Children of Character Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
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.
- Income
- $993,840
- Spending
- $862,553
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 10.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 20,803
- Highest pay
- $60,000, treasurer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 96% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 (3)
- $484,280 spent. 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.
- $242,140 spent. 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.
- $80,713 spent. 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.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
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.