CHICAGO (ELCA) -- For the second year in a row, Lutheran Services in America (LSA) has topped The NonProfit Times' list of 100 largest organizations. The publication released the "NPT 100" Nov.1, saying LSA also headed the list of organizations posting a financial increase this year, with an 87.5 percent rise over the previous year.
LSA is the largest human service network in the United States and Caribbean. Its nearly 300 social ministry organizations, in alliance with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, form a national network of hospital, social service and long-term care programs, providing $6.9 billion in services in 3,000 communities each year.
In an article written by senior writer Matthew Sinclair, the NonProfit Times said it is rare that any of its top 100 organizations post more than a 50 percent increase over the previous year. LSA showed financial resources of $3.7 billion in fiscal year 1998.
The NonProfit Times rating for LSA in 2001 is based on data from the organization's 1999 fiscal year, which was the latest information available at the time of the publication's survey. By the end of December 1999, LSA had already tabulated more than $6.5 billion in total expenses for the year.
Sinclair quoted Jill Schumann, LSA's president and CEO. She credited a larger number of Lutheran hospitals reporting in 1999 than in 1998 for nearly doubling dollar totals.
"More than just the first organization to raise more than $4 billion in one fiscal year, LSA's nearly $7 billion left them firmly ensconced at the top spot. It also was the rocket fuel that pushed the NPT 100 totals to more than $49 billion, or an average of nearly $500 million per organization," Sinclair wrote.
Altogether the 100 organizations on the list showed a total 19 percent increase in revenue over their performance in the previous fiscal year, he wrote. Without figuring LSA's growth in the formula, "the other 99 organizations showed 12.4 percent growth in total revenues."
"To be included in the NPT 100, nonprofits must raise at least 10 percent of total revenue from public sources," wrote Sinclair. "Organizations must, therefore, derive less than 90 percent of revenue from program services, government grants, investments, etc."
Among LSA's sources of income, the NonProfit Times listed $710 million or about 10.28 percent from public support. It received $3.28 billion from program services, $2.68 billion from government sources and $241 million from investments. LSA's expenses were reported as $5.83 billion for programs, $657 million for administration and $17 million for fund-raising.
Other organizations in the publication's top 10 were the National Council of YMCAs, United Jewish Communities, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, Goodwill Industries International, Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and American Cancer Society, Inc.
LSA is in the process of moving its central offices from St. Paul, Minn., to Baltimore. -- -- --
The NonProfit Times home page is at http://www.nptimes.com/ on the Web. Lutheran Services in America is at http://www.lutheranservices.org/ on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
