The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd

What it reported doing in 2024

The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (NAC) concentrates primarily on issues around economic justice, immigration, and human trafficking; it also considers root causes including racism, environmental degradation and gender inequality. Finally, NAC also looks at issues that impact Good Shepherd partner agencies in the U.S., among them domestic violence and gun violence, foster care and mental health services, as well as U.S. policy in other countries, particularly where it impacts countries with Good Shepherd programs. For 2024, program accomplishments included the fruits of a continued joint campaign with the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT) focused on the intersection of human trafficking and forced migration. We organized virtual educational webinars on three bills identified to help break the link. The bills focused on 1) addressing root causes that lead people to migrate, 2) assisting unaccompanied children navigating the immigration system, and 3) easing the process for asylum seekers looking for work. Across the three virtual seminars we educated 1022 registrants. These webinars led up to a joint in-person briefing on Capitol Hill focused on the human trafficking / forced migration link and the three legislative solutions. The briefing panel included one human trafficking survivor and two immigrant service providers and was moderated by Good Shepherd Sister Brigid Lawlor, founder of NAC. The briefing had bipartisan honorary co-chairs and an excellent turn-out that included 20 House staff members, 3 Senate staff members, 15 partner organizations plus the 35 advocates and staff members of AEHT and NAC. After the briefing NAC and AEHT participants met with their legislators advocating for passage of the three bills. As a result of this work, NAC was awarded a $30k grant to continue efforts to end human trafficking.NAC continued to engage in coalition work advocating for its other priorities. With regard to sign-on letters, the topics with the most attention included Poverty/Economics, Immigration, U.S. Policies Affecting Other Good Shepherd Countries, and Family Issues involving Violence and Mental Health and this mirrored its priority work with its network of advocates. In particular, NAC maintained its focus on strengthening the Child Tax Credit (CTC), securing adequate funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and protecting the Asylum Program. Other notable advocacy areas included calling for Peace in Gaza, Gun Violence Prevention, and a Faithful Democracy, including efforts to improve voter turn-out.With its partners, NAC successfully advocated for a Congressional budget fully funding, WIC, helping to eliminate hunger in women and children across the U.S., as well for level funding for Community Violence Interrupters. NAC contributed to a convening organized by the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence responding to the National Plan to End Domestic Violence. It also submitted a Federal Comment in support of Compensation to Violence Victims, and signed on to Amicus Briefs for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, the Right to Petition / Sexual Harassment and Equal Pay Claims for Women.Finally, NAC deepened relationships on the Hill particularly through its human trafficking advocacy, and its advocacy for foster youth.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 41.2%; rating input score 41
• Program expense ratio: 73.1%; rating input score 73
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 0 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 43.6%; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.7; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -35.3% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -17.2% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 26.3% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings