Researching Non-Profits Using guidestar.com

It is possible to do research on non-profit organizations on-line and fairly easily. If the non-profit files a 990 tax return it may be available at guidestar.org.

Example #1 - Hank Hanegraaff and CRI

For instance, you can pull up the 990 forms for the Christian Research Institute for the past few years and find out how much the President Hank Hanegraaff was paid in salary (In 2003 he made 199,001 and his wife Kathy Hanegraaff made 124,500 for working part-time - for a grand total of $323,501). And who says religion doesn't pay?

Researching churches

Churches have much less information available since they are not required to file a 990 on their contributions/expenses. Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa does file a return but only for the profit making portion of their business. CCCM's form shows some interesting, incidental information such as the value of their property (about $20,000,000).