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.
$189K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · 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 $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
103%
of spending
Looks good: 103% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$189K
to officers and key staff · 26% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 26% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.7 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
$155K
7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 7% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$970K
Spent
$738K
To programs
103%
Net assets
$1.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$970K
FY2020
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
$738K
FY2020
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
$1.9M
FY2020
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 FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
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 Dec 1994.

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

Where the money goes

103 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 103% · $761K Management & general 4% · $32K

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

26 people listed on the 990; $189K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
$65,453Pt VII · Sec A
$65,453Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Dir.
$28,925Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Dir.
$28,925Pt VII · Sec A
2nd Vice Presid
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$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 →

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

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

Questions for Challenge Alaska

Tap to ask. Challenge Alaska sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Challenge Alaska answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

4 programs · $1.5M · in their own filed words · FY2019
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 disabilities and providing training, education and support to agencies, businesses, hospitals and school districts in…

$449Kprogram expense
02

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 disabilities and providing training, education and support to agencies, businesses, hospitals and school districts in…

$449Kprogram expense
03

Adaptive Ski and Snowboard School The Organization operates an adaptive ski and snowboard school from its facility located adjacent to Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska. Operations include a full-service rental shop carrying the most updated adaptive equipment available and lessons for school-aged children through adults for all ability…

$311Kprogram expense
04

Adaptive Ski and Snowboard School The Organization operates an adaptive ski and snowboard school from its facility located adjacent to Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska. Operations include a full-service rental shop carrying the most updated adaptive equipment available and lessons for school-aged children through adults for all ability…

$256Kprogram 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 FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$970K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$646K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$174K
Other incomeLn 4–11$149K
Money outPt IX
$738K
Ln 25
Programscol B$761K
Managementcol C$32K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$287K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$155K
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$646K
Government grantsLn 1e$87K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$174K
Investment incomeLn 3$24
Other incomeLn 4–11$149K
Total revenueLn 12$970K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$287K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$155K
Net assetsLn 32$1.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 6390
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $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 Viewing $970K$738K$232K$1.9M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (1 part)
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 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.