Challenge Alaska improves the lives of people with disabilities, their families, and the community through adaptive sports, therapeutic recreation, and education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 390 volunteers and 19 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $158K a year · 12% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$114K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $80K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$635K
19% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 19% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.5M
-17% vs prior year
Spent
$1.8M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$2.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2025▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$970K
FY2021$798K
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$1.5M
Expenses
$1.8M
FY2025▲ +18%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$738K
FY2021$764K
FY2022$985K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.8M
Net assets
$2.6M
FY2025▼ -10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.9M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$2.4M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.9M
FY2025$2.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 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 1994.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $1.7M Management & general 4% · $77K Fundraising 2% · $31K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $114K 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
Executive Dir.
$114,422Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
James N Boltz$114,422$106,704$100,121$79,852——
James Nathan Boltz————$89,000$28,925
Elizabeth Edmands-Merritt—————$65,453

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 Challenge Alaska 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Improves lives through adaptive sports, recreation, and education for people with disabilities.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Therapeutic Recreation

The organization operates a therapeutic recreation program designed to create an inclusive community through sports, recreation and education. Activities include direct services to individuals with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities, as well as providing training, education and support to agencies, businesses…

$1.0Mprogram expense
02

Adaptive Ski School

The organization operates an adaptive ski and snowboard school in the winter season from its facility located in Girdwood Alaska adjacent to the largest ski resort in the state, Alyeska Resort.

$653Kprogram 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 2 funders$80K
Grants paid · 6 grants · $222K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$49,949
Unitemized GrantFY2023$38,051
Unitemized GrantFY2021$36,233
Unitemized GrantFY2020$21,000
Unitemized GrantFY2019$38,291
Unitemized GrantFY2019$38,291

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$775K
Other incomeLn 4–11$349K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$334K
Money outPt IX
$1.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$77K
Fundraisingcol D$31K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$3.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$635K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$775K
Government grantsLn 1e$8K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$328K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$334K
Investment incomeLn 3$46K
Other incomeLn 4–11$349K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$244K
SavingsLn 2$1.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.5M
Other assetsLn 15$403K
Total assetsLn 16$3.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$635K
Net assetsLn 32$2.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 6390
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$1.3M$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.6M$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$3.5M$3.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$532K$635K
Net assetsLn 32$2.9M$2.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$50K$50K
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$127K$118K$4K$5K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$644K$596K$22K$25K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$30K$28K$1K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$151K$140K$5K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$63K$58K$2K$2K
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$294$69$58$167
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$75K$58K$3K$14K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$114$27$22$65
Office expensesLn 13$8K$7K$791$334
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$222K$191K$22K$9K
TravelLn 17$44K$43K$672$214
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$676$676
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$67K$67K
InsuranceLn 23$65K$63K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$383K$266K$12K$105K
All other expensesLn 24e−$128K$8K$2K−$138K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.8M$1.7M$77K$31K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.5M$1.8M−$297K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.8M$1.5M$294K$2.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.1M$242K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.4M$985K$445K$2.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $798K$764K$34K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $970K$738K$232K$1.9M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,504,132 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,153,380$774,579
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $292,762$334,346
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $55,826$45,979
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $312,489$349,228
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,814,457$1,504,132
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $38,051$49,949
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $861,059$1,015,178
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $621,247$735,810
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,520,357$1,800,937
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $294,100−$296,805
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,504,132 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $277,637 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$328,175
VIII-1e Government grants$8,015
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$438,389
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$774,579
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $334,346$334,346
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $45,979$45,979
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $71,591$71,591
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $334,346 · Unrelated business $277,637 · Excluded from tax $117,570$1,504,132
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,800,937 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $49,949$49,949
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 $117,937 · Management $4,350 · Fundraising $5,002$127,289
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $596,451 · Management $21,999 · Fundraising $25,295$643,745
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $27,662 · Management $1,020 · Fundraising $1,173$29,855
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $140,289 · Management $5,174 · Fundraising $5,950$151,413
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $58,256 · Management $2,149 · Fundraising $2,471$62,876
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $69 · Management $58 · Fundraising $167$294
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $57,506 · Management $3,059 · Fundraising $14,265$74,830
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $27 · Management $22 · Fundraising $65$114
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $6,868 · Management $791 · Fundraising $334$7,993
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $190,539 · Management $21,933 · Fundraising $9,263$221,735
IX-17 TravelPrograms $42,918 · Management $672 · Fundraising $214$43,804
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestManagement $676$676
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $66,635$66,635
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $63,223 · Management $1,407$64,630
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $266,326 · Management $11,791 · Fundraising $105,251$383,368
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $7,767 · Management $2,166 · Fundraising −$138,202−$128,269
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,692,422 · Management $77,267 · Fundraising $31,248$1,800,937
Part X · Balance sheet $3,277,333 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,211$243,736
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,255,511$1,075,490
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $106,488$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $24,441$5,310
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,581,407$1,549,501
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $502,317$403,296
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,471,375$3,277,333
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $106,586$106,402
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $9,612$200,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $416,038$328,837
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $532,236$635,239
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,939,139$2,599,110
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$42,984
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,939,139$2,642,094
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,471,375$3,277,333
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,642,094 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,504,132
XI-2 Total expenses$1,800,937
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$296,805
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,939,139
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$240
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,642,094

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

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