Ministry Spotlight: American Family Association

Organization no longer makes Form 990s public, IRS status has changed to “a church”

A number of MinistryWatch ratings for the American Family Association (AFA) changed this week. The organization’s Donor Confidence Score dropped from a 75 to a 55, and its overall ministry rating fell from a 4-Star rating to 0 Stars.

American Family Association headquarters / Video screenshot @AFA

Many of these shifts are due to the fact that the organization no longer makes its Form 990s available to the public. According to its Guidestar profile, AFA is now classified as a “church” with the IRS.

According to AFA’s website, it seeks to be a “leading organization in biblical worldview training,” and its mission is to “inform, equip, and activate individuals and families to transform American culture and to give aid to the church.”

AFA joins a growing number of Christian nonprofits who have petitioned the IRS to reclassify its tax status to a church. This reclassification keeps donors from being able to see key financial information about a nonprofit, including salaries of key employees and a breakdown of what the organization spends on its core mission initiatives.

The organization does make its 2023 Audited Financial report available to the public.

According to its limited ECFA profile, in 2023 the organization had a revenue of $25 million. In 2021—the last Form 990 data MinistryWatch has from the organization—its revenue was $31 million. As its revenue has gone down over the last three years, its expenses have risen from $19 million to $22.9 million.

In 2021, the organization also had $45.6 million in net assets. Since then it has grown to $51.2 million.

When asked why the organization petitioned the IRS to change its tax status, and about the drop in revenue, AFA declined to comment with the following response: “Thanks for your request to speak with someone at AFA. Unfortunately, AFA is unable to interview at this time, but thank you for reaching out!”

MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 55 (out of a possible 100) “Exercise Caution”

MinistryWatch Financial Efficiency Rating: 0 Stars (out of a possible 5 Stars)

MinistryWatch Transparency Grade: C

Revenue in Most Recent Year Available (from ECFA profile): $25,048,790

Five-Year Revenue Trend: Increasing (by 16%)

Percent of Revenue American Family Association Spends on Fundraising (2021): 4%

Percent Peer Group Spends on Fundraising: 7%

CEO/President: Tim Wildmon

President’s Salary and Other Compensation (2021): $216,065

A complete MinistryWatch profile for the American Family Association can be found here.

Find recent MinistryWatch articles mentioning the American Family Association here.

TO OUR READERS: Do you have a story idea, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? Please email us: [email protected]

Access to MinistryWatch content is free.  However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts.  To make a donation, click here.