Children's Hope Foster Family Agency 
The information on this page was last updated 5/15/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Contact information
Mailing address:
Children's Hope Foster Family Agency
567 Virginia St.
Ste. A
Gridley, CA 95948
Website: www.childrenshopeffa.org
Phone: (530) 846-4955
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 943089825
CEO/President: Benjamin Payne
Chairman: Blane Sannar
Board size: 5
Founder: Benjamin and Heather Payne
Ruling year: 1990
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Children's Hope is here to guide you every step of the way-from your first inquiry to becoming a fully licensed foster parent. You'll receive training, support, and ongoing resources to ensure you're confident and prepared to make a difference.
Mission statement
"With hope as our compass, we provide the tools and resources to help clients navigate challenges, strengthen resiliency, and create healthy futures for generations to come."
Statement of faith
Articles
| 5/22/2026 | Living Proof Ministries Drops to Zero Stars for Financial Efficiency |
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: Adoption/Foster Care
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 201 of 1420 | 14 of 58 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 847 of 1420 | 29 of 58 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 137 of 1420 | 15 of 58 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 204 of 1421 | 8 of 58 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $434,894 in government grants in 2024.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 43% | 974% | 446% | 0% | 27% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 67% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 33% | 96% | 100% | 100% | 99% | 100% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 80% | 86% | 87% | 88% | 75% | 76% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 101% | 100% | 99% | 97% | 95% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 74% | 87% | 87% | 87% | 72% | 72% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | -1% | 0% | 1% | 3% | 5% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | -4% | 0% | 3% | 8% | 14% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 25% | 24% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.76 | 1.79 | 2.05 | 1.97 | 2.16 | 2.01 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.74 | 1.76 | 1.85 | 1.84 | 1.53 | 1.52 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.54 | 3.16 | 3.79 | 3.63 | 3.31 | 3.05 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 12.12 | 4.26 | 7.31 | 12.56 | 8.80 | 9.98 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.08 | 0.23 | 0.14 | 0.08 | 0.11 | 0.10 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.91 | 2.90 | 2.73 | 3.04 | 3.21 | 3.54 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 8% | 28% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 27% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 1% | 12% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 111% | 40% | 39% | 42% | 39% | 36% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $2,168,297 | $1,997,235 | $1,890,663 | $1,844,599 | $2,114,820 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $1,463,893 | $1,198,502 | $1,232,816 | $1,105,942 | $1,020,848 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $3,632,190 | $3,195,737 | $3,123,479 | $2,950,541 | $3,135,668 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $2,230,111 | $2,310,126 | $2,390,039 | $1,551,851 | $1,598,211 |
| Other long-term assets | $537,990 | $394,465 | $236,986 | $22,690 | $20,995 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,768,101 | $2,704,591 | $2,627,025 | $1,574,541 | $1,619,206 |
| Total assets | $6,400,291 | $5,900,328 | $5,750,504 | $4,525,082 | $4,754,874 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $574,354 | $437,457 | $248,602 | $335,207 | $314,045 |
| Other current liabilities | $278,941 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $853,295 | $437,457 | $248,602 | $335,207 | $314,045 |
| Debt | $168,714 | $205,101 | $240,417 | $60,209 | $557,663 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $775,680 | $493,334 | $476,182 | $324,438 | $391,819 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $944,394 | $698,435 | $716,599 | $384,647 | $949,482 |
| Total liabilities | $1,797,689 | $1,135,892 | $965,201 | $719,854 | $1,263,527 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $4,584,154 | $4,747,832 | $4,769,554 | $3,805,228 | $3,491,347 |
| With donor restrictions | $18,448 | $16,604 | $15,749 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $4,602,602 | $4,764,436 | $4,785,303 | $3,805,228 | $3,491,347 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $458,900 | $22,836 | $34,369 | $78,145 | $21,147 |
| Program service revenue | $10,801,634 | $12,008,603 | $11,461,111 | $9,992,001 | $10,010,942 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $62,424 | $52,673 | $17,163 | $17,692 | $12,413 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $10,864,058 | $12,061,276 | $11,478,274 | $10,009,693 | $10,023,355 |
| Total revenue | $11,322,958 | $12,084,112 | $11,512,643 | $10,087,838 | $10,044,502 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $9,880,810 | $10,554,286 | $10,002,515 | $7,280,645 | $7,256,087 |
| Management and general | $1,405,446 | $1,328,345 | $1,197,871 | $2,491,991 | $2,306,588 |
| Fundraising | $198,536 | $222,348 | $153,375 | $0 | $5,786 |
| Total expenses | $11,484,792 | $12,104,979 | $11,353,761 | $9,772,636 | $9,568,461 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($161,834) | ($20,867) | $158,882 | $315,202 | $476,041 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($161,834) | ($20,867) | $158,882 | $315,202 | $476,041 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Benjamin Payne | Secretary & | $222,106 |
| Chase Brown | CFO | $179,856 |
| Heather Payne | Executive Di | $174,656 |
| Lyndi Little | Ecm Manager | $128,578 |
| Crystal Carter | CEO In Train | $123,227 |
| Kevin Tippets | CCO | $121,123 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2024
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 5/15/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
In 2000, Benjamin and Heather Payne were deeply moved by their personal experiences-fostering seven-year-old twins for three years, caring for drug-exposed infants at the local hospital, and placing brothers Josh and Travis into one of their Children's Hope foster homes. These moments sparked a desire to do more. That experience opened their eyes to the profound joy of working alongside foster parents-often unnoticed and unsung heroes-who were truly making a difference by providing safe homes, family, connection, and community for infants, siblings, and youth. The dedication and compassion of these foster parents deeply inspired them.
Their passion to start Children's Hope Foster Family Agency also stemmed from a personal need to become certified foster parents in Butte County to care for extended family, as well as from Benjamin's work with teens in need of stable, supportive homes. As a young family raising their own children, the Paynes found deep fulfillment in mentoring youth and supporting families in times of crisis.
Guided by their faith and a shared desire to serve, Benjamin-a group home counselor-and Heather-a registered nurse-founded Children's Hope Foster Family Agency. What began as a two-person effort has grown into a mission-driven organization that has helped place over 7,000 children in foster care and supported more than 600 foster families across Northern California.
At the heart of Children's Hope is the belief that every child deserves a chance to heal, grow, and feel a sense of belonging-no matter their past. Whether it's picking up a child in the middle of the night, cheering them on at their first baseball game, or helping a teen prepare for adulthood, the Paynes and their team respond with compassion, commitment, and love.
Their journey is a testament to the power of faith, purpose, and community-and their impact continues to grow, one child at a time.
Program accomplishments
25 years of service
7000+ children placed
600+ families supported
500+ foster parents trained