year
Spent
$2.8M
To programs
91%
Net assets
$887K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.1M
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$3.2M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$2.9M
FY2024$3.3M
FY2025$3.1M
Expenses
$2.8M
FY2025▼ -1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$3.1M
FY2023$2.9M
FY2024$2.8M
FY2025$2.8M
Net assets
$887K
FY2025▲ +43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$195K
FY2021$248K
FY2022$134K
FY2023$141K
FY2024$620K
FY2025$887K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 1998.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $2.6M Management & general 7% · $204K Fundraising 2% · $44K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $122K 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
Former Head
$62,500Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Scho
$59,975Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Josh McCroskey’s $62K as Former Head is at the 11th 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joshua McCroskey—$125,000$77,500———
Dean Luckenbaugh———$54,226$117,345$118,360
Josh McCroskey$62,500—————
Karen Dougherty$59,975—————
Beth Strachan——$46,200$6,000——
Richard Leed——$35,000———
Sam Cox——$10,000$21,700$5,500—

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 Ad Fontes Educational Trust executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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

Funds Christian education programs and operates a Christian school.

Questions for Ad Fontes Educational Trust

Tap to ask. Ad Fontes Educational Trust sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Ad Fontes Educational Trust answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Since 1996, ad fontes educational trust (afet) has operated ad fontes academy which is a kindergarten through 12TH grade independent school. The school is an accredited classical christian school that provides a full time robust academic program in a christ-centered community.

$2.6Mprogram 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 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$249K
Investment incomeLn 3$117K
Money outPt IX
$2.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$204K
Fundraisingcol D$44K
Owns and owesPt X
$887K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$627K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$522K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$249K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$18K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$117K
Other incomeLn 4–11$14K
Total revenueLn 12$3.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$627K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$627K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$757K
Other assetsLn 15$4K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$522K
Net assetsLn 32$887K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 554
VolunteersI 655
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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$148K$627K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$772K$757K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M$1.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$719K$522K
Net assetsLn 32$620K$887K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$435K$435K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$104K$47K$47K$10K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.5M$1.4M$67K$7K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$52K$49K$2K$260
Payroll taxesLn 10$120K$110K$9K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$13K$13K
Office expensesLn 13$155K$106K$33K$16K
Information technologyLn 14$22K$22K
OccupancyLn 16$194K$194K
InterestLn 20$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$64K$64K
InsuranceLn 23$19K$19K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$140K$131K$9K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.8M$2.6M$204K$44K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.1M$2.8M$267K$887K 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.3M$2.8M$479K$620K 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.9M$2.9M$6K$141K 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.0M$3.1M−$113K$134K 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.2M$2.8M$443K$248K 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.5M$2.5M−$3K−$195K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

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 $3,074,809 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $245,803$249,253
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,668,318$2,694,279
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $18$116,937
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $409,094$14,340
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,323,233$3,074,809
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $437,018$435,155
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,627,000$1,754,574
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $780,328$617,838
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,844,346$2,807,567
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $478,887$267,242
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,074,809 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$249,253
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$17,645
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$249,253
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,694,279$2,694,279
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $116,937$116,937
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $14,340$14,340
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,708,619 · Excluded from tax $116,937$3,074,809
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,807,567 across 15 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $435,155$435,155
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $46,800 · Management $46,800 · Fundraising $10,400$104,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,404,763 · Management $66,541 · Fundraising $7,393$1,478,697
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $49,358 · Management $2,338 · Fundraising $260$51,956
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $109,985 · Management $8,588 · Fundraising $1,348$119,921
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,245$2,245
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $4,120$4,120
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $13,425$13,425
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $106,059 · Management $32,857 · Fundraising $15,624$154,540
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $21,516$21,516
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $193,956$193,956
IX-20 InterestPrograms $4,488$4,488
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $64,223$64,223
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $19,341$19,341
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $130,672 · Fundraising $9,312$139,984
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,558,884 · Management $204,346 · Fundraising $44,337$2,807,567
Part X · Balance sheet $1,409,376 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $148,052$626,560
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $412,338$22,370
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $771,982$756,616
X-15 Other assets$3,830
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,339,181$1,409,376
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $145,743$13,083
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $321,508$341,613
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $252,134$167,348
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $719,385$522,044
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $619,796$887,332
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $619,796$887,332
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,339,181$1,409,376
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $887,332 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,074,809
XI-2 Total expenses$2,807,567
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$267,242
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$619,796
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$294
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$887,332

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.