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DONNIE EDWARDS BEST DEFENSE FOUNDATION

EIN 82-5125497 SOLANA BEACH, CA

Browse the largest nonprofits in California

Revenue 2024
$2,456,080
Expenses 2024
$2,067,544

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

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
P20
Classification
1000
Street
249 HWY 101 STE 312

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

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.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • 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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $2,456,080
    Expenses
    $2,067,544
    Contributions
    $2,343,422
    Grants paid
    $10,741
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $2,118,789
    Expenses
    $1,516,569
    Contributions
    $2,073,833
    Grants paid
    $2,100
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $1,152,563
    Expenses
    $692,694
    Contributions
    $1,151,222
    Grants paid
    $0

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $797,114
    Expenses
    $723,047
    Assets (EOY)
    $792,996

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $439,816
    Expenses
    $223,754
    Assets (EOY)
    $581,655

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $591,726
    Expenses
    $435,677
    Assets (EOY)
    $352,026

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $444,922
    Expenses
    $252,397
    Assets (EOY)
    $193,762

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 1 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.