2026-05-14T15:33:09+00:00 2025-06-30 331498605 Plante & Moran PLLC 10 SOUTH RIVERSIDE PLAZA 9TH FLOOR CHICAGO IL 60606 990 2024-07-01 261448551 WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES WORD 8473805573 25 NW POINT BLVD 1025 ELK GROVE VILLAGE IL 60007 FR STEVE GRUNOW CEO 8473805573 2026-05-14 true JESSICA TOADER P01464604 3122071040 2026-05-14 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z FR STEVE GRUNOW 25 NW POINT BLVD 1025 ELK GROVE VILLAGE IL 60007 42045383 false X WWW.WORDONFIRE.ORG X 2011 IL WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES IS A GLOBAL MEDIA APOSTOLATE THAT SUPPORTS THE WORK OF BISHOP ROBERT BARRON & REACHES MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS TO DRAW THEM BACK TO OR INTO THE CATHOLIC FAITH. 11 8 83 20 5877 4877 12516785 15079275 7354398 8938412 780046 1092831 6200875 5589260 26852104 30699778 0 0 7485525 8880027 0 3852085 11675172 17330850 19160697 26210877 7691407 4488901 51846355 56587672 5870567 6395969 45975788 50191703 WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES IS A GLOBAL MEDIA APOSTOLATE THAT SUPPORTS THE WORK OF BISHOP ROBERT BARRON AND REACHES MILLONS OF INDIVIDUALS TO DRAW THEM BACK TO OR INTO THE CATHOLIC FAITH. false false 11003078 0 9763935 WORD ON FIRE BOOKSTORE Word on Fire continued its unprecedented growth in Catholic publishing, releasing 34 new titles and earning a record-breaking 34 honors at the 2025 Catholic Media Association Book Awards. We expanded our impact on young readers through the Word on Fire Votive imprint, releasing our first children's Bible, The Story of All Stories, which was a huge success. A major milestone was reached with the release of The Word on Fire Bible: Volume V (Exile and Return), pushing this groundbreaking series past its halfway point. Through our Works of Mercy Fund, we distributed over 19,000 books and 4,200 Bibles to parishes, military bases, and campus ministries globally. Furthermore, our Liturgy of the Hours initiative reached a new peak of 30,000 monthly subscribers, coinciding with Word on Fire being officially selected by the USCCB as a publisher for the new Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition. 2810457 0 4605685 WORD ON FIRE INSTITUTE Word on Fire Institute continued to expand its mission of forming and equipping Catholics for evangelization, reaching a new milestone of over 30,000 active members during the fiscal year. The Institute provided members with comprehensive formation through online courses, engaged communities and specialized development tracks designed to deepen understanding of the faith and prepare individuals to evangelize effectively in today's world. A highlight was inaugural Lenten Retreat featuring Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., which garnered 4,200 participants. During this period, Bishop Barron and Institute leadership engaged members and supporters through in-person and virtual events, including lectures, conferences, and international speaking engagements that further advanced the Institute's global reach. The Institute began a new partnership with the Catholic University of America in the Evangelization and Culture Master's Program, an accredited Master of Arts degree that equips students with the intellectual, spiritual, and practical tools necessary to proclaim the Gospel in our secular age. 561597 0 152175 WORD ON FIRE MEDIA Word on Fire Media significantly expanded its evangelical reach, headlined by Bishop Barron's keynote address to over 50,000 pilgrims at the National Eucharistic Congress, which broadcasted the Gospel to a global audience. The YouTube channel achieved a historic milestone by surpassing 2 million subscribers, doubling its base from the previous year and generating record engagement through "Sunday Sermons "Bishop Barron Presents." To celebrate the apostolate's 25th anniversary, we launched a major documentary project on French Gothic architecture and initiated the "10,000 Rosaries" digital campaign, fostering a global community of prayer. Our digital platforms experienced continued growth, with Bishop Barron's YouTube channel, podcasts, and social media content reaching millions of viewers and listeners. Core content series such as Sunday Sermons and Bishop Barron Presents continued to foster deeper engagement with the Catholic faith and invite audiences into ongoing formation and conversion. We further expanded our media capabilities through enhanced studio production, enabling high-quality video content and in-depth conversations with leading voices in theology, culture, and public life. Additionally, our website and digital ecosystem saw significant increases in traffic and engagement, extending the reach of its evangelization efforts to a broader global audience. 14375132 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false true true true false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 145 0 true 83 true true true false false false false true true false false false false false false X 11 8 true false false false false false false true true false false false true true true true true true true true false false IL X SEAN LEE 8473805573 25 NW POINT BLVD SUITE 1025 ELK GROVE VILLAGE IL 60007 Diane Archibald Secretary 5.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 John Lehocky Treasurer 5.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 Stephen Grunow CEO & Executive Producer 40.0 0.0 X X 96982 0 11051 James Perry Director 5.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 John Barron Senior Development Director 40.0 0.0 X 182828 0 11066 John Croghan Director 5.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 John Powers Director 5.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Joseph Guinan Director 5.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Michael Benz Director 5.