Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Compassion Connection

EIN 20-1555570 · Palm Desert, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceFair53 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CONNECTING KINGDOM RESOURCES BY TRAINING AND SUPPORTING PASTORS AND CHURCH PLANTERS IN ECUADOR. HELP CATALYZE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHURCHES IN THE UNITED STATES AND ECUADOR THROUGH SHARED PROJECTS, OUTREACH, AND FUNDING REQUESTS. OUR GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHURCHES SHARING IN THE WORK OF THE GOSPEL.

Income
$185,155
Spending
$224,927
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
6.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
90
Highest pay
$79,500, ceo/president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (international, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (international, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (5)
  1. $32,068 spent. PASTOR TRAINING- BELIEVING STRONGLY IN THE NEED TO HAVE PASTORS, CHURCH PLANTERS, AND THE MINISTRY LEADERS WITHIN THE LOCAL CHURCH TO BE SOLIDLY TRAINED IN THEOLOGICAL AND BIBLICAL TRUTH, AS WELL AS HAVING A LIFE, BOTH PERSONAL AND MINISTERIAL, THAT REFLECTS THE CHARACTER AND VIRTUES THAT THE SCRIPTURES DEMAND (1TIMOTHY 3, TITUS 1), COMPASSION CONNECTION HAS DEVELOPED A MINISTERIAL TRAINING PROGRAM INVOLVING A CURRICULUM OF 27 CLASSES GIVEN IN 9 MODULES OF 1-WEEK INTENSIVES OVER A COURSE OF 3 YEARS. THESE MODULES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE. FOR THOSE WHO COMPLETE MODULES 1-3 THEY WILL RECEIVE A "BASIC CERTIFICATE" WHICH INDICATES THAT THEY HAVE HAD A FOUNDATIONAL EXPOSURE TO THE SCRIPTURES, BASIC DOCTRINES AND PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP IN THEIR DEVOTIONAL LIFE AND SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES. FOR THOSE COMPLETING 1-6, THEY WILL RECEIVE A "TEACHER'S CERTIFICATE" WHICH THEY CAN PRESENT TO THEIR LOCAL CHURCHES, INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN COURSES IN THE PROPER INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE, THE CORRECT WAY OF COMMUNICATING THE SCRIPTURES AS WELL AS AREAS OF DISCIPLESHIP IN MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND ONGOING INTEGRITY IN THEIR LIVES. FINALLY, FOR THOSE COMPLETING MODULES 1-9, THEY WILL RECEIVE A "PASTORAL CERTIFICATE" WHICH THEY CAN ALSO PRESENT TO THEIR LOCAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN ADVANCED COURSES IN THEOLOGY, CHURCH MINISTRY, CHURCH PLANTING AND MISSION WORK.
  2. $66,406 spent. CHURCH PLANT SUPPORT- WE ARE PRESENTLY WORKING WITH AND SUPPORTING SIX CHURCH PLANTING EFFORTS. THIS INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING:A.CREATING AND NURTURING CHURCH PLANT PARTNERSHIPS WITH USA STATESIDE CHURCHES. WE ENDEAVOR TO SEE A VIABLE PARTNERING RELATIONSHIP TAKE PLACE BETWEEN THE US STATESIDE CHURCH AND THE ECUADORIAN CHURCH PLANTER AND HIS CHURCH. OFTEN THIS RESULTS IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT IS CHANNELED THROUGH COMPASSION CONNECTION TO HELP THE LOCAL CHURCH PLANTER AND HIS CHURCH.B.OUR STAFF SERVES AS MENTORS AND COACHES TO THE CHURCH PLANTERS HELPING THEM IN THEIR DIFFERENT PHASES OF PLANTING A CHURCH THROUGH ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS AND VISITS. C.OUR CHURCH PLANTS ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY ONGOING SHORT-TERM TEAM VISITS BY THEIR PARTNERING CHURCH FROM THE US. D.COMPASSION CONNECTION ALSO SERVES AS A VOICE FOR THESE LOCAL CHURCHES AND THEIR GROWTH AND EXPANSION PROJECTS. HISTORICALLY, THIS HAS LOOKED LIKE SOCIAL WORK PROJECTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, CHURCH CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AS THE LOCAL CHURCH GROWS, AND OTHER OUTREACH PROJECTS THAT THE LOCAL ECUADORIAN CHURCH PASTOR AND LEADERS ENVISION
  3. $59,248 spent. MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF ASSETS- COMPASSION CONNECTION HAS BEEN BLESSED OVER THE YEARS TO HAVE DEVELOPED A TRAINING CENTER THAT CAN HOUSE UP TO 80 PEOPLE WITH A SALON THAT CAN SEAT MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE. THIS CENTER IS SITUATED IN THE COTOPAXI REGION OF ECUADOR NEAR ADJACENT TO THE PANAMERICAN HIGHWAY WHICH ALLOWS FOR EASY ACCESS FROM NEARLY ALL REGIONS OF ECUADOR. THE FACILITIES INCLUDE THE MAIN BUILDING WITH DORMITORY FOR UP TO 50 PEOPLE, AND MAIN SALON AND KITCHEN FACILITY, AS WELL AS THREE OTHER BUILDING STRUCTURES THAT HOUSE UP TO 30 PEOPLE. WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE LONG-TERM CARETAKERS THAT WORK TO MAINTAIN ALL THE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  4. $12,544 spent. ONGOING SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT- PART OF THE VISION OF THE TRAINING CENTER IN LASSO HAS BEEN TO UTILIZE THE PROPERTY IN SUCH A WAY AS TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF FEEDING THE STUDENTS AND TEAMS THAT COME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMS. THE PROPERTY HAS A YEAR-ROUND GARDEN THAT PRODUCES VARIOUS CROPS THAT HELP TO FEED THE STUDENTS IN OUR TRAINING PROGRAM AS WELL AS FEEDING THE VISITING TEAMS AND OTHER EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE AT THE PROPERTY.
  5. $1,856 spent. MERCY MINISTRY- AS AN ONGOING PRIORITY FOR COMPASSION CONNECTION, WE HAVE DEDICATED BOTH FINANCES AND MINISTRY TO THE AREA OF SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. WE DO THIS PRIMARILY THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCHES WITH WHOM WE ARE CONNECTED. HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE HELPED NUMEROUS CHURCHES AS THEY HAVE LINKED ARMS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH FEEDING PROGRAMS, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, HELPING TO EQUIP LOCAL HEALTH CENTERS, SPONSORING MEDICAL BRIGADES, ETC. THIS PAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO HELP NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL NEEDS, AS WELL AS HELP SUPPORT THE ONGOING AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM OF ONE OF OUR CONNECTED CHURCHES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.

    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 June 2006.

    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.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Compass Connections (San Antonio, TX), EIN 46-1394166. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

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