We DO adventure with a purpose. We strive to invest in character formation and leadership development in the lives of youth and families. We accomplish this by utilizing the tools of adventure, small groups and changed environments.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$66K 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

FY2020 · 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $93K a year · 9% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$66K
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
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $3K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$228K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$938K
Spent
$816K
To programs
90%
Net assets
$1.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$938K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$938K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$947K
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.3M
Expenses
$816K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$816K
FY2021$951K
FY2022$930K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.2M
Net assets
$1.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.6M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Mar 2002.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $738K Management & general 10% · $78K

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; $66K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$65,500Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Ex Officio
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Brian Meaden’s $89K as Executive Director is at the 41st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1636 $1–10M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Brian Meaden$89,200$78,000$69,775$64,865$65,900$65,500

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.

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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

Builds character and leadership in youth and families through adventure and changed environments.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $738K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Retreat Groups

Proclaiming the gospel of jesus christ to each group. Bighorn ministries uses the outdoor environment, high adventure activities, small group experiences, and discipleship principles to facilitate family and individual health.

$373Kprogram expense
02

Youth and Family Summer Camps

Our summer camps build character in young people. We utilize the tool of outdoor adventure, bringing youth into a new environment where they can ask questions about life and faith. We point towards god's word, incorporating into our activities a curriculum that helps youth grow in their faith and understanding what it means to be a godly…

$258Kprogram expense
03

Venture Troubled Youth Expeditions

Venture expeditions for struggling youth are designed to take both students and staff out of their comfort zones in order to build community and growth. Real life experiences on the river or in the wild act as life lessons and are facilitated to help participants gain a better understanding of themselves, their morals, values, and life…

$107Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$3K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$938K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$682K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$178K
Other incomeLn 4–11$75K
Money outPt IX
$816K
Ln 25
Programscol B$738K
Managementcol C$78K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$493K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$228K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$682K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$178K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Other incomeLn 4–11$75K
Total revenueLn 12$938K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$169K
SavingsLn 2$324K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$493K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$743K
Other assetsLn 15$176K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$228K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 532
VolunteersI 657
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$320K$493K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$782K$743K
Total assetsLn 16$1.1M$1.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$46K$228K
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M$1.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$66K$60K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$385K$354K$31K
Payroll taxesLn 10$35K$32K$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$274$274
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$18K$7K$10K
OccupancyLn 16$46K$41K$5K
TravelLn 17$1K$340$793
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$15K$15K
InterestLn 20$1K$1K$153
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$45K$36K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$43K$39K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$141K$137K$5K
All other expensesLn 24e$15K$14K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$816K$738K$78K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.3M$1.2M$156K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.2M$1.1M$111K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $947K$1.0M−$55K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.0M$930K$77K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$951K$144K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $938K$816K$122K$1.2M 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $938,199 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $676,816$682,233
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $280,915$178,269
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,499$2,951
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $35,593$74,746
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $994,823$938,199
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 $460,625$485,173
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $324,578$331,161
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $785,203$816,334
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $209,620$121,865
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
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 $938,199 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $16,609 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$682,233
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$682,233
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $178,269$178,269
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,951$2,951
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $58,137$58,137
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $178,269 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $77,697$938,199
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $816,334 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $60,260 · Management $5,240$65,500
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $354,163 · Management $30,797$384,960
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $31,936 · Management $2,777$34,713
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $274$274
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,800$3,800
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,072$2,072
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,430 · Management $10,261$17,691
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,523 · Management $5,009$45,532
IX-17 TravelPrograms $340 · Management $793$1,133
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $15,202$15,202
IX-20 InterestPrograms $1,237 · Management $153$1,390
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $35,734 · Management $8,934$44,668
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $38,533 · Management $4,281$42,814
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $136,672 · Management $4,748$141,420
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,772 · Management $1,393$15,165
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $737,874 · Management $78,460 · Fundraising $0$816,334
Part X · Balance sheet $1,412,722 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $107,996$169,195
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $212,048$324,140
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $782,345$743,066
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $6,570$176,321
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,108,959$1,412,722
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$187,400
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $12,760$13,412
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $46,355$228,253
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $896,595$1,127,417
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $166,009$57,052
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,062,604$1,184,469
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,108,959$1,412,722
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,184,469 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$938,199
XI-2 Total expenses$816,334
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$121,865
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,062,604
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,184,469

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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