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Robert Barron Director 40.0 0.0 X 86774 0 1772 Steven Straus Director 5.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Brandon Vogt Senior Publishing Director 40.0 0.0 X 174689 0 4651 Jonathan Bator Senior Director of Marketing & Sales 40.0 0.0 X 166390 0 21582 Mark Bradford Fellow for Persons with Intellectual & Development Disabilities 40.0 0.0 X 140461 0 22165 Matthew Petrusek Senior Director of the Word on Fire Institute 40.0 0.0 X 205203 0 22962 Sean Davis Senior Director of Technology 40.0 0.0 X 141298 0 22120 1194625 0 117369 22 false true false PARKWAY TOWER LLC 185 Great Neck Road Suite 250 Great Neck NY 11021 RENT 369180 NAMDAR AND ASSOCIATES PLLC 3811 TURTLE CREEK BLVD 275 DALLAS TX 75219 LEGAL 226282 JOHN ALLEN 15509 N SCOTTSDALE NO 3040 SCOTTSDALE AZ 85254 WRITER 151910 TOD WORNER 18245 48TH AVE NORTH PLYMOUTH MN 55446 EDITOR 109000 4 15079275 15079275 COMMISSIONS 813110 79964 79964 CONFERENCES 813110 495691 495691 SUBSCRIPTIONS 813110 8048848 8048848 SPONSORSHIP 813110 245026 245026 MASTERS PROGRAM 813110 68883 68883 0 0 0 0 8938412 1092831 1092831 22600 22600 0 0 0 0 16882306 11345605 5536701 5536701 Miscellaneous Revenue 813110 29959 24082 5877 0 0 0 0 29959 30699778 14521795 5877 1092831 X 183755 136953 44101 2701 6655030 3473575 2272189 909266 470459 104034 53936 312489 834614 652042 78245 104327 736169 575132 69016 92021 133634 133634 179309 179309 60269 60269 3343619 1950898 85511 1307210 3891364 3885989 5375 1570017 1000168 87377 482472 1175594 1175594 1269352 706394 359861 203097 642861 566198 45466 31197 1790216 1670852 100035 19329 392792 218589 111356 62847 169236 169236 BANK CHARGES 1207518 970723 12134 224661 DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 1098059 775013 227953 95093 SALES TAX PAID 398967 398967 OTHER EXPENSES 8043 0 8043 0 0 0 0 26210877 14375132 7983660 3852085 6283661 6175626 95813 96663 880311 728952 0 0 0 0 6012885 8633229 2343740 1903125 4951947 1140216 2276724 3811731 29351637 32414934 0 0 39864 265989 4561720 2557423 51846355 56587672 1055831 891093 217086 813227 0 0 4597650 4691649 5870567 6395969 X 44376806 48186860 1598982 2004843 45975788 50191703 51846355 56587672 4488901 2155580 -2428566 0 X false true true false X 8913603 4900632 11275335 12516785 15079275 52685630 0 0 8913603 4900632 11275335 12516785 15079275 52685630 1363491 51322139 604754 1110819 338808 992584 1092831 4139796 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 56825426 44828689 0.90315 0.897 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1130680 1130680 1914791 80375 1834416 432150 158347 273803 1161930 818108 343822 312396 83386 229010 3811731 Federal Income Taxes ACCRUED PAYROLL 203638 RIGHT OF USE LIABILITY 1968535 Taxes Payable 2519476 4691649 44140694 2155580 0 2155580 41985114 60269 -11345605 -11285336 30699778 37496213 0 0 37496213 60269 -11345605 -11285336 26210877 Schedule D, Part XI, Line 4(b) Other revenues in form 990 not in audited financial statements COST OF GOODS SOLD - -11345605 Schedule D, Part XII, Line 4(b) Other expenses in form 990 not in audited financial statements COST OF GOODS SOLD - -11345605 X false false false false false false false true false John Barron Senior Development Director 181777 0 600 0 451 0 5256 0 5810 0 193894 0 0 0 Matthew Petrusek Senior Director of the Word on Fire Institute 185358 0 600 0 19245 0 4966 0 17996 0 228165 0 0 0 Jonathan Bator Senior Director of Marketing & Sales 149016 0 16961 0 413 0 4502 0 17080 0 187972 0 0 0 Brandon Vogt Senior Publishing Director 158676 0 600 0 15413 0 4502 0 149 0 179340 0 0 0 Sean Davis Senior Director of Technology 140312 0 600 0 386 0 4124 0 17996 0 163418 0 0 0 Mark Bradford Fellow for Persons with Intellectual & Development Disabilities 139481 0 600 0 380 0 4169 0 17996 0 162626 0 0 0 Schedule J, Part I, Line 7 Non-fixed payments The Senior Director of Marketing & Sales RECEIVED A BONUS BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL RESULTS OF THE ORGANIZATION. ALL OTHER BONUSES RECEIVED IN WERE HOLIDAY BONUSES. Form 990, Part VI, Line 2 Family/business relationships amongst interested persons ROBERT BARRON, DIRECTOR, AND JOHN BARRON, SENIOR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - Family relationship Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b Review of form 990 by governing body FORM 990 IS REVIEWED BY THE WOF AUDIT COMMITTEE. ONCE FINALIZED, THE 990 IS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c Conflict of interest policy THE ORGANIZATION REGULARLY AND CONSISTENTLY MONITORS AND ENFORCES COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY REQUIRING EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTORS TO CERTIFY (IN WRITING) COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND BY RELYING ON COUNSEL TO INVOKE THE POLICY, AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE THEREWITH, WHEN APPLICABLE MATTERS ARE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15a Process to establish compensation of top management official THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO COMPENSATION ARE REVIEWED AND DELIBERATED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH THE CEO AND APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD. COMPARABILITY DATA, COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b Process to establish compensation of other employees THE FIVE HIGHEST EMPLOYEE'S COMPENSATION ARE PROPOSED BY THE CEO AND APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. AN INCREASE IN THESE LEVELS ARE SIMILARLY APPROVED. COMPARABILITY DATA, COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. Form 990, Part VI, Line 19 Required documents available to the public DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Other Fees FREELANCERS AND CONTRACTORS - Total Expense: 3343619, Program Service Expense: 1950898, Management and General Expenses: 85511, Fundraising Expenses: 1307210;