Georgia · Nonprofit
BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC
BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC (Georgia) receives grants from 36 organizations whose IRS filings report $1,128,895 to it, the largest being CARTERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC ($150,000). 17 of them have funded it in more than one year.
- Revenue FY2024
- $1.3M
- Funders on record
- 36
- Grants received
- $1.1M
- Net assets
- $2.0M
What Bert's Big Adventure Inc does
Mission
Established in 2002, bert's big adventure is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a magical, all expenses paid, five-day journey to walt disney world for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. Following the annual trip, bert's big adventure provides year-round support through initiatives such as the family reunion adventures, the fairy godparent volunteer program, and additional charitable services. The trip and programs create a community of families that establish lasting friendships with others facing similar challenges.
As stated on its FY2024 Form 990.
Programs
Each year, bert's big adventure provides a five-day, all-expenses-paid trip to walt disney world for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families. To qualify for bert's big adventure, children must be between the ages of 5 and 12, live in "the bert show" radio listening area, prove financial need, and have never been to walt disney world. From the limo rides and chartered flight to the character-filled parties and princess makeovers, the trip is nothing short of magical. Throughout the trip, each family is accompanied by a bert's big adventure liaison, allowing them to get the most out of their once-in-a-lifetime experience. In 2023, 13 children with terminal or chronic illnesses and their families participated in the five-day, all expenses paid trip to walt disney world.the number of family members: 54the average age of bert's big adventure children: 8.2 years oldgender statistics on children: (male vs female): 54% male, 46% femalethe number of bert's big adventure family members not living in georgia: 0average household family members: 3.69average household income: $47,000
$584,841 spent57% of program spendingFollowing the annual trip, bert's big adventure strives to further strengthen its established community and friendships by hosting family reunion adventures. Also known as family reunions, the exclusive and unique events provide the families with year-round opportunities to enjoy more vip experiences and intimate family time away from doctor visits and hospital stays.in 2023:the number of bert's big adventure children who attended one or more family reunion adventures: 104the number of family members who attended one or more family reunion adventures: 450the average age of bert's big adventure children attending family reunion adventures: 13 years oldgender statistics on children attending: (male vs female): 53% male, 47% femalethe number of bert's big adventure family members not living in georgia that attended one or more family reunion adventures: 5the number of bert's big adventure families that have lost a child that attend (one or more)family reunion adventures: 4
$298,754 spent29% of program spendingThe bert's big adventure fairy godparent volunteer program supports the organization's families when a bert's big adventure child is admitted to a partner hospital. The fairy godparent volunteers visit the children daily and provide magical moments during a trying time. The carter's charitable foundation graciously sponsors this program. In 2023:the number of children visited: 14the number of visits made: 162 visitsthe average age of children visited: 13 years oldgender statistics on children visited (male vs female): 7 females, 7 malesmore than 60 fairy godparent volunteers volunteered time at more than 20 events in 2023.
$63,358 spent6% of program spendingA family can face copious, unforeseen financial struggles when a child is diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness. In some cases, this program is utilized to help families in need to fill that financial gap during trying times. In addition, bert's big adventure recognizes that managing a funeral after an unexpected death can mean additional stress for a family already coping with grief. Bert's big adventure strives to pay the funeral costs for any bert's big adventure child that passes away so that the family can focus on healing. In 2023:9-year-old, malakai walker, went to disney with bert's big adventure in 2022. He passed away in january 2023.22-year-old, linda ceron, passed away in january 2023. Her family went to disney with bert's big adventure in 2012.
$83,249 spent8% of program spendingOther program services
The 5 programs described on its FY2023 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $1,030,202.
The organization over time
Each line starts at 100 in 2017, so what you read is the shape rather than the size: 150 means half as much again as 2017, 50 means half. The number beside each label in the key is where it ended. The shaded band is where the middle 50% of its peers' revenue would sit, given their growth.
Balance sheet
Total assets and total liabilities at each year end, in dollars. The largest one-year move in total assets was 2020 to 2021, from $1.2M to $1.8M (+58%).
How it's funded, over time
Each bar is one year's revenue split into where it came from, and every bar is the same height — these are shares, not amounts, so a year that raised twice as much looks the same size. Hover a bar for the split.
Government-grant reliance: 2021 4%. Grants only. Government contracts and fees sit inside program revenue.
95% of BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC’s revenue is contributions — more donation-reliant than the typical peer (81% for the typical peer).
Surplus & reserves
Operating surplus or deficit each year, and months of liquidity in hand. 1 of the last 8 reported years ran a deficit.
reserve
Leadership and staff
The officers, directors, trustees and key employees listed on each return. Joined and no longer listed compare each filing with the year before, matching people by surname and first initial; a year after a gap, or a roster under three people, has no comparison.
