Lanterns for Light Foundation
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 472479754
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2019–2025
- Forms available
- Form 990-EZ 2025
- Location
- Cypress, TX, USA
- Phone
- 3463178289
- Rating
- 94
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- International Relief
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $87,059
- Expenses
- $91,317
- Assets
- $28,160
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
4 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- PROTUS ONYANGO (PRESIDENT)
People named in this filing
- PROTUS ONYANGO (PRESIDENT)
- MARK MESO (SECRETARY)
- BOBBY JONES (TREASURER)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Eradicate poverty through education empowerment in rural parts of kenya. We raise funds and support school going students in rural part of kenya overcome challenges that would otherwise negatively impact their schooling and life. Our impact and involvement help the students stay in school and become productive members of the society. We also support pastors who then are able to spiritually guide the students and mentor them. The special needs in the community are also assisted by two schools that can house up to 150 students in the dormitories. We support two schools, bar odar special school for the intellectually challenged and sega school for the mute and deaf. Providing them with an environment that enhances their growth and helps them attain their full potential. Supporting girls with monthly sanitary pads which helps them stay in school during their menstrual cycles.
What it reported doing in 2025
Supported pastors operating in the rural areas and in the second largest slum in kenya - kawangware. Organized and conducted and two-day training (conference) for pastors in three regions of kenya - nairobi, kiwari and sega. Supported a vocational bible study for students at fellowship church - nairbo. Supported an ill widow with housing assistance.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 98
- Transparency & Controls: 100
- Sustainability: 29
- Growth: 80
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 96%; rating input score 96
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -4.9%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.31; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -0.4% per year; rating input score 0; 36th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 96% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 4 filed program accomplishments · $88K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
- Consistency: 7 of 7 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules
- Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 34/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 23/100.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.