Lutheran World Relief does not meet the following 4 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 7 (Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness)
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.
LWR does not meet this Standard because:
- Although the organization has produced a written effectiveness assessment report, the report did not include recommendations for future actions.
Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
LWR does not meet this Standard because the 2020 annual report did not include:
- Total expenses for each program in the same categories that appear in the organization’s financial statements (emergencies and material resources, impact investing, health and livelihood, and other program activities).
- A roster of the board of directors.
- Total end of year net assets.
Standard 17 (Web Site Disclosures)
Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.
LWR does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, https://lwr.org/, does not include all of the recommended information for those charity websites that solicit for donations. Specifically, it does not include:
- A summary of program service accomplishments from the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020.
Standard 18 (Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy)
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.
LWR does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on its website, https://lwr.org/privacy-policy, does not indicate:
- What security measures are in place to protect personal information that is collected.
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability:
15
Lutheran World Relief meets the remaining 15 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Lutheran World Relief (LWR) reports that it helps families in the world's poorest communities build the resilience they need to thrive through program interventions in sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, and responding to emergencies and disasters. The organization states that it helps people build self-sufficiency and create new community-owned approaches to problem-solving.
For the year ended September 30, 2020, Lutheran World Relief's program expenses were:
| Emergencies and material resources |
$13,310,618 |
| Agriculture |
$9,224,677 |
| Other expenses |
$7,769,441 |
| Health and livelihoods |
$1,290,882 |
| Impact investing |
$123,560 |
| Total Program Expenses: |
$31,719,178 |
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Chief Executive
Ambassador Daniel V. Speckhard, (Rt.), President and Chief Executive Officer
-
Compensation*
$403,535
-
Chair of the Board
Jean Hanson
-
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Retired
-
Board Size
15
-
Paid Staff Size
630
*2019 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Telephone appeals
Fundraising costs were 7% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $50,427,370, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on Lutheran World Relief's IRS Form 990 for the year ended September 30, 2020.
| Source of Funds |
| Contributions and grants |
$37,939,997 |
| In-kind contributions |
$12,487,373 |
| Gain from sale of assets, net |
$1,076,692 |
| Investment income |
$532,248 |
| Other |
($12,617) |
| Unrealized losses on investments, net |
($1,757,828) |
| Total Income |
$50,265,865 |
- Programs: 79%
- Administrative: 13%
- Fundraising: 8%
| Total Income |
$50,265,865 |
| Program expenses |
$31,719,178 |
| Fundraising expenses |
$3,541,172 |
| Administrative expenses |
$5,371,374 |
| Other expenses |
$0 |
| Total expenses: |
$40,631,724 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses |
$9,634,141 |
| Beginning Net Assets |
$30,437,598 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets |
$0 |
| Ending Net Assets |
$40,071,524 |
| Total Liabilities |
$13,963,539 |
| Total Assets |
$54,035,063 |
Note: According to the organization's IRS Form 990 for the year ended September 30, 2020, LWR received in-kind contributions totaling $12,487,373 in the form of quilts and kits.