Board chair
Kristin Klingshirn
Chairman
As listed on its FY2024 Form 990.
Who funds it, year by year
2017 → 2023: the base broadened from 4 funders to 12 funders, grant income rose $26k → $142k.
13 of 36 of your funders are donor-advised or pass-through sponsors (tagged DAF) — 37% of grant dollars received. That money is really individual donors directing a sponsor; the institutions to cultivate are the non-DAF funders.
From the IRS filings of BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC’s funders (the co-funder graph). Top 30 of 36 funders by total. Association, not causation. Trends are read to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving. FY2024–FY2026 are still being filed and are shown unshaded; they do not move any figure on this page.
How concentrated its funding is
BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC has a broad base — no single funder exceeds 13% of grant income, and it takes 5 funders to reach half.
the vertical line marks half of all grant income — 5 funders to its left
49% of the income these shares are computed over arrives through pass-through sponsors or from payers whose filings do not say what kind of payment it is. Concentration is still measured over all of it, because the money is real; what it does not support is a claim about how many institutions have chosen to fund BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC.
Largest funder’s share by year: 2017 40% · 2018 35% · 2019 25% · 2020 36% · 2021 24% · 2022 15% · 2023 18% — diversifying over time.
“Effective funders” = inverse Herfindahl index (1 / Σ shareᵢ²) — the number of equal-sized funders that would give the same concentration. Trends are read to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving. FY2024–FY2026 are still being filed and are shown unshaded; they do not move any figure on this page.
How long its funders stay
30% of BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC's funders are still giving 3 years after their first grant; 47% give in more than one year at all.
Share of funders still giving k years after their first recorded grant, pooled across every acquisition cohort. A funder counts as retained in a year only if it made a grant that year. Measured to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving — a funder cannot be counted as lapsed in a year most filers have not reached.
Where its funders are
BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC draws 59% of its grant income from funders outside Georgia, across 12 states in all.
In-state vs out-of-state, by year
Funder states come from each funder’s own filing. $422k arriving through sponsors registered in 10 states is excluded from the map and the split above: a sponsor holds money on a donor’s behalf, so its registered address would place those dollars somewhere no donor need ever have been. Trends are read to FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving. FY2024–FY2026 are still being filed and are shown unshaded; they do not move any figure on this page.
Against its field
BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC holds deeper cash reserves than three-quarters of the 11,274 human services nonprofits its size.
this organization peer median middle 50% of peers· 11,274 human services nonprofits $1M–$10M, FY2024
Organizations like BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC
Organizations whose mission and program text most resemble this one, by semantic similarity over every organization in the US filings — the closest peers, and often the clearest route to shared or prospective funders.
In Georgia
Nationally
Read directly from this organization’s own Form 990, as neutral context.
Where the money goes
80% of spending goes to programs.
Governance
Public support
99%
Share of support from the public (Schedule A) — the basis for its public-charity status.
Footprint & structure
Files a return copy in 1 state
Screen this organization
A dated, signed PDF of the compliance screen for BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC: IRS status (Business Master File, Publication 78, auto-revocation), the OFAC sanctions lists, the Internal Revenue Bulletin, and California registration, with the Rev. Proc. 2018-32 §8.01 reliance elements stated element by element. Generated from the current files at the moment you download it.
Screens are triage, not determinations; a source that cannot be read reports not screened, never clear. Screen this nonprofit · How the screen works · on the API as GET /api/screening/{ein}?format=pdf
Questions and answers
- Who funds BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC?
- BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC (Georgia) receives grants from 36 organizations whose IRS filings report $1,128,895 to it, the largest being CARTERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC ($150,000). 17 of them have funded it in more than one year.
- How many funders does BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC have?
- IRS filings report 36 organizations giving $1,128,895 in grants to BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC, 17 of which have funded it in more than one year.
- Who is the largest funder of BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC?
- CARTERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC is the largest funder on record, with $150,000 in grants. The full list of funders is on this page.
- How can an organization like BERT'S BIG ADVENTURE INC find more funders?
- Start with the funders already giving here, then look at the foundations that back similar organizations in Georgia. The funding by cause and by state pages list the largest funders for a given area and how to approach them.
Play a game about who funds Bert's Big Adventure →
These figures are read directly from IRS Form 990 / 990-PF e-file XML: this organization’s own return for FY2024 (financials across 2017–2024), and the filings of 36 funders that report grants to it. “On record” means captured in the filings we have parsed — a funder that does not e-file, or whose grant detail is not itemized, will not appear. Filings run roughly 12–24 months behind. Trends on this page end at FY2023, the last fiscal year that has finished arriving; later years are shown and marked, and move no figure. Data on this page was exported October 22, 2026. What this page cannot tell you · view filing