Executive Compensation at Turning Point USA (2023)
Turning Point USA is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) 3 that advocates conservative principles on high school, college, and university campuses and in convention centers that focus on attracting high schoolers, college students, and young adults ages 15-25 who they often refer to as activists.
Established in 2012 by Charles Kirk, Turning Point USA has three (3) related tax exempt organizations:
- Turning Point Endowment, Inc.: a 501 (c) 3 described as a “supporting org to Turning Point USA”
- America’s Turning Point, Inc: a 501 (c) 3 described as “education of students”
- Turning Point Action, Inc.: a 501 (c) 4 described as “education of students” where contributions are not tax deductible
Turning Point USA is overseen by 5 voting members (directors) of the governing body, 4 of whom are independent. All directors are male.
Total revenue in 2023 was reported to be $82 million while expenses were reported to be $91 million (including a $5 million included “grant” and assistance to an affiliated organization: America’s Turning Point (which operates out of the same office as Turning Point USA).
The largest expenses were reported to be travel and conventions ($29 million) and compensation ($20 million).
681 employees received $20 million in compensation. Nine (9) employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the five (5) most highly compensated reported to be:
- $392,866: Charles Kirk, President and CEO*
- $277,342: Daniel Flood, Manager*
- $240,296: Tyler Bowyer, Former Asst Secretary*
- $223,613: John McGovern, Director of Major Gifts
- $208,669: Justin Olson, Asst Treasurer
“*” Indicates a portion of compensation was from a related organization
Turning Point USA paid for first class or charter travel and for travel companions. Specifically, Turning Point USA paid for first class or charter travel for the “CEO, COO, and other TPUSA employees when necessary in order to ensure the uninterrupted success of the organization’s mission.”
31 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the five most highly compensated reported to be:
- $3.9 million: Mosaic Event Productions dba PHX EV, of Phoenix, AZ for event audio and video production
- $2.9 million: Resource One, of Tulsa, OK for printing and publications
- $2.7 million : Active Engagement, of Leesburg, VA for digital education and fundraising
- $1.9 million: American Solutions for Business, of Glenwood, MN for printing and publication
- $1.4 million: Fox News Channel, of NY, NY for advertising and promotion
To read the IRS Form 990 (2022 for the year ending June 30, 2023), click here.
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Paddock Post 
You are absolutely incorrect on many of your comments:
1. The travel expenses of the organization are indeed reported on Part IX (Statement of Functional Expenses) on the IRS Form 990. Turning Point pays for the travel expenses
2. The actual money in his pocket is not considerably less. The compensation reported was his compensation. It is entirely reasonable to assume the compensation reported is the compensation received.
3. We do know the related/affiliated organizations that paid a portion of some of the executive compensation (the related/affilaited organizations are housed at the same business address and this is noted in the post).
Suggestion: Do your homework (read the Form 990 submitted to the IRS by Turning Point and the post) before you make comments.
What isn’t disclosed regarding executive compensation is how much of their compensation is travel expense, food & lodging expense, car expense, etc. While the typical person would Charlie’s compensation of almost $400,000 his actual money in his pocket amount could be considerably less. It’s no reasonable to conclude from this post that every one of the executives receives that amount as money in their pocket. There’s also an asterisk next to some of the executives which refers to a note that a portion of their compensation came from a related organization. We don’t know what that related organization is nor how much that portion they received was. In speaking about the compensation of Charlie Kirk, knowing the impact that he had on the organization that he co-founded and how much he influenced people around the world, I would have expected his compensation to be much higher. There are corporate executives working for companies making decisions each day that don’t come close to impacting the number of lives that Charlie Kirk did who are paid millions of dollars each year. In my opinion, he was underpaid.
Their work is really important but so are reasonable salaries . Mr kirks salary of near $400000 is excessive given the cause. No more from me mr kirk, you can donate in my name.