Nonprofit · EIN 45-4671349
ZOE EMPOWERS
Also known as ZOE MINISTRY
Tax-exempt · RALEIGH, NC 27611
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $8,511,782 | $9,495,035 | -$983,253 | $8,564,586 | $12,974 | $8,551,612 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $8,913,722 | $8,550,401 | $363,321 | $9,429,879 | $13,832 | $9,416,047 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $7,355,624 | $6,695,029 | $660,595 | $8,985,527 | $44,023 | $8,941,504 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $8,439,593
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $72,189
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $7,987,166
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $304,928
- Other salaries and wages
- $301,562
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $784,575
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $9,740
- Accounting fees
- $16,757
- Travel
- $321,368
- Program services (functional)
- $8,716,257
- Management and general (functional)
- $345,188
- Fundraising (functional)
- $433,590
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $9,429,879
- Total assets, end of year
- $8,564,586
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $12,974
- Net assets, end of year
- $8,551,612
- Publicly traded securities
- $992,153
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $3,338,876
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $5,212,736
- Gross receipts
- $8,511,782
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 800
- Year formed
- 2011
- State of legal domicile
- NC
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Warner | CEO Officer | 40 | $122,500 |
| Wendy Lee | Chief Development Officer Officer | 40 | $102,500 |
| Laura Nemecek | Chief Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Officer | 40 | $79,928 |
| Richard Cunningham | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lynn A Dugle | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Linda Folger | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Josh Harnagal | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ken Muriithi | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Robert Ondrasek | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Betty Petty | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Steve Smith | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Tim Thoman | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jini Thornton | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Randy Wiersma | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Keri Cole | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
1 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Konen | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 16 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Warner | CEO Officer | 40 | $120,000 | $249 |
| Wendy Lee | Chief Development Officer Officer | 40 | $100,000 | $249 |
| John Boswell | COO Officer | 40 | $8,279 | $23,037 |
| Stan Bradshaw | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Richard Cunningham | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lynn A Dugle | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Linda Folger | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Erin Geter | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Josh Harnagal | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Ken Muriithi | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Robert Ondrasek | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Betty Petty | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Steve Smith | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Tim Thoman | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jini Thornton | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Randy Wiersma | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 17 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston Warner | CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $105,600 | $10,800 |
| Wendy Lee | Chief Dev Off Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $62,667 | $0 |
| John Boswell | COO Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $8,054 | $17,557 |
| Lynn Dugle | Chairperson Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Stan Bradshaw | Treasurer Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Linda Folger | Secretary Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Richard Cunningham | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Josh Harnagel | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Robert Ondrasek | Board Developme Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Betty Petty | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Steve Smith | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Randy Wiersma | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Erin Geter | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Ken Muriithi | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Beth Hull | CFO Trustee or director, Officer | 20 | $0 | $0 |
| Tim Thoman | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jini Thornton | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 28839, RALEIGH, NC 27611-8839
- In care of
- % GASTON WARNER
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Gaston Warner, POBox 28839, Raleigh, NC 27611
- Signed the 990
- Gaston Warner, CEO
- Phone
- (919) 779-7272
- Website
- www.zoeempowers.com
- Return prepared by
- Aprio Advisory Group LLC
Mission
Zoe Empowers is a global network of local organizations throughout Africa and India providing a replicable and scalable framework whereby youth led or resourced families are provided the training, resources, and community support to become safe and healthy, skilled for longterm success, reintegrated into their communities, and able to live meaningful lives while knowing they are loved.
Program accomplishments
- Zoe Empowers operates a similar three-year empowerment program in each of the program countries listed below. In each country, youth led families in extreme poverty are gathered into peer groups comprised of approximately 25 families of approximately 85 total orphaned and vulnerable children and youth (OVCY). While their community stands behind them, indigenous Zoe staff from the local Zoe NGO coordinate the training and resources these young people need to become safe and healthy, skilled for long term success, and able to lead meaningful lives wrapped in layers of community. After three years, youth graduate sustainably self-sufficient across multiple areas of life with robust community support. Groups carry-on meeting post-graduation for mutual support, and independent research suggests graduates continue to progress in their success. In each country, the local and national governments may provide free resources to the Zoe program such as agriculture and vocational training, land for farming, and free meeting space. The number of OVCY served in each Zoe Empowers program country in 2025 and in total are listed below: Kenya served 17,483 OVCY, with approximately 65,999 empowered since 2007. Rwanda served 16,402 OVCY, with approximately 62,101 empowered since 2007. Zimbabwe served 9,138 OVCY, with approximately 32,562 empowered since 2009. Malawi served 8,484 OVCY, with approximately 26,133 empowered since 2013. Liberia served 4,781 OVCY, with approximately 15,511 empowered since 2014. Chennai, India served 5,608 OVCY, with approximately 13,612 empowered since 2014. Vizag India served 6,106 OVCY, with approximately 8,638 empowered since 2019. Tanzania served 5,867 OVCY, with approximately 9,695 empowered since 2019. Mozambique served 3,974 OVCY, with approximately 4,721 empowered since 2022. South Sudan served 2,022 OVCY starting in 2023. Uganda served 2,085 OVCY starting in 2024. Zambia served 1,176 OVCY starting in 2024. Eswatini served 782 OVCY starting in 2025. At the point in time of November 1, 2025, 83,908 OVCY were active in the Zoe empowers program with 246,640 having been empowered since 2007.Expenses $8,716,257 · grants $7,987,166
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 45-4671349
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2013
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- International, foreign affairs and national security (Q33)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $8,564,586
- Income (IRS master file)
- $8,511,782
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $8,511,782 | $9,495,035 | $8,564,586 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $8,913,722 | $8,550,401 | $9,429,879 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $7,355,624 | $6,695,029 | $8,985,527 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $6,323,820 | $5,660,976 | $8,187,340 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 45-4671349).
Questions about ZOE EMPOWERS
- What is the EIN of ZOE EMPOWERS?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of ZOE EMPOWERS is 45-4671349.
- Is ZOE EMPOWERS tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2013.
- Are donations to ZOE EMPOWERS tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does ZOE EMPOWERS file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of ZOE EMPOWERS due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did ZOE EMPOWERS last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of ZOE EMPOWERS?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Gaston Warner.
- Who are the officers and directors of ZOE EMPOWERS?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 16 people; 3 received compensation from the organization, the highest $122,500 (Gaston Warner, CEO).
- How much revenue does ZOE EMPOWERS have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $8,511,782, expenses of $9,495,035 and total assets of $8,564,586 at year end.
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All nonprofits in RALEIGH · North Carolina · International, foreign affairs and national security