Nonprofit · EIN 82-0541197
CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC
Also known as CHILDREN IN CHRIST
Tax-exempt · OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73116
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2025 | 990 | $993,840 | $862,553 | $131,287 | $762,295 | $701 | $761,594 |
| September 30, 2024 | 990 | $892,966 | $890,653 | $2,313 | $635,658 | $5,351 | $630,307 |
| September 30, 2023 | 990 | $841,963 | $899,051 | -$57,088 | $631,744 | $3,750 | $627,994 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $980,624
- Program service revenue
- $1,615
- Investment income
- $11,601
- Net gain from sales of assets
- $760
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $725,927
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $55,000
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $64,208
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $14,561
- Travel
- $512
- Program services (functional)
- $807,133
- Management and general (functional)
- $30,539
- Fundraising (functional)
- $24,881
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $635,658
- Total assets, end of year
- $762,295
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $701
- Net assets, end of year
- $761,594
- Publicly traded securities
- $327,095
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $761,594
- Gross receipts
- $1,003,135
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 20,803
- Year formed
- 2002
- State of legal domicile
- OK
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Saunders | Treasurer Officer | 40 | $55,000 | $5,000 |
| Tim Andrews | Director Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Jennifer Merryman | President and CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $0 | $0 |
| Scott Zimmerman | Director Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Frank Williams | Secretary and Board Chairman Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2024: 6 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Saunders | Treasurer Officer | 40 | $55,000 | $5,000 |
| Scott Zimmerman | Director Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Tim Andrews | Director Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Tayo Fagbenro | Director Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Frank Williams | Secretary and Board Chairman Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Jennifer Merryman | President and CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2023: 7 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Saunders | Treasurer Officer | 40 | $40,000 | $5,000 |
| Scott Zimmerman | Director Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Tayo Fagbenro | Director Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Terry Andrews | Director and Founder Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Tim Andrews | Director Trustee or director | 0.01 | $0 | $0 |
| Frank Williams | Secretary and Board Chairman Trustee or director, Officer | 0.05 | $0 | $0 |
| Jennifer Merryman | President and CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 6608 N WESTERN AVE, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73116-7326
- In care of
- % JENNIFER MERRYMAN
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- Jennifer Merryman, 50 Wing Road, North Falmouth, MA 02556
- Signed the 990
- JENNIFER MERRYMAN, President
- Phone
- (918) 607-9026
- Website
- www.childrenic.org
- Return prepared by
- Elevate Accounting and Advisory LLC
Mission
Called to go to challenging places and unreached people. Children in Christ inspires, equips and mobilizes a God-grown indigenous ministry from local church to broader communities that values children, ministers Gods love to them, matures them in Christ and empowers them.
Program accomplishments
- During FY25, Children of Character, Inc., dba Children in Christ (the Organization), a 501(c)(3) public charity, delivered childrens discipleship clubs through indigenous volunteers across 27 Sub-Saharan African countries. Operations were affected by escalated political instability and terrorism in several countries. The Organization adapted by expanding programming through schools, churches, and house churches where feasible. In FY25, the Organization launched a three-year physical field audit initiative, beginning with a conservative club-count reset, reporting only clubs that were physically verified by pastors, community members, or staff. Based on the above, the Organization reached and discipled over 138,000 children, with over 10,000,000 child-hours of discipleship. Program average cost was less than $7 USD per child per year, due to indigenous volunteer leadership, African contributions, no buildings, and a pro bono U.S.-based CEO.Expenses $484,280
- Children in Christ inspires, equips and empowers children and youth (ages 9-18) to lead effectively as positive, healthy role models and servant leaders in 3 ways: (1) Weekly and monthly youth leadership discipleship meetings (2) 5-day child and youth leadership trainings (3) Equipped and empowered active leadership roles within CIC club ministry and peer trainings.Expenses $242,140
- Children in Christ inspires, equips and trains indigenous African church leaders and lay ministry volunteers in the importance of children and how to minister to them effectively. We train pastors and churches to understand that childen, who are 48% of the poplulation in Africa, are very important to God and shoud be very important to the church as well. Additionally, CIC emphasizes the importance of the local church reaching the unchurched childen and ministering Gods love to them. CIC provides interested pastors and churches with 5 days of childrens ministry vision and ministry trainings so that those churches can establish ministry to unchurched children in their proximate regions through childrens weekly clubs. In FY25, CIC inspired and mobilized indigenous ministry volunteers to minister in these clubs. Total participants trained in FY25 were 6,272 in which 838 pastors were trained and equipped for the ministry. 761 training events were held.Expenses $80,713
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 30, 2026 | February 16, 2027 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | September 30, 2025 | February 17, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | September 30, 2024 | February 18, 2025 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 82-0541197
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2002
- Accounting year ends
- September
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Religion-related (X21)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $762,295
- Income (IRS master file)
- $1,003,135
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | September 2025 | $993,840 | $862,553 | $762,295 | XML |
| 990 | September 2024 | $892,966 | $890,653 | $635,658 | XML |
| 990 | September 2023 | $841,963 | $899,051 | $631,744 | XML |
| 990 | September 2022 | $1,107,671 | $1,040,359 | $685,082 | IRS |
| 990 | September 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 82-0541197).
Questions about CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC
- What is the EIN of CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC is 82-0541197.
- Is CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2002.
- Are donations to CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC?
- The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 names Jennifer Merryman.
- Who are the officers and directors of CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC?
- The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 lists 5 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $55,000 (James Saunders, Treasurer).
- How much revenue does CHILDREN OF CHARACTER INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $993,840, expenses of $862,553 and total assets of $762,295 at year end.
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