Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Desiring God Ministries

EIN 01-0797083 · Minneapolis, MN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AS A CHRISTIAN HEDONISM PUBLISHING PLATFORM, PERSUADED BY THE INDISPENSABLE BIBLICAL REALITY THAT GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED IN US WHEN WE ARE MOST SATISFIED IN HIM, WE EXIST - TO MOVE PEOPLE TO LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, - BY HELPING THEM BE SATISFIED IN GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR SUFFERING, - BY COMMUNICATING THE TRUTH, AND BEAUTY, AND WORTH OF ALL GOD IS FOR US IN CHRIST, - GROUNDED IN, GOVERNED BY, AND SATURATED WITH THE INFALLIBLE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES.

Income
$10.5 million
Spending
$10.4 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
8.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
33
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$289,705, engineer director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $2.8 million spent. SPREADING: DESIRING GOD (DG) DISTRIBUTES OUR TEACHING RESOURCES THROUGH EVENTS, PARTNERSHIPS AND DIGITAL PROMOTION.
  2. $1.9 million spent. TEACHING: DESIRING GOD CREATES NEW TEACHING RESOURCES SUCH AS ARTICLES, BOOKS, PODCASTS AND VIDEOS.
  3. $2.1 million spent. PRODUCT: DESIRING GOD MAINTAINS AN INDEPENDENT WEB PLATFORM WHERE ALL OF OUR TEACHING RESOURCES ARE HOSTED.
  4. $1.7 million spent. MINISTRY PARTNERS:DG MINISTERS TO OUR DONOR PARTNERS THROUGH 1:1 PRAYER, TEACHING RESOURCES, VIDEO PRODUCTION, AND EVENTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2005.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.