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.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$125K 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

FY2024 · 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
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$125K
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
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.6 months of spending in cash; under 1.
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
$719K
54% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 54% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.3M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$2.8M
To programs
92%
Net assets
$620K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.3M
FY2024▲ +16%
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
FY2024-0.3%
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
$620K
FY2024▲ +340%
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 FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Nov 1998.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $2.6M Management & general 7% · $210K Fundraising 1% · $27K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $125K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Head of School
$125,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$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 →

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Funds Christian education programs and operates a Christian school.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Support christian based education programs, including operation of a k-12 school, which provided a christian based education to 179 students for the 2023/2024 school year.

$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 FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.3M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$409K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$246K
Money outPt IX
$2.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$210K
Fundraisingcol D$27K
Owns and owesPt X
$620K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$148K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$719K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$246K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$18
Other incomeLn 4–11$409K
Total revenueLn 12$3.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$148K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$148K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$772K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$719K
Net assetsLn 32$620K
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$77K$148K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$828K$772K
Total assetsLn 16$914K$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$774K$719K
Net assetsLn 32$141K$620K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$437K$437K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$125K$25K$88K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$1.3M$39K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$66K$60K$6K$848
Payroll taxesLn 10$113K$102K$10K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$62K$62K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$15K$15K
Office expensesLn 13$177K$176K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$5K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$203K$203K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8K$8K
InterestLn 20$12K$12K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$57K$57K
InsuranceLn 23$21K$21K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$214K$214K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.8M$2.6M$210K$27K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3.1M$2.8M$267K$887K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $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

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,323,233 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $200,491$245,803
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,657,464$2,668,318
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6$18
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $276$409,094
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,858,237$3,323,233
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $445,182$437,018
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,659,094$1,627,000
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $747,491$780,328
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,851,767$2,844,346
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $6,470$478,887
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $3,323,233 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$245,803
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$245,803
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,668,318$2,668,318
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $18$18
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $409,094$409,094
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,077,412 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $18$3,323,233
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,844,346 across 17 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $437,018$437,018
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $25,000 · Management $87,500 · Fundraising $12,500$125,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,277,237 · Management $39,164 · Fundraising $6,381$1,322,782
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $59,989 · Management $5,626 · Fundraising $848$66,463
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $101,771 · Management $9,545 · Fundraising $1,439$112,755
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,151$2,151
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $4,150$4,150
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $61,867$61,867
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $15,106$15,106
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $175,929 · Fundraising $1,298$177,227
IX-14 Information technologyFundraising $4,645$4,645
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $203,029$203,029
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $8,500$8,500
IX-20 InterestPrograms $12,405$12,405
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $56,813$56,813
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $20,653$20,653
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $213,782$213,782
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,607,232 · Management $210,003 · Fundraising $27,111$2,844,346
Part X · Balance sheet $1,339,181 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $76,647$148,052
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,220$412,338
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $827,627$771,982
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $7,977$6,809
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $914,471$1,339,181
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $73,492$145,743
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $434,052$321,508
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $266,018$252,134
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $773,562$719,385
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $140,909$619,796
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $140,909$619,796
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $914,471$1,339,181
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $619,796 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,323,233
XI-2 Total expenses$2,844,346
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$478,887
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$140,909
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$619,796

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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