Young Life
Young Life reported $556.3 million in revenue and $535.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.85 went to program services, $8.54 to management and general costs and $6.61 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 83.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $708,001 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 197 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 62% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $536MFor context, the median across 212 covered youth development charities: $83.69 programs, $11.78 management, $4.53 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $556M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$82.55 $464M
- Program service revenue$17.03 $96M
- Investment income$0.42 $2.3M
Other revenue was negative: −$6.1M. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.8% | 82.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.5% | 11.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.6% | 4.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.07 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 83.5% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 5.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 17.2% | 6.6% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $708,001 | $274,234 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.13% | 1.76% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 197 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.9 | 15.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 25 of 26 | 100.0% |
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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseField minstry provides weekly club meetings and small group bible studies around the world with the assistance of 76,317 active volunteer leaders and community advisors. Young Life ministers to midddle school, high school and college students each year
Week-long summer camps and school season weekend camps and activities are offered to students each year. Young Life owns and operates 25 world class camping facilites and runs 7 more seasonal camping opportunites through affiliate camping relationships. A total of 134,033 campers and guests were served
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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, 40.00 hrs/week | $539,510 | $0 | $168,491 | $708,001 |
| GROUP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $252,229 | $0 | $161,977 | $414,206 |
| SVP GLOBAL CITIES INITIATIVE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $265,320 | $0 | $141,372 | $406,692 |
| FIELD SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $228,624 | $0 | $152,089 | $380,713 |
| GROUP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $253,402 | $0 | $112,641 | $366,043 |
| FIELD SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $305,246 | $0 | $26,664 | $331,910 |
| FIELD SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $230,914 | $0 | $85,529 | $316,443 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $153,620 | $0 | $156,135 | $309,755 |
197 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Young Life (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.2M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · 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–1b26 · 25 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 56,248
- Volunteers Part I, line 676,317
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| AVAAP USA LLC Consulting | $2,317,392 |
| WD MARKET DESK LLC Consulting | $2,274,801 |
| SHIFT PARADIGM Consulting | $579,089 |
| AQUA POOLS GROUP LLC Pool construction and rennovation | $366,711 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 28 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
34 private foundations reported grants to Young Life totaling $776K 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 Young 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 Young Life, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Young Life spent in FY2025, $84.85 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Boy Scouts of AmericaIrving, TX · revenue $330M · programs 79.7% · 2024
- Child CARE Resource CenterChatsworth, CA · revenue $775M · programs 92.9% · FY2025
- Fellowship of Christian AthletesKansas City, MO · revenue $262M · programs 82.6% · FY2025
- Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaAtlanta, GA · revenue $230M · programs 86.2% · 2024
- Girl Scouts of the United States of AmericaNew York, NY · revenue $149M · programs 88.9% · FY2025
All youth development charities · Largest charities in Colorado
Questions people ask
How much of Young Life's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Young Life reported that 84.8% of its $535.8 million in expenses went to program services, 8.5% to management and general and 6.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Young Life pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Young Life reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $708,001, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Young Life get its money?
Of $556.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 83.5% came from contributions and grants and 17.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Young Life a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 84-0385934 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, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202630449349302178 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202511959349301701 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202420449349301822 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202320459349302027 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202240419349300634 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202140479349301564 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 84-0385934: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.