Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas
Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas reported $39.6 million in revenue and $37.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.23 went to program services, $15.77 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 49.6% of the total. Government grants made up 36.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $467,013 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 63% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $38MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $40MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.2% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.8% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 49.6% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 36.4% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 48.2% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $467,013 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.23% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.8 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 20 of 21 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLfs offers family and therapeutic foster care to meet the special physical and emotional needs of vulnerable children in our care. Some of these children suffer from medical problems such as fetal alcohol syndrome and drug addiction. Older children can have emotional and behavioral issues and are given counseling when needed. Many families will have the opportunity to adopt when reunification with a child's biological family is not possible. Finding permanent, safe, and supportive families for children is the goal of lfs foster care
Lfs provides residential services for adults coping with various degrees of autism, developmental disability, mental illness, and symptoms resulting from traumatic brain injury. Self-sufficiency is taught and encouraged in these homes, though many clients will live out their lives with lfs
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/CEO Director/trustee, officer, 1.0 hrs/week | $0 | $430,398 | $36,615 | $467,013 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 1.0 hrs/week | $0 | $310,130 | $26,824 | $336,954 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Key employee, 1.0 hrs/week | $0 | $308,014 | $15,106 | $323,120 |
| VICE PRESIDENT - CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES Key employee, 1.0 hrs/week | $0 | $176,905 | $13,910 | $190,815 |
| PHYSICIAN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $136,040 | $0 | $10,163 | $146,203 |
| NC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: CHILD & FAMILY SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $117,838 | $0 | $10,004 | $127,842 |
| EXECUTIVE CLINICAL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $122,033 | $0 | $3,569 | $125,602 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & REHAB SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $116,182 | $0 | $3,419 | $119,601 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas (Part VII, line 2).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b21 · 20 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5454
- Volunteers Part I, line 6200
Private foundation grants it received
5 private foundations reported grants to Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas totaling $125K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas spent in FY2025, $84.23 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All human services charities · Largest charities in North Carolina
Questions people ask
How much of Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas reported that 84.2% of its $37.9 million in expenses went to program services, 15.8% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $467,013, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas get its money?
Of $39.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 49.6% came from contributions and grants (including 36.4% from government grants) and 48.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 56-1286323 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202612199349300021 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202532269349301913 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202432259349300238 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202321369349302202 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202202239349302555 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202112249349301201 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 56-1286323: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.