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Nonprofiteer
← DONNIE EDWARDS BEST DEFENSE FOUNDATION

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by DONNIE EDWARDS BEST DEFENSE FOUNDATION.

Totals

Total revenue
$2,456,080
Total expenses
$2,067,544
Contributions and grants received
$2,343,422
Grants paid
$10,741
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$109,283
Other revenue
$3,375
Total assets, end of year
$2,210,133
Total liabilities, end of year
$120,807
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$2,089,326
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,784,450
Management and general expenses
$273,413
Fundraising expenses
$9,681
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,784,450

Program services were 86.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,463,102

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $880,320

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $109,283 · excluded $109,283

  • 11a · Other revenue: REFUNDS

    total $3,375 · excluded $3,375

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $3,375

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $10,741 · program services $10,741

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $251,000 · program services $90,000 · management and general $161,000

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $19,237 · management and general $19,237

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $16,625 · management and general $16,625

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $55,879 · program services $55,879

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $9,681 · fundraising $9,681

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $49,098 · program services $13,852 · management and general $35,246

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $40,232 · management and general $40,232

  • 17 · Travel

    total $168,043 · program services $168,043

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $1,073 · management and general $1,073

  • 24a · Other expenses: PROGRAM EXPENSE

    total $958,453 · program services $958,453

  • 24b · Other expenses: PROGRAM CONTRACTORS

    total $244,579 · program services $244,579

  • 24c · Other expenses: CONTRACTORS

    total $236,541 · program services $236,541

  • 24d · Other expenses: SMALL EVENTS

    total $4,732 · program services $4,732

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $1,630 · program services $1,630

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,968,270 · end of year $2,169,227

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $60,000

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $69,177 · end of year $40,906

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $223,718

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $172,939 · end of year $120,807

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,424,508 · end of year $2,089,326

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $276,282

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES UNIQUE AND TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES FOR MILITARY VETERANS OF ALL WARS TO BRING CLOSURE AND HONOR TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED. OUR THREE KEY PROGRAMS, BATTLEFIELD RETURN, STRONGHOLD TRANSITION AND OUR EDUCATION INITIATIVE STRIVE TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY, MEMORY AND TO PRESERVE THEIR STORIES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. OUR STRONGHOLD TRANSITION PROGRAM SERVES NEWLY TRANSITIONED SERVICE MEMBERS OF SPECIAL FORCE OPERATIONS TO BUILD A NEW LIFE OUTSIDE THE MILITARY FOCUSING ON REHABILITATION AND MENTAL HEALTH.

  • SEE SCHECULE O

  • THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED 30 WWII VETERANS A RETURN TO THEIR BATTLEFIELD AT NORMANDY FOR THE 78TH ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY WITH 45 YOUNGER VETERANS SERVING AS CARETAKERS. THE VETERANS ARE HONORED FOR THEIR SACRIFICE BY THOSE THEY HELPED LIBERATE AND VISIT LOCAL SCHOOLS TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS ABOUT THE COST OF FREEDOM. THE FOUNDATION SPONSORED 12 NEW SPECIAL FORCE OPERATORS WITH A FIVE DAY RETREAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FORMER NFL PLAYERS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF UTAH TO FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL RECOVERY. MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE OUR TRANSITIONING VETERANS INFORMATION ON THE NETWORKS SUPPORTING THEM AND ASSESS EACH ONE BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FOUNDATION'S EDUCATION INITIATIVE PROVIDED VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH WWII VETERANS AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE 'OUR HISTORY LIVE'PROGRAM TEACHES STUDENTS ABOUT WWII AND THEY CAN SPEAK WITH A WWII VETERAN. THIS PROGRAM REACHED OVER 2,000 STUDENTS INTERNATIONALLY AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PROGRAM CREATED SHORT DOCUSERIES AND VIGNETTES THAT PRESERVE THE LEGACIES. ALSO WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS OF ALL GENERATIONS TO ATTEND MLB GAMES, NFL AND COLLEGIATE GAMES, RED CARPET PREMIERE OF 'THE TERMINAL LIST- AND ADDITIONAL OUTINGS TO CONNECT WITH FELLOW VETERANS.

    Expenses $1,784,450 · Grants $10,741

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Donnie Edwards

    EXECUTIVE DI

    Total calculated
    $180,000
    From this org
    $180,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $180,000
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    not reported
    Nontaxable benefits
    not reported
    Filer's total
    $180,000

  • Kathryn Edwards

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0

  • Stewart Frederick

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

None.

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
17 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.0
Source object
202513219349322411

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