Truth for Life
Truth for Life reported $24.0 million in revenue and $21.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2023. Of every $100 it spent, $86.47 went to program services, $8.98 to management and general costs and $4.55 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $378,645 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% between 2019 and 2023. Source: Form 990, 2023.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2023 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor context, the median across 290 covered religion-related charities: $88.39 programs, $9.62 management, $1.99 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2023 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $24MOther revenue was negative: −$276K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2023 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.5% | 86.0% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.0% | 9.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.6% | 1.9% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.9% | 83.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 2.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $378,645 | $276,040 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.79% | 1.40% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.0 | 12.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 7 | 90.9% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2023 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseTruth for life, the bible-teaching ministry of alistair begg, produces and distributes a daily bible-teaching program to listeners in all major radio markets across the U.S. Through approximately 1,900 radio outlets. Listeners in the U.S. And from around the world can access the program for free online at truthforlife.org, mobile device apps, podcast, through facebook, apple itunes, spotify, youtube, and by way of amazon fire and roku tv. Truth for life is committed to delivering clear, relevant bible-teaching without cost as a barrier and makes alistair's entire teaching archive free online.…
Highest reported compensation
2023 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/CEO Director/trustee, officer, 20.00 hrs/week | $349,895 | $0 | $28,750 | $378,645 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $210,000 | $0 | $48,446 | $258,446 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $120,000 | $0 | $39,066 | $159,066 |
| DIRECTOR OF IT Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $105,000 | $0 | $37,196 | $142,196 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Truth for Life (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $637K (Part IX, line 5).
5 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2023 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b7 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 540
- Volunteers Part I, line 637
Largest outside contractors
2023 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CONTINENTAL BROADBAND LLC Systems development | $113,516 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
26 private foundations reported grants to Truth for Life totaling $247K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Truth for Life's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Truth for Life, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Truth for Life spent in 2023, $86.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Pioneer Bible TranslatorsDallas, TX · revenue $24M · programs 79.1% · 2025
- Altrua MinistriesAustin, TX · revenue $24M · programs 78.9% · 2024
- Interfaith WorksRockville, MD · revenue $24M · programs 89.3% · FY2025
- EWTN NewsIrondale, AL · revenue $24M · programs 90.5% · FY2025
- Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of HoustonHouston, TX · revenue $24M · programs 78.2% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Truth for Life's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2023, Truth for Life reported that 86.5% of its $21.1 million in expenses went to program services, 9.0% to management and general and 4.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Truth for Life pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Truth for Life reported for one person in calendar year 2023 was $378,645, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Truth for Life get its money?
Of $24.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2023, 97.9% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Truth for Life a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-1787585 as a 501(c)(3) organization (church), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202411179349301311 · read the filing · XML
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202321219349300632 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202241179349300214 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202131329349304768 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202031579349301338 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-1787585: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.