Pastor Marvin Winans denies receiving $545K salary for part-time work at nonprofit

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Friday, October 02, 2026

Grammy-winning Pastor Marvin Winans, who IRS records show was paid more than $545,000 last year for working 20 hours per week at his Perfecting Community Development Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, denied receiving a “dime” and insists his accountant made an error.

“I can stand here in the holy place and say without thinking, that's totally a lie. I have never received a dime from Perfecting Community Development Corporation. Not a dime. My name is not on anything. … I have to sign it [records] because I'm the president, but I have never, ever received [a dime],” Winans told his parishioners during a Bible study at his Perfecting Church on Tuesday night in response to an initial report on his compensation by The Center Square.

Perfecting CDC lists community development as its mission, along with three active programs and services: a free summer camp, a community care center, and a homeless shelter for women and children called the Amelia Agnes Home. Perfect Copies, a print and copy shop that opened in 1994, shows as dissolved on Bizapedia.

Of the $893,898 in revenue collected by Perfecting CDC in 2025, the nonprofit’s 2025 Form 990 filed with the IRS shows that Winans was paid $538,955 in base compensation for 20 hours of work each week.

The IRS Form 990 is the reporting form that many federally tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS each year. It allows the IRS and the general public to evaluate a nonprofit's operations, including information on the nonprofit's mission, programs and finances. Depending on the filing year and the organization's gross receipts, a nonprofit could be required to file Forms 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N.

In 2025, Winans was the only officer on Perfecting CDC’s 990 form listed as receiving compensation. The Schedule J for that year, which is a supplemental tax document used by tax-exempt organizations to provide detailed disclosures of executive compensation, also shows that Winans received $6,781 in other reportable compensation from the organization. It shows Winans' total compensation from the nonprofit for 2025 as $545,736.

Winans is also shown as receiving an additional $44,234 in base compensation and $6,781 in other reportable compensation from related organizations. The related organizations are listed as Perfecting Church, Perfecting Holdings, and Perfecting Fellowship International.

The filing was prepared by Chitwood & Chitwood in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a company that specializes in “financial services for the ministry.”

The Detroit pastor said as soon as he became aware that he was reported as receiving compensation for his work at the nonprofit, he contacted Chitwood & Chitwood, and they have accepted responsibility for the error.

“When that came in, we immediately contacted our accountants, which is Chitwood & Chitwood, and they've been doing our accounting for the past 30 years. And when looking into it, they found that they had, in fact … made an error and put on PCDC's tax return that I got paid,” Winans told his congregation. “Their firm has admitted guilt, and they're amending and will refile those returns.

“I want you to understand, as I stand here in the holy place, I stated unequivocally, I didn't even have to think about it, I have not taken a dime from Perfecting Community Development Corporation, and that's one of the reasons why we have been so slow in getting grants ‘cause I know there's a big bullseye on my back,” Winans maintained.

When asked about Winans’ claim that he never received a dime from Perfecting CDC, a representative from Chitwood & Chitwood told CP, “That is correct.”

A CP review of 990 filings the firm prepared for Perfecting CDC over the last 25 years, however, shows Winans was paid at least $5.5 million in compensation from the nonprofit for part-time work.

In response to CP, the Chitwood & Chitwood representative said, “You're not looking at the right box” and suggested that the filings do not show that Winans was paid by the nonprofit. Chitwood & Chitwood said they would provide records to reflect this, adding that the business “could be audited, and it will still show that he did not get paid.”

When asked how the amounts attributed to Winans could be reconciled with the nonprofit's finances, the Chitwood & Chitwood representative stated, “They do have employees … 15 of them.” The representative then declined to answer further questions after suggesting that the amounts noted in the filings as compensation to Winans were collective compensation for the nonprofit's employees.

The reporting of employees for Perfecting CDC on the 990 forms over the last 20 years was inconsistent with the explanation provided by the Chitwood & Chitwood representative.

