CHALLENGER SCHOOL FOUNDATION

🔒

Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

Sign in with your work email to view Tuckman-Chang indicators

Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

1969

Legal Domicile

Principal Officer

HUGH GOURGEON

Phone

8015692700

Tax Period

2024-08-01 to 2025-07-31

CHALLENGER SCHOOL FOUNDATION, founded in 1969, is a major nonprofit in the Education sector that reported $209.9M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue grew 9% year-over-year, indicating healthy expansion. The organization ran a surplus of $61.0M, a strong 29% operating margin.

Mission

CHALLENGER'S EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES ARE CONTAINED IN ITS LONG STANDING MISSION WHICH IS TO DELIVER AN EDUCATION THAT: PREPARES CHILDREN TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT, PRODUCTIVE INDIVIDUALS; TEACHES CHILDREN TO THINK, SPEAK, AND WRITE WITH CLARITY, PRECISION, AND INDEPENDENCE; LEADS CHILDREN TO VALUE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY AND UNALIENABLE RIGHTS; AND INSPIRES CHILDREN TO EMBRACE CHALLENGE AND FIND JOY AND SELF-WORTH THROUGH ACHIEVEMENT.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1

Expenses: $35,757,346 Revenue: $52,944,869

DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, CHALLENGER EDUCATED APPROXIMATELY 3,212 STUDENTS IN ITS 3 AND 4 YEAR OLD PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS. CHILDREN GRADUATING FROM CHALLENGER'S PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE PREPARED TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN WITH A HEAD START THAT PLACES THEM ONE OR TWO YEARS AHEAD OF THEIR PEERS.

Program 2

Expenses: $73,964,086 Revenue: $108,410,874

DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, CHALLENGER EDUCATED APPROXIMATELY 5,179 STUDENTS IN ITS KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS. ON THE MOST RECENT IOWA ASSESSMENTS, CHALLENGER'S AVERAGE...

DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, CHALLENGER EDUCATED APPROXIMATELY 5,179 STUDENTS IN ITS KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS. ON THE MOST RECENT IOWA ASSESSMENTS, CHALLENGER'S AVERAGE KINDERGARTENER OUTSCORED 98 OF 100 TEST TAKERS AT HIS/HER GRADE LEVEL, WITH SIMILAR RESULTS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 THROUGH 5.

Program 3

Expenses: $19,111,601 Revenue: $24,471,970

DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, CHALLENGER EDUCATED APPROXIMATELY 1,059 STUDENTS IN ITS MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES. ON THE MOST RECENT IOWA ASSESSMENTS, CHALLENGER'S AVERAGE EIGHTH GRADER OUTSCORED 99 OF 100 TEST TAKERS AT HIS/HER GRADE LEVEL, WITH SIMILAR RESULTS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 AND 7.

🔒

Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

Sign in to view Trantor Score and financial metrics

Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $105,000

Program Service Revenue $186,650,404

Investment Income $23,040,454

Other Revenue $135,546

TOTAL REVENUE $209,931,404

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $881,062

Salaries & Benefits $101,815,380

Fundraising Expenses $0

Program Expenses $129,820,362

Other Expenses $46,227,323

TOTAL EXPENSES $148,923,765

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2024	2023	Change
Revenue	$209,931,404	$192,136,005	+0.1%
Expenses	$148,923,765	$136,675,852	+0.1%
Net Income	$61,007,639	$55,460,153	+0.1%

Key Indicators

✗ Grants to Organizations ✓ Grants to Individuals ✗ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✗ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

🔒

Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

Sign in to view all financial metrics

Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

1661

Volunteers

N/A

Governance Policies

✗ Conflict of Interest Policy

✗ Whistleblower Policy

✗ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✓ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

⚠ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✗ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✗ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

$1,106,052

Total Directors

$1,922,174

Key Employees

$737,810

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
HUGH GOURGEON	PRESIDENT	40.00	Officer Director	$443,970	$13,600	$457,570
TATIANA HARPER	DIR SCHOOL O	40.00	Key Emp	$431,918	$5,803	$437,721
MATTHEW COOPER	VP & SECRETA	40.00	Officer Director	$411,199	$5,753	$416,952
CRAIG BUCCELLATO	EXEC REGION	40.00	Highest	$316,161	$13,832	$329,993
DAVE MOUNTEER	EXEC REGION	40.00	Key Emp	$279,770	$20,319	$300,089
RICHARD BOBOWSKI	DIRECTOR	40.00	Director	$284,234	$13,081	$297,315
DAVE WALTON	DIRECTOR	40.00	Director	$282,845	$11,725	$294,570
AARON SCHIFFNER	EXEC REGION	40.00	Highest	$270,002	$15,677	$285,679
RYAN BAKER	DIRECTOR	40.00	Director	$269,633	$14,335	$283,968
LYNNETTE S HANSMANN	DIR OF PUBLI	40.00	Highest	$244,331	$16,502	$260,833
COLLIN R PAYNE	OPERATION PR	40.00	Highest	$242,660	$16,516	$259,176
JOSHUA RIPPON	SYSTEMS ANAL	40.00	Highest	$233,352	$15,677	$249,029
LAYNE YOUNG	TREASURER	40.00	Officer	$214,713	$16,817	$231,530
KAYLEEN WILSON	DIRECTOR	40.00	Director	$164,584	$7,215	$171,799
HAL ANDERSON	DIRECTOR	5.00	Director	$0	$0	$0

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2025	$209,931,404	$148,923,765	$806,488,287	$61,007,639
2024	$192,136,005	$136,675,852	$704,958,051	$55,460,153
2023	$180,543,486	$124,588,645	$646,949,704	$55,954,841
2022	$158,595,175	$108,612,306	$488,200,249	$49,982,869
2021	$109,988,132	$99,572,403	$457,593,721	$10,415,729
2020	$108,261,101	$95,513,831	$432,891,821	$12,747,270
2019	$123,825,555	$87,585,204	$420,936,462	$36,240,351