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St Paul Center for Biblical Theology

EIN 75-2980638 · Steubenville, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 46% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

FOR OVER TWENTY-THREE YEARS, THE ST. PAUL CENTER FOR BIBLICAL THEOLOGY HAS PROMOTED LIFE-TRANSFORMING CATHOLIC SCRIPTURE STUDY. FOUNDED BY DR. SCOTT HAHN, THE CENTER EQUIPS PRIESTS, CLERGY, SEMINARIANS, CATECHISTS, AND THE LAITY TO UNDERSTAND SACRED SCRIPTURE MORE DEEPLY. A LOVE FOR SCRIPTURE LEADS TO A MORE PROFOUND LOVE FOR THE EUCHARIST. THE ST. PAUL CENTER CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS REACH AND OPERATIONS. THE CENTER'S NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART HEADQUARTERS WAS COMPLETED IN 2024, AND NEW MILESTONES WERE REACHED IN MAJOR PROGRAMMING ACHIEVEMENTS.

Income
$10.9 million
Spending
$10.0 million
Spent on programs
46%
Reserves
2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 55%
Employees
92
Highest pay
$231,544, secretary/ex

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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    46% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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

Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (religion, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 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 (3)
  1. $353,378 spent. NEW HEADQUARTERS AND EXPANDED OUTREACH IN 2024, THE ST. PAUL CENTER CELEBRATED A MILESTONE WITH THE GRAND OPENING OF ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS, A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY IN STEUBENVILLE, OHIO. THIS MODERN SPACE ENHANCES THE CENTER'S CAPACITY TO HOST CONFERENCES, SEMINARS AND EVENTS, PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY MULTIMEDIA CONTENT, AND FOSTER COLLABORATION WITH PRIESTS, DEACONS, SEMINARIANS, AND EMERGING SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS. THE EXODUS & EXILE LENT PODCAST SERIES REACHED THOUSANDS OF LISTENERS WORLDWIDE, WHILE THE EMMAUS ACADEMY CONTINUED ITS ROBUST GROWTH, EMPOWERING CATHOLICS WITH ACCESSIBLE BIBLICAL EDUCATION. THE CENTER ACHIEVED A RECORD-HIGH OPERATING REVENUE, REFLECTING STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND EXPANDED IMPACT. NEW HEADQUARTERS AND EXPANDED OUTREACH IN 2024, THE ST. PAUL CENTER CELEBRATED A MILESTONE WITH THE GRAND OPENING OF ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS, A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY IN STEUBENVILLE, OHIO. THIS MODERN SPACE ENHANCES THE CENTER'S CAPACITY TO HOST CONFERENCES, SEMINARS AND EVENTS, PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY MULTIMEDIA CONTENT, AND FOSTER COLLABORATION WITH PRIESTS, DEACONS, SEMINARIANS, AND EMERGING SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS. THE EXODUS & EXILE LENT PODCAST SERIES REACHED THOUSANDS OF LISTENERS WORLDWIDE, WHILE THE EMMAUS ACADEMY CONTINUED ITS ROBUST GROWTH, EMPOWERING CATHOLICS WITH ACCESSIBLE BIBLICAL EDUCATION. THE CENTER ACHIEVED A RECORD-HIGH OPERATING REVENUE, REFLECTING STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND EXPANDED IMPACT.
  2. $2.6 million spent. PUBLISHING MILESTONES EMMAUS ROAD PUBLISHING (ERP) MARKED A HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT WITH THE RELEASE OF THE IGNATIUS CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE, A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE UNPARALLELED IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING CATHOLIC WORLD. THIS PROJECT, NEARLY THREE DECADES IN DEVELOPMENT, REFLECTS A PROFOUND COMMITMENT TO SACRED SCRIPTURE AND ITS TRANSFORMATIVE POWER FOR CATHOLIC READERS. ADDITIONALLY, EMMAUS ACADEMIC COMPLETED THE MONUMENTAL SIX-VOLUME HANDBOOK OF CATHOLIC DOGMATICS BY MATTHIAS JOSEPH SCHEEBEN, TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST TIME. TO CELEBRATE THIS SCHOLARLY MILESTONE, THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME HOSTED A WORKSHOP CONVENING LEADING THEOLOGIANS AND SCHOLARS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO ENGAGE WITH SCHEEBEN'S WORK. PUBLISHING MILESTONES EMMAUS ROAD PUBLISHING (ERP) MARKED A HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT WITH THE RELEASE OF THE IGNATIUS CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE, A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE UNPARALLELED IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING CATHOLIC WORLD. THIS PROJECT, NEARLY THREE DECADES IN DEVELOPMENT, REFLECTS A PROFOUND COMMITMENT TO SACRED SCRIPTURE AND ITS TRANSFORMATIVE POWER FOR CATHOLIC READERS. ADDITIONALLY, EMMAUS ACADEMIC COMPLETED THE MONUMENTAL SIX-VOLUME HANDBOOK OF CATHOLIC DOGMATICS BY MATTHIAS JOSEPH SCHEEBEN, TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH FOR THE FIRST TIME. TO CELEBRATE THIS SCHOLARLY MILESTONE, THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME HOSTED A WORKSHOP CONVENING LEADING THEOLOGIANS AND SCHOLARS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO ENGAGE WITH SCHEEBEN'S WORK.
  3. $1.6 million spent. CLERGY AND SEMINARIAN FORMATION THE ST. PAUL CENTER INTENSIFIED ITS MISSION TO "TEACH THE TEACHERS" IN 2024, SIGNIFICANTLY EXPENDING CLERGY FORMATION PROGRAMS. THE CENTER HOSTED THREE NATIONAL PRIEST CONFERENCES IN CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, SERVING 630 PRIESTS WHO COLLECTIVELY MINISTER TO MILLIONS OF CATHOLICS. THE NEW HEADQUARTERS FACILITATED THE INAUGURAL SCRIPTURE CONFERENCE FOR DEACONS, STRENGTHENING DIACONAL BIBLICAL FORMATION. PLANS WERE ALSO DEVELOPED FOR A SEMINARIANS SCRIPTURE CONFERENCE, LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE INITIATIVES TO EQUIP THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHURCH LEADERS WITH ROBUST SCRIPTURAL TRAINING.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.