Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College 
The information on this page was last updated 1/29/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
We help shape the way churches and Christian nonprofits think about and respond to poverty.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Chalmers Center
1500 Chestnut St
Suite 106
Chattanooga, TN 37408
Website: chalmers.org
Phone: 706.956.4119
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 272341083
CEO/President: Coy Buckley
Chairman: Craig Stephenson
Board size: 9
Founder: Dr. Brian Fikkert
Ruling year: 2010
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2014
Purpose
We equip local churches to address the broken relationships at the root of poverty, living out Jesus' Kingdom today.
Mission statement
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Community Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 884 of 1118 | 76 of 108 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1077 of 1119 | 100 of 108 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1049 of 1119 | 96 of 108 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 131 of 1118 | 12 of 108 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 19% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 14% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 17% | 21% | 20% | 15% | 13% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 90% | 88% | 87% | 86% | 89% | 91% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 12% | 12% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 10% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 11% | 9% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 67% | 70% | 76% | 80% | 80% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 87% | 117% | 116% | 118% | 111% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 83% | 58% | 82% | 88% | 94% | 88% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | 13% | -17% | -16% | -18% | -11% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | 79% | -336% | -70% | -42% | -20% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 13% | 12% | 7% | 8% | 9% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.94 | 3.51 | 10.79 | 4.22 | 2.35 | 1.70 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.91 | 1.00 | 1.03 | 1.02 | 1.01 | 1.01 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.15 | 3.52 | 11.13 | 4.31 | 2.37 | 1.71 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 12.04 | 3.21 | 1.79 | 5.50 | 6.54 | 7.33 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.31 | 0.56 | 0.18 | 0.15 | 0.14 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.06 | 2.35 | 0.48 | 2.28 | 4.28 | 6.05 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 11% | 31% | 54% | 18% | 15% | 14% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 83% | 20% | 4% | 19% | 36% | 51% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $861,335 | $230,551 | $497,680 | $718,530 | $1,152,626 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $65,607 | $48,166 | $185,353 | $422,871 | $435,739 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $926,942 | $278,717 | $683,033 | $1,141,401 | $1,588,365 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $2,724 | $8,632 | $15,108 | $10,563 | $14,762 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,724 | $8,632 | $15,108 | $10,563 | $14,762 |
| Total assets | $929,666 | $287,349 | $698,141 | $1,151,964 | $1,603,127 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $186,191 | $127,070 | $124,263 | $171,092 | $160,273 |
| Other current liabilities | $102,452 | $28,714 | $0 | $3,458 | $56,495 |
| Total current liabilities | $288,643 | $155,784 | $124,263 | $174,550 | $216,768 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $288,643 | $155,784 | $124,263 | $174,550 | $216,768 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | ($84,379) | ($82,812) | $109,576 | $110,233 | $5,552 |
| With donor restrictions | $725,402 | $214,377 | $464,302 | $867,181 | $1,380,807 |
| Net assets | $641,023 | $131,565 | $573,878 | $977,414 | $1,386,359 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $3,339,640 | $2,310,766 | $2,178,654 | $2,036,700 | $2,236,235 |
| Program service revenue | $399,100 | $318,425 | $333,102 | $236,666 | $170,683 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $0 | $0 | $0 | $26 | $2,390 |
| Other revenue | $35,226 | $29,772 | $28,283 | $26,522 | $39,649 |
| Total other revenue | $434,326 | $348,197 | $361,385 | $263,214 | $212,722 |
| Total revenue | $3,773,966 | $2,658,963 | $2,540,039 | $2,299,914 | $2,448,957 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $2,192,792 | $2,174,877 | $2,247,897 | $2,167,696 | $2,163,531 |
| Management and general | $437,340 | $363,118 | $196,708 | $207,385 | $239,250 |
| Fundraising | $634,376 | $563,281 | $498,970 | $333,778 | $316,927 |
| Total expenses | $3,264,508 | $3,101,276 | $2,943,575 | $2,708,859 | $2,719,708 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $509,458 | ($442,313) | ($403,536) | ($408,945) | ($270,751) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $509,458 | ($442,313) | ($403,536) | ($408,945) | ($270,751) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Michael Briggs | Chief Development Officer | $165,439 |
| Rob Porter | VP of Generosity | $142,447 |
| Brian Fikkert | Founder, Ambassador, President (Part Year), Director | $27,692 |
| Kevin O'Neal | Chief Operating Officer | $26,830 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2024
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 1/29/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Program accomplishments
Over 500,000 copies of When Helping Hurts sold
Equipped 30K+ churches and nonprofits worldwide
Served over 1 million people in poverty