In the last eight years, from 2018 to 2025, Pastor Winans’ nonprofit reported zero employees but consistently reported 15 volunteers.

In 2017, the nonprofit reported 11 employees and 15 volunteers. In 2016, it reported zero employees and 15 volunteers.

From 2014-2015, Perfecting CDC reported 13 employees and 15 volunteers. In 2013, 15 employees and 15 volunteers were recorded. From 2011 to 2012, there were no employees reported, but there were 15 volunteers.

In 2010, the nonprofit reported 18 employees and 15 volunteers. In 2009, the nonprofit reported 27 employees and 15 volunteers; in 2008, 19 employees and 15 volunteers; in 2007, 15 employees; and in 2006, 15 employees. No staffing disclosure was made in 2005.

Chitwood & Chitwood did not respond to additional questioning about the nonprofit’s accounting when CP contacted them for further comment on Thursday.

Of the $1,050,282 generated from contributions, grants, and other revenue, the 990 filing for 2024 shows that Winans was paid $444,234. Winans was paid $340,622 of the organization’s $729,119 revenue in 2023, according to that year's 990 filing.

The organization’s 2022 Form 990 also shows that Winans was paid $276,560 out of $740,196 in total revenue.

While Winans insists he was never compensated for his work with Perfecting CDC, that claim is only consistent with eight 990 filings over the last 25 years.

Winans is shown as receiving no compensation from the nonprofit in 2016, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003. In three other years, 2001, 2002 and 2007, the 990 filings show that no officer received more than $50,000 in compensation.

In 2008, however, the 990 filing shows Winans receiving compensation of $533,719. It also shows that total compensation reported on Winans’ prior Form 990 or Form 990-EZ was $504,008, which is inconsistent with the 2007 filing that states no officer received more than $50,000 in compensation that year.

Perfecting CDC, which shares the same address as Winans’ Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan, did not respond to a request for comment. 

Kara Black, director of homeless services at the Amelia Agnes Home, told CP that the information being cited from the 990 records “is false,” while noting that “we are funded by Perfecting Community Development Corporation.”

While Black could not explain why the Amelia Agnes Home isn't reflected in Perfecting CDC’s 990 filing, she told CP that the organization built the shelter, which has 20 beds, but she could not disclose how many people are currently housed there. 

Another employee, Cynthia Flowers, who served as Winans’ vice president, was paid $102,816 in 2008 by Perfecting CDC, according to the filing. The total revenue for that year was reported as $607,613. Total revenue for the prior year was reported as $544,312.

In 2009, for the same part-time hours, Winans was paid $389,000, and Williams was paid $99,216 from total revenue of $588,068. In 2010, although Winans received $0 in compensation, Williams received $99,216. Total revenue for that year was $575,425.

In 2013, the organization’s 990 filing shows Winans received $530,834 in compensation, broken down as $445,814 in reportable compensation and $85,020 in other compensation from the organization and related organizations. Total revenue for that year was $567,495.

In 2014, Winans was paid a total of $454,020, broken down as $369,000 in reportable compensation and $85,020 in other compensation. Williams was paid $99,216. Total revenue for that year was $542,631.

Of the organization's total $438,525 in revenue for 2015, Winans’ total compensation remained the same as in 2014, but collected $61,056, according to the 990 filing. Of the $316,859 collected in 2016, no income was reported as being paid to anyone. In 2017, total revenue was reported as $446,615. Winans was reported as being paid $419,000.

In 2018, of the $437,051 in revenue received by the organization, Winans signed off that he received $369,000 in reportable compensation and $96,304 in other compensation for a total of $465,304.

In 2019, the organization generated $422,887 in total revenue, and Winans is shown on the 990 filing for that year as being paid $210,248 for 20 hours of work weekly. In 2020, of the total $521,186 in revenue, Winans was paid $205,224.

From total revenue of $586,943 in 2021, Winans is shown in the filing for that year as receiving 240,921 in reportable compensation.