Lutheran Social Services of Alaska

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
943055592
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Anchorage, AK, USA
Phone
9072720643
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Human Service Organizations
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,612,939
Expenses
$1,617,022
Assets
$1,086,843
Liabilities
$333,792

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARK SCHMELING (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • ALAN BUDAHL (EXECUTIVE DI): $102,559 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Providing hope by responding to human needs through services that sustain and transform lives.

What it reported doing in 2024

Direct assistance we helped the following in our direct assistance programs. Birth certificate (alaskan born) 403 birth certificates (born out of state) 57 Alaska state ids 837 alaka drivers license 13 restricted alaskan ids or driver license 18 new program for lssa this fy was real ids and driver license real ids 52 real driver license 55 bus passes 7 gas cards 55 carrs/safeway gift cards 35 prescription help 12 utiity assistance 8 rental assistance 8 stranded rural alaskans 6 we helped 1,464 individuals with vouchers for these programs in fy25. The reason for the increase has been those needing real ids that the federal government implemented on may 7, 2025. We track this information in formstack. Medical transportation anyone seeking transportation to and from doctors appointment or medical procedures can call us for a ride in our program with Alaska yellow cab. We provided 349 clients with more than 650 rides. We track this information on an excel spreadsheet. Golden connections our newest program is golden connections which is a program that helps seniors fight isolation that we all experienced during covid 19. We host monthly if not twice programs with lunch; such as gci cell phone classes, valentine day party, thanksgiving, christmas, a city sightseeing tour, day at the museum, tour of the botanical gardens, cooking classes, summer picnic at kincaid park, etc. We have over 300 seniors connected with us and hold to continue grow this program.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 82% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • 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. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 93
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 34
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 86.8%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 86.4%; rating input score 86
  • Fundraising efficiency: $63.91 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 81; 81st 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -0.3%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.67; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.3%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -11.6% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -14.9% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -11% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 86.8% of revenue deployed · 86.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $103K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes grants
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 35/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 31/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 24/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 49/100.