Christian Life Communications Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
391519973
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-T 2025
Location
Wausau, WI, USA
Phone
7153555151
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Christianity
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,094,456
Expenses
$1,066,951
Assets
$1,609,700
Liabilities
$63,136

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • COY SAWYER (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • COY SAWYER (PRESIDENT): $93,435 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Providing religious educational material and entertainment. Mission: 89q exists to fulfill the great commission by bringing the hope of christ to individuals and families in north central Wisconsin, encouraging them in their spiritual walk, and inspiring them to action in the community.

What it reported doing in 2025

Provided a platform for more than 25 local nonprofit organizations through free radio airtime and interviews, helping raise over 2,300, with emphasis on homelessness, women in crisis, and pastoral burnout. Delivered daily educational programming focused on parenting, faith, finances, relationships, and health, combined with music that brings hope and encouragement to listeners. Raised awareness and over 1,000 for four nonprofit organizations serving the wausau and surrounding central Wisconsin communities. Organized and hosted daddy date night, serving more than 450 fathers and daughters, fostering meaningful relationships through a formal evening of dinner and dancing. Organized and hosted hope in the park, a free community concert featuring a top five contemporary christian artist, including children's activities and food trucks. Attendees donated over 1,600 non-perishable food items for the community action partnership (cap) pantry. Organized and hosted a mother-son event featuring games, a movie, and a meal, designed to strengthen bonds between mothers and sons. Served as a collection site for hearts of hope and kids kount, supporting underserved children in our community, including those with incarcerated parents or limited financial means. Collected hundreds of toys and gifts for the kids kount program, christmas in july, and hearts (gifts) of hope during november and december. Collected over 200 formal dresses and men's wear to help low-income high school students attend their prom dances. Promoted and participated in feed my starving children events for the fourth consecutive year, supporting global hunger relief efforts. Collected home depot and lowe's gift cards to assist families in North Carolina with reconstruction and rebuilding needs following the 2024 hurricane.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 73% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 57
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 62
  • Sustainability: 45
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 62.1%; rating input score 62
  • Program expense ratio: 63.2%; rating input score 63
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.78 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 80%; rating input score 80; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 2.5%; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.51; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 8.8%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 62.1% of revenue deployed · 63.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 5 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $674K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $93K · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2017 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 15/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 38/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 56/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 41/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 46/100.