Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
501(c)(3) Donations tax-deductible
93% goes to programs $1 to raise $100 Growing revenue
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Baltimore, Maryland, registered in 1972, with $304,296,156 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 93% of spending to programs.
700 Light St, Baltimore, MD, 21230 EIN 13-2574854 Since 1972
Revenue (FY2024)
$304.3M
▲ 30.7% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2024)
$302.2M
Net assets
$67.1M
Employees
878
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
A+Program efficiency40% of the rating93% to programs · $1 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: 93% to programs · $1 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
BFinancial health25% of the rating3 mo reserves · +1% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: 3 mo reserves · +1% margin earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Lirs works to create welcome for migrants and refugees. advocates for and helps (cont'd on sch o)
What they do
Children and family services; for more than 40 years. lirs has provided child welfare services to refugee and migrant children who are unaccompanied or separated from family. lirs provided residential care and community based case management services to over 20.000 children and families in 2024. these children have typically fled community violence, civil conflict, persecution, trafficking. extreme poverty. or maltreatment. lirs approaches its work with integrity and upholds the following principles in serving children: decision-making based on the best interests of the child; preserving family unity; placement's of children in the least restrictive setting; prioritizing child protection; and providing services with quality and innovation.lirs partners with the federal agency. the office of refugee resettlement. state and local governments and community child welfare and refugee organizations to serve the best interests of refugee and migrant children. lirs provides a full continuum of care. with a robust national network op partners and direct care staff located throughout the country. the continuum of care includes short and long-term foster care (basic and therapeutic placemements). group home care and shelter care as well as safe release services and home studies and post release services.
Community engagement:1. circle of welcome (cow) ~ facilitated volunteer church/communityteams who are matched with refugee households to provide structuredongoing support.2.new american cities (nac): global refuge revised the nac program in 2024. nac advanced economic inclusion for newcomers in baltimore city and surrounding counties by providing holistic one-on-one support, career upskilling opportunities, and community-based referrals. the grant matched and extended federal funding, enabling a greater impact and fostering the self-sufficiency and integration of baltimore's newest residents. global refuge md supported 39 clients in 2024.3. lirs' mental health program offered therapy and clinical casemanagement services to 341 individuals in 2024. 4. in 2024. global refuge connected with 1,174 new volunteers, who collectively offered more than 4,562 hours of volunteer time. this is equaly to 190 full days of service, and it represents a 31% increase in active volunteer hours compared to last year. more than 300 faith communities worked to write 10.000 hand written cards through the hope for the holidays program, sending messages of hope and dignity to new neighbors across the country. global refuge volunteers and supportive faith communities also packed and delivered more than 1.754"fresh change" bags, a 15% increase compared to 2023. these fresh change bags provide much needed hygeiene supplies and clothing for children in our cfs program.global refuge also produced a new training for congregations which certifies them as safe for new arrivals, and teaches basic immigration policy through a lens of biblical welcome. global refuge preached and presented in more than 80 faith communities across the country. and spoke publicly at educational and human rights events in several major cities.5. through private donations, lirs operates international offices in guatemala and mexico, providing case management, clinical services, and access to educational and vocational services for youth who have been returned to mexico or guatemala.
Other program services:lirs services travel loans issued by the international organization of migration to transport lirs-sponsored refugees from their original location to their resettlement location in the united states. collections from these non-interest bearing loans are, in part, used to offset loan servicing expenses of lirs, with 75% of the collections returned to the international organization of migration to replenish the loan fund, which finances transportation for resettlement of future refugees.lirs north dakota (global refuge nd) state programs refugee support services program (rss): ): rss program d
Contact & location
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $50.4M (FY2013) to $304.3M (FY2024) across 10 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $44.8MNet assets $67.1M
Operating margin
0.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$111.9M
Total liabilities
$44.8M
Net assets
$67.1M
Salaries & benefits
$70.1M
23% of expenses
Board members
16
16 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $304,296,156▲30.7% | $302,202,707▲31.3% | $67,106,358▲7.5% | $111,893,746▲3.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $232,828,680▲12.4% | $230,219,977▲23.5% | $62,438,582▲11.7% | $107,666,854▲18.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $207,097,711▲80.6% | $186,346,164▲89.1% | $55,919,719▲50.8% | $91,196,974▲30.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $114,665,821▲81.8% | $98,525,940▲60.7% | $37,085,959▲76.2% | $69,973,896▲103% | 990 |
