Concordia Lutheran Ministries
Concordia Lutheran Ministries reports substantial assets and revenue, with highly variable historical financial performance and no reported officer compensation.
EIN: 205138278 · Cabot, PA · NTEE: E11 · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is Concordia Lutheran Ministries Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Concordia Lutheran Ministries directs 90% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Concordia Lutheran Ministries
Concordia Lutheran Ministries (EIN: 205138278) is a nonprofit organization based in Cabot, PA, classified under NTEE code E11. The organization reported total revenue of $228.3M and total assets of $777.2M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Concordia Lutheran Ministries's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Concordia Lutheran Ministries is a major nonprofit that has been operating for 20 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 34.5%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $176.9M |
| Total Expenses | $101.3M |
| Surplus / Deficit | +$75.6M |
| Total Assets | $659.0M |
| Total Liabilities | $5.5M |
| Net Assets | $653.5M |
| Operating Margin | 42.8% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 0.8% |
| Months of Reserves | 78.1 months |
Financial Health Grade: A
In 2023, Concordia Lutheran Ministries reported a surplus of $75.6M with revenue exceeding expenses, holds 78.1 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 0.8% (very low leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 13 years of filings (2011–2023), Concordia Lutheran Ministries's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.5%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -120.8% | -78.3% | -13.5% |
| 2021 | +199.6% | +2028.1% | +32.1% |
| 2020 | -11.1% | +19.3% | +5.2% |
| 2019 | -10.0% | -94.5% | +10.2% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 1000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2006 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Concordia Lutheran Ministries with a Mission Score of 75 out of 100 (Good). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 5%
- programs: 90%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Concordia Lutheran Ministries allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 5%, programs: 90%, fundraising: 5%. With 90% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a surplus of $75.6M, with revenue exceeding expenses.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 0.8%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all available filings, which is unusual for an organization of this size with assets exceeding $777 million and revenue over $228 million. This suggests either a volunteer leadership or that compensation is categorized differently and not reflected in the 'Officer Comp' field provided.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Concordia Lutheran Ministries's IRS 990 filings:
- Highly variable revenue and expense figures across years, making consistent financial performance difficult to assess without full 990 review.
- Negative revenue reported in 202206, which requires detailed explanation from the full filing.
- Consistent 0% officer compensation for a large organization, which may indicate incomplete reporting in the provided summary or an unusual compensation structure.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Concordia Lutheran Ministries:
- Substantial and growing asset base, reaching $777,166,100, indicating strong financial reserves.
- No reported officer compensation, suggesting a potential commitment to directing resources towards the mission.
- Significant latest revenue of $228,304,597, demonstrating a large operational scale.
Frequently Asked Questions about Concordia Lutheran Ministries
Is Concordia Lutheran Ministries a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Concordia Lutheran Ministries (EIN: 205138278) some concerns. Mission Score: 75/100. 3 red flags identified, 3 strengths noted.
How does Concordia Lutheran Ministries spend its money?
Concordia Lutheran Ministries directs 90% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Concordia Lutheran Ministries tax-deductible?
Concordia Lutheran Ministries is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 205138278). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Is Concordia Lutheran Ministries a good charity?
Concordia Lutheran Ministries appears to be a large and well-established organization with significant assets. The consistent 0% officer compensation reported is a positive indicator of potential resource allocation to mission, though the highly variable revenue and expense figures across years warrant further investigation into the full financial statements to understand operational stability and program delivery.
Why is officer compensation consistently 0%?
The consistent reporting of 0% for officer compensation across all filings is highly unusual for an organization of this scale. It could indicate that leadership roles are filled by volunteers, or that compensation is reported under different categories within the full IRS 990 form, such as 'salaries and wages' for all employees rather than specifically for officers.
What caused the negative revenue in 202206?
A negative revenue figure of -$27,744,987 in the 202206 period is a significant anomaly. This could be due to substantial investment losses, asset write-downs, or specific accounting adjustments related to changes in net assets or liabilities, which would require reviewing the detailed financial statements in the full 990 filing to understand the exact cause.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Concordia Lutheran Ministries showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Concordia Lutheran Ministries's revenue has grown by 3420.4%, moving from $5.0M to $176.9M. Total assets increased by 849.2% over the same period, from $69.4M to $659.0M. Total functional expenses rose by 75481.5%, from $134K to $101.3M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Concordia Lutheran Ministries reported a surplus of $75.6M, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $5.5M in liabilities against $659.0M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.8%), resulting in net assets of $653.5M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $176.9M | $101.3M | $659.0M | $5.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $-27,744,987 | $2.2M | $549.9M | $5.0M | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $133.3M | $10.2M | $636.0M | $4.2M | — | — |
| 2020 | $44.5M | $481K | $481.6M | $3.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $50.1M | $404K | $457.8M | $17.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $55.6M | $7.4M | $415.3M | $18.1M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $48.5M | $396K | $366.2M | $15.9M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $13.7M | $1.3M | $309.8M | $15.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $23.4M | $5.7M | $296.4M | $15.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $11.6M | $251K | $125.7M | $2.0M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $9.5M | $490K | $92.9M | $1.5M | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $5.7M | $241K | $78.5M | $1.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $5.0M | $134K | $69.4M | $1.2M | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $176.9M, expenses of $101.3M, and assets of $659.0M.
- 2022: Revenue of $-27,744,987, expenses of $2.2M, and assets of $549.9M (revenue -120.8% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $133.3M, expenses of $10.2M, and assets of $636.0M (revenue +199.6% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $44.5M, expenses of $481K, and assets of $481.6M (revenue -11.1% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $50.1M, expenses of $404K, and assets of $457.8M (revenue -10.0% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $55.6M, expenses of $7.4M, and assets of $415.3M (revenue +14.6% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $48.5M, expenses of $396K, and assets of $366.2M (revenue +254.1% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $13.7M, expenses of $1.3M, and assets of $309.8M (revenue -41.5% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $23.4M, expenses of $5.7M, and assets of $296.4M (revenue +102.0% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $11.6M, expenses of $251K, and assets of $125.7M (revenue +21.5% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $9.5M, expenses of $490K, and assets of $92.9M (revenue +67.4% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $5.7M, expenses of $241K, and assets of $78.5M (revenue +13.5% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $5.0M, expenses of $134K, and assets of $69.4M.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Concordia Lutheran Ministries is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.