Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
860252302
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2024
Official website data refreshed
Jul 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Phoeninx, AZ, USA
Phone
4803963795
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Protestant
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$27,480,282
Expenses
$27,121,947
Assets
$8,472,033
Liabilities
$2,618,990

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

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CONNIE PHILLIPS (CEO & PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • CONNIE PHILLIPS (CEO & PRESIDENT): $217,061 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTINE KOBASIC (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER): $177,956 total reported compensation
  • KAREN BAMFORD (CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER): $146,489 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Your gift helps provide backpacks and school supplies so children served by LSS-SW can start the school year prepared and confident. Make a Gift &gWwOgQlLa6S&gWwOgQlLa6S. We stabilize people during crisis and transition, build a foundation where people can thrive, and preserve dignity and respect for the most vulnerable. Refugee Co-Sponsor Family. Community Partnerships:** We build collaborative partnerships to strengthen individuals, families and communities. Faith-based:** We serve all people with an attitude of compassion and caring, recognizing and honoring our Christian heritage of God’s love in Christ for all. _Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, an Arizona Qualifying Charity, and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and recognized by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod._.

What it reported doing in 2024

The family and community services programs are comprised of family resource centers, basic needs programs, and foster care. Lss-sw operates three family resource centers, part of a network of first things first centers throughout maricopa county, that assist families in metropolitan phoenix and southeast maricopa county. Frcs create healthy environments that support optimal child development and reduce the likelihood of abuse and neglect, through play and learn events, parenting classes, caregiver training, workforce development and connection to community resources. Lss-sw served 1,189 children and 1,748 adults. Foster care recruits, trains, licenses, and supports foster families in caring for children and adults who have been removed from their homes. (continued on schedule o)lss-sw supported 234 foster homes in caring for 337 children and adults. Basic needs programs provide access to families needing support to meet their basic needs through food pantries, emergency shelter, and rental and utility assistance. Lss-sw served 10,061 individuals, provided 6,812 bed nights of emergency shelter, and distributed 6,386 food boxes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 73% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 78% for direct work, and 22% for 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. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 83
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 35
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.2%; rating input score 84
  • Program expense ratio: 85.2%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $36.25 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 1.3%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.31; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.5%; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.3% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 1 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 84.2% of revenue deployed · 85.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $23.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $217K · 17 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $103K reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2013 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 39/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.