Literacy Council of Lanc-leb Lva
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 232373136
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Lancaster, PA, USA
- Phone
- 7172955523
- Rating
- 86
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Adult, Continuing Education
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $1,593,472
- Expenses
- $1,281,026
- Assets
- $2,023,568
- Liabilities
- $135,449
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
11 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- CHAD BURGESS (PRESIDENT)
Highest reported compensation
- CHERYL HIESTER (EXECUTIVE DI): $107,215 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
Our mission is success through lifelong learning and learning for life. Our vision is for adults to have the skills to transform their lives, sustain their families and strengthen their communities.
What it reported doing in 2024
Since 1985, the literacy council of lancaster-lebanon has provided free adult education services to more than 18,000 adults in lancaster and lebanon counties. Through our literacy and learning success centers, learners build essential skills in reading, writing, math, and english language, prepare for the ged or hiset high school equivalency exams, and strengthen digital literacy and computer skills. We also offer career pathways advising, workplace education programs, and specialized mentoring for internationally trained medical professionals seeking to re-enter their careers. Instruction is delivered through one-to-one tutoring, small groups, and larger classes-both in-person and online. Before placement, each learner completes an individualized assessment that includes academic testing, goal setting, and barrier identification. Based on results, students receive a personalized learning plan and are encouraged to participate in at least six instructional hours weekly, with options for more intensive study. Progress is measured every 50 hours of instruction. In the 2024-2025 program year, 558 adults were served. Of these, 387 received more than 12 hours of instruction. Among students eligible for pre- and post-testing, 67% advanced at least one educational functioning level-equivalent to one to two years of schooling. Five students passed at least one ged subtest, two earned a high school equivalency diploma, seven transitioned to postsecondary education, and four became u.s. Citizens. Additionally, 85% of learners with employment goals achieved an employment outcome. Our success centers are vital workforce development partners, helping adults gain the skills needed for life-sustaining jobs.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 76
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 63
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 71.8%; rating input score 72
- Program expense ratio: 89%; rating input score 89
- Fundraising efficiency: $22.12 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 19.6%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.58; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 8.4%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 71.8% of revenue deployed · 89% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.1M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $107K · 11 people listed
- Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
- Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- 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.
- Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 57/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 42/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 48/100.