Ministry Spotlight: TCM International Institute
Organization classified as a church does not make its 990s or audited financials public
This month, TCM International Institute’s Transparency Grade fell from a C to a D. The organization does not file a Form 990 or make its audited financials available to the public.
According to TCM’s Guidestar profile, its IRS classification is “a church.”
The organization’s website states that TCM exists to develop “Christian leaders for significant service through higher learning.” Its strategy is to come “alongside Christians who are leading in their own countries and have a passion for reaching their people for Christ. Through our institute we can develop a Christian leader for a fraction of the cost it would take to send a U.S. missionary to that same country.”
Because of its IRS “church” tax status, TCM is not required to file a Form 990. According to Ken Flora, TCM’s vice president of Ministry Services, “There has been no change to this status for at least the last 50 years.”
In order to have a higher transparency grade and donor confidence score, MinistryWatch takes the position that ministries should complete and file a Form 990.
In a recent article, Ministry Watch president Warren Cole Smith explained the reasons for this position, noting that a Form 990 “includes such information as annual revenue, salaries of key employees, names of board members and large contractors, and the amount of money the organization spends on its core mission. It also provides details on how much an organization spends on administrative and fundraising. This information is valuable to donors wanting to assess the effectiveness of a ministry.”
Flora told MinistryWatch that “TCM is a member of ECFA and provides a copy of its most recent audited financial statements upon written request.”
According to its 2024 Audited Financial Statement, the organization had a revenue of $3.95 million, and expenses were $3.96 million. It also has $9 million in net assets.
MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 51 (out of a possible 100) “Exercise Caution”
MinistryWatch Financial Efficiency Rating: 0 Stars (out of a possible 5 Stars)
MinistryWatch Transparency Grade: D
Revenue in Most Recent Year Available (From Audited Financial Statement): $3,952,386
Five-Year Revenue Trend: N/A
Percent of Revenue TCM International Institute Spends on Fundraising: N/A
Percent Peer Group Spends on Fundraising: N/A
CEO/President: Tony Twist
President’s Salary and Other Compensation: Organization does not make this public.
A complete MinistryWatch profile for TCM International Institute can be found here.
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