| 2020 | $63,067,599▼0.1% | $61,327,464▲6.0% | $21,048,606▲9.0% | $34,472,909▲11.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $63,120,536▲24.8% | $57,842,034▲21.0% | $19,304,519▲37.7% | $30,915,176▲34.3% | 990 |
| 2018 | $50,597,305▼3.0% | $47,815,775▼4.5% | $14,021,457▲24.7% | $23,027,657▲7.3% | 990 |
| 2017 | $52,144,990▼24.6% | $50,066,702▼27.2% | $11,244,399▲22.7% | $21,467,399▼10.9% | 990 |
| 2016 | $69,190,040▲37.4% | $68,749,482▲38.3% | $9,161,715▲11.6% | $24,082,146▲25.2% | 990 |
| 2013 | $50,369,517 | $49,724,360 | $8,209,655 | $19,233,060 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Krish O'mara Vignarajah — $699,499 (0.23% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krish O'mara Vignarajah | Ceo | 40 | $699,499 |
| F Andrew Pepito | Cfo | 40 | $356,742 |
| Lee Williams | Vice Pres Programs | 40 | $356,318 |
| Geri O'donoghue | Vice Pres Human Resources | 40 | $302,224 |
| Erin Taylor | Chief Communications Officer | 40 | $229,525 |
| Lorie Davidson | Vp For Children & Family Services | 40 | $205,690 |
| Andrew Steele | Vp Development and Mobiliz | 40 | $197,200 |
| Maria Maskell | Vice President of It | 40 | $194,278 |
| Megan Bracy | Vp Resettlement & Integration Svc | 40 | $180,883 |
| Bishop Paul Erickson | Director | 3 | — |
| Bishop Sue Briner | Director | 3 | — |
| Bryn Parchman | Chair | 3 | — |
| Clarance Smith | Director | 3 | — |
| Dennis Wieckert | Treasurer | 3 | — |
| Diane Batchik | Director | 3 | — |
| Habib Enayetullah | Director | 3 | — |
| John R Moeller Jr | Director | 3 | — |
| Matuor Alier | Director | 3 | — |
| Michele Speaks | Secretary | 3 | — |
| Muhsin Hassan | Director | 3 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2022)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| The Harrington Agency | Fundraising Consultants | $437,654 |
Grants received · $44.8M total
134 grants to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service totaling $44.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Church World Service Inc | Service to the displaced | 2024 | $1,329,062 |
| Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth | To provide refugee case management assistance and refugee social services to eligible refugee clients. | 2024 | $486,679 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | International development | 2024 | $257,250 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $77,024 |
| Thrivent Financial For Lutherans | General support | 2024 | $31,897 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Impactassets Inc | General support | 2024 | $25,000 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $14,734 |
| Give Back Foundation | Program support | 2024 | $14,009 |
| Thrivent Financial For Lutherans | General support | 2024 | $11,773 |
| Paypal Charitable Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $10,051 |
| The Community Foundation For Northeast Florida Inc | For general operating support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund | To further the organization's exempt purpose | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Community & human services | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Greater Washington Community Foundation | General support | 2024 | $7,500 |
Grants made · $202.3M in FY2024
50 grants totaling $202.3M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bethany Christian Services | Children and family services; resettlement and integration services | $50,821,976 |
| Lutheran Family Services In the Carolinas Inc | Children services | $17,844,820 |
| Lutheran Services In America Incorporated | Children and family services | $15,737,907 |
| Inspiritus Inc | Chidren's services | $13,336,782 |
| Lutheran Services Florida Inc | Children services | $12,070,291 |
| Lutheran Social Service of Colorado | Children services | $9,277,160 |
| Chris 180 Inc | Children services | $8,697,258 |
| Samaritas | Refugee resettlement | $8,645,979 |
| Lutheran Community Services Northwest | Children's services | $6,820,542 |
| Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota | Children and family services; resettlement and integration services | $5,416,918 |
| Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest | Asylum services; children and family services; resettlement and integration services | $5,284,593 |
| Lutheran Services In Iowa Inc | Children and family services; resettlement and integration services | $5,089,187 |
| Lutheran Family Services of Virginia Inc | Children services | $4,604,089 |
| Lutheran Services New England | Children services | $4,170,281 |
| Creative Solutions For Kids & Families Inc | Children services | $3,800,341 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 13-2574854, based in Baltimore, Maryland. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's EIN?
- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 13-2574854.
- How much revenue does Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service report?
- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service reported $304,296,156 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's spending goes to programs?
- Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service spends about 93% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service have?
- CharityIndex grades Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's latest Form 990 is $699,499, paid to Krish O'mara Vignarajah (Ceo).
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Data for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (EIN 13-2574854) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.