Brookstone Schools 
The information on this page was last updated 11/19/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Equipping students for future lives of leadership and service.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Brookstone Schools
P.O. Box 30696
Charlotte, NC 28230
Website: brookstoneschools.org
Phone: (704) 392-6330
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 562221108
CEO/President: John Murray
Chairman: Bill Elmore
Board size: 14
Founder:
Ruling year: 2001
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
To raise up the next generation of leaders from Charlotte to engage their generation for Jesus Christ.
Mission statement
To glorify God by equipping under-resourced students academically, socially, and spiritually for future lives of leadership and service.
Statement of faith
We believe that the Old and New Testament are inspired by God and are the final authority in faith and life.
We believe that God in the person of the Holy Spirit convicts, teaches, and empowers those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
We believe that as the body of Christ we are called to serve one another in love.
We believe that academic excellence equips students to glorify God through the vocation in which they will be led to serve.
We believe a Christ-centered education will produce the next generation of culture-shaping leaders.
We believe parents are vital partners in providing the nurture, support, and modeling crucial character formation.
Articles
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: K-12 Schools/Academies
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 754 of 1420 | 117 of 183 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 711 of 1420 | 113 of 183 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1013 of 1420 | 140 of 183 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 483 of 1421 | 57 of 183 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $22,539 in government grants in 2025.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 14% | 21% | 12% | 9% | 13% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 9% | 12% | 7% | 8% | 12% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 13% | 68% | 55% | 61% | 84% | 86% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 8% | 12% | 11% | 9% | 13% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 87% | 32% | 45% | 39% | 16% | 14% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 78% | 74% | 79% | 81% | 79% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 93% | 115% | 95% | 66% | 85% | 89% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 75% | 90% | 71% | 52% | 69% | 70% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 7% | -15% | 5% | 34% | 15% | 11% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 7% | -12% | 3% | 35% | 16% | 10% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 14% | 14% | 10% | 10% | 8% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.53 | 0.80 | 0.58 | 0.47 | 0.83 | 0.70 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.06 | 1.26 | 2.31 | 1.18 | 1.36 | 1.38 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.80 | 1.01 | 1.34 | 0.56 | 1.14 | 0.97 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 2.80 | 15.09 | 10.40 | 3.45 | 15.14 | 19.08 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.35 | 0.07 | 0.10 | 0.29 | 0.07 | 0.05 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.98 | 11.10 | 8.08 | 15.15 | 9.84 | 11.75 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 29% | 13% | 11% | 30% | 5% | 13% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 9% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 118% | 109% | 153% | 147% | 114% | 125% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $2,237,976 | $1,932,509 | $3,717,946 | $778,324 | $854,617 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $964,141 | $1,048,656 | $1,481,524 | $588,758 | $346,289 |
| Short-term investments | $1,950,410 | $0 | $1,625,435 | $1,377,103 | $1,437,237 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $5,152,527 | $2,981,165 | $6,824,905 | $2,744,185 | $2,638,143 |
| Long-term investments | $798,628 | $3,352,239 | $599,695 | $542,925 | $615,587 |
| Fixed assets | $205,619 | $223,744 | $229,441 | $452,695 | $390,774 |
| Other long-term assets | $329,347 | $328,834 | $430,496 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,333,594 | $3,904,817 | $1,259,632 | $1,000,620 | $1,011,361 |
| Total assets | $6,486,121 | $6,885,982 | $8,084,537 | $3,744,805 | $3,649,504 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $329,135 | $275,691 | $1,967,798 | $172,208 | $133,268 |
| Other current liabilities | $12,398 | $11,048 | $10,427 | $9,022 | $4,974 |
| Total current liabilities | $341,533 | $286,739 | $1,978,225 | $181,230 | $138,242 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $323,600 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $477,062 | $487,014 | $467,356 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $477,062 | $487,014 | $467,356 | $0 | $323,600 |
| Total liabilities | $818,595 | $773,753 | $2,445,581 | $181,230 | $461,842 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $2,957,367 | $3,322,167 | $3,833,911 | $3,043,042 | $2,796,688 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,710,159 | $2,790,062 | $1,805,045 | $520,533 | $390,974 |
| Net assets | $5,667,526 | $6,112,229 | $5,638,956 | $3,563,575 | $3,187,662 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $3,086,785 | $2,308,366 | $3,556,774 | $3,102,712 | $2,481,904 |
| Program service revenue | $1,401,838 | $898,392 | $964,005 | $617,836 | $400,673 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $2,914 | $1,944 | $364,477 | ($20,959) | $3,710 |
| Other revenue | $19,736 | $987,604 | $952,954 | ($15,164) | ($7,286) |
| Total other revenue | $1,424,488 | $1,887,940 | $2,281,436 | $581,713 | $397,097 |
| Total revenue | $4,511,273 | $4,196,306 | $5,838,210 | $3,684,425 | $2,879,001 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $4,060,030 | $2,969,797 | $3,027,508 | $2,542,306 | $2,025,690 |
| Management and general | $721,054 | $544,880 | $393,916 | $298,105 | $196,462 |
| Fundraising | $418,672 | $487,348 | $418,097 | $286,082 | $331,470 |
| Total expenses | $5,199,756 | $4,002,025 | $3,839,521 | $3,126,493 | $2,553,622 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($688,483) | $194,281 | $1,998,689 | $557,932 | $325,379 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($688,483) | $194,281 | $1,998,689 | $557,932 | $325,379 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| John A Murray | Executive Director | $264,652 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2025
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 11/19/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
In 1996, a diverse group of concerned citizens came together with a vision to found a non-profit, Christ-centered school in Charlotte's urban core. Their task was to provide quality education and moral teaching to under-resourced students; their hope was in God's protection and provision to make it happen.
From a seed planted in prayer, the school opened its doors in 2001 and has blossomed to become a beacon for under-resourced children in Charlotte, NC.
Program accomplishments
Enrollment: 258 students
Cost per student: $21,400
Budget: $5.9 million