• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FAIR

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Come, Follow Me Resources

  • Find Answers
  • Blog
  • Media & Apps
  • Conference
  • Bookstore
  • Archive
  • About
  • Get Involved
  • Search

FairMormon Finances

December 24, 2020 by FairMormon Staff

The mission of FairMormon is to “provide well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” [1]   As such, we support fully the leadership of the church, its teaching and practices. That said, FairMormon is an independent organization that is not funded, nor run, nor even directed, by church leadership.

The three main sources of income for FairMormon are contributions from individuals and groups, revenue from conferences, and book sales. FairMormon has never received donations from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Nor has it received funds through Deseret Trust or the Foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FairMormon has received two donations from the More Good Foundation. One was a $2,000 donation that was part of a fundraising effort that was matched. The other was in 2018 when a $125,000 donation was made, which we were very grateful for because FairMormon was in financial difficulties at the time. At no time has the More Good Foundation ever told Fairmormon what to do. They do, however, use some of our information in their videos.

The More Good Foundation is also an independent organization funded through contributions. According to their website, they  “operate several websites along with social media pages where persons of other faiths can learn about the Church, and where individual members of the Church can share their beliefs. We also provide training and support for members interested in sharing their beliefs online.” [2] Their website also states that they are “primarily funded by the generous donations of individuals. It may also receive funds from trusts, corporations, and foundations, including Deseret Trust Company (a donor-advised fund), and the Foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes donations to many organizations and is funded by the revenues of wholly owned, for-profit companies” (emphasis added). [3] In addition, their website states “The More Good Foundation operates independently from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More Good Foundation is not managed or directed by the Church.” [4]

Because the More Good Foundation has received donations from the Deseret Trust Company and the Foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, there have been accusations that the Church funds FairMormon. This would be like saying if I make a large donation to the Red Cross, and then the Red Cross donates to Planned Parenthood, then I am funding Planned Parenthood. Even though the donation from me came with no strings and I have no input on donations to Planned Parenthood. This is a stretch by anyone’s definitions.

FairMormon has always operated as a volunteer organization. Its board and president are unpaid and have not received any compensation, ever, from the organization. FairMormon has paid contractors on occasion to help with needs that volunteers have been unable to fill. There are currently two part-time employees who assist with administrative tasks. It has only been in the past several years that FairMormon has had the resources to employ anyone part-time. So it is “fair” to say that the motivation of the Board and other volunteers of FairMormon to spend their time, talents and energy to support FairMormon’s mission, is not money.

So how much does the organization receive? And how is it spent? A quick look at the ProPublica website shows IRS filings for the past ten years. These documents show that over the past ten years, FairMormon has received $736,717 from fundraising and donations and $366,965 from program services (mainly conference revenue) and book sales. This is for TEN years. Expenses for that same period totaled $944,147, of which zero dollars went to compensation for board members, its president, or any apologists. Expenses include the conference center and other conference expenses, internet costs, accounting services, insurance, bookstore supplies, travel, website design and redesign, and, as mentioned earlier, part-time administrative employees. 

So what does motivate those who volunteer their time and talents to this organization? For most if not all volunteers, it is out of a love of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a desire to help others receive the benefits of the gospel by providing faithful answers to critical questions. And while the Church does not fund nor direct this organization, the desire to support and defend the Church are unapologetically the reason for its existence. Nobody at FairMormon is benefiting financially from defending the church.  But we hope that many are benefitted from our existence.

____

[1] https://www.fairmormon.org

[2] https://www.moregoodfoundation.org/faq

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

 

Filed Under: Administrative notices

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner


RSS-Icon RSS Feed (all posts)

Subscribe to Podcast

Podcast icon
Subscribe to podcast in iTunes
Subscribe to podcast elsewhere
Listen with FairMormon app
Android app on Google Play

Pages

  • Blog Guidelines

FairMormon Latest

  • Come Follow Me Week 9 – Doctrine and Covenants 18–19 “The Worth of Souls Is Great”
  • FAIR Voice Podcast #29: Don Bradley on The Lost 116 Pages
  • “How to respond to a loved one” – German version for FAIR Newsletter 2021 0220
  • Come Follow Me Week 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 14–17 (additional post)
  • Come Follow Me Week 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 14–17

Blog Categories

Recent Comments

  • Evan Sproul on FAIR Voice Podcast #29: Don Bradley on The Lost 116 Pages
  • Lorraine Ashton on Come Follow Me Week 8 – Doctrine and Covenants 14–17
  • David Smith on Come Follow Me Week 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75
  • Varuzhan on Come Follow Me Week 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75
  • Varuzhan on Come Follow Me Week 7 – Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75

Archives

Footer

FairMormon Logo

FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Our Friends

  • Book of Mormon Central
  • BYU Religious Studies Center
  • BYU Studies
  • Interpreter Foundation
  • LDS Perspectives Podcast
  • Pearl of Great Price Central

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • iTunes
  • YouTube

Donate to FAIR

We are a volunteer organization. We invite you to give back.

Donate Now

Donate to us by shopping at Amazon at no extra cost to you. Learn how →

Site Footer

Copyright © 1997-2021 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

No portion of this site may be reproduced without the express written consent of The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc.

Any opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods and services offered by FairMormon are solely those of FairMormon and not those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) Logo

FAIR is controlled and operated by the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR)