Messenger Media Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
954217185
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Phone
8134351977
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Film, Video
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$71,591
Expenses
$158,626
Assets
$861,060
Liabilities
$91,888

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CRISTOBAL KRUSEN (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • CHERYL KRUSEN (DIRECTOR): $3,500 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Production of christian-themed films that present the gospel to people around the world.

What it reported doing in 2024

"films of beauty, stories of hope" is the motto of messenger films. Founded in 1988 by cristobal krusen (a graduate of the nyu film school), messenger films began with productions made for the spanish-speaking world. In the early 2000s, messenger branched into a truly global ministry with feature films produced in africa, asia, north america, and europe. Noteworthy examples include the award-winning let me have my son (produced in the united states and mexico and dubbed in multiple languages), as well as final solution (produced in south africa) and sabina k. (produced in bosnia and herzegovina).see attached schedule o for additional description over the past nearly forty years, it is estimated that more than one billion people have seen a messenger films production - mostly through television broadcasts and digital streaming platforms, but also via theatrical distribution and community-based showings and church showings. Current plans at messenger call for the production of new films appealing especially to "spiritual seekers". Our latest release is let me have my son, which was filmed in the united states and mexico, and is available on amazon prime and other streaming platforms. Let me have my son is inspired by the true story of a father's desperate search for his mentally ill son and the struggle to reconcile the tragedies of life with a loving god. Messenger films exists through the generous support of donors and friends as well as distribution income derived from royalties and licensing fees.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 84% 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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 54
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 88.9%; rating input score 89
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.63 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 61; 61st 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: 71.4%; rating input score 71; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Limited
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -121.6%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.43; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.2%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.4% per year; rating input score 0; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -5% per year; rating input score 0; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 88.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 7 board members independent · 2 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $141K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $4K · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 17/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 51/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 18/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.