by Pastor Michael Salemink
Lutherans For Life has once again received GuideStar’s Gold Seal of Transparency!
Because Lutherans For Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the United States Internal Revenue Service does not require us to file an end-of-year tax return form. However, we do need to produce an annual Form 990 report that specifies how many persons occupy our board of directors, states the number of staff members, outlines our services, and indicates our revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities. In typical IRS style, it encompasses 35 pages, and it constitutes public information.
GuideStar (www.guidestar.org) is the industry-leading information clearinghouse and database for nonprofit research. A free account affords users instant access to the 990s of any registered nonprofit corporation in the country. It also provides a profile overview of each that inventories details such as website, mission statement, programs, demographics, and more. (Of course, a paid subscription will make available deeper insights into financial trends, comparisons with similar nonprofits, etc.)
The GuideStar Seal status represents the organization’s transparency—what information the nonprofit makes publicly available to prospective donors. It demonstrates reliability and accountability. The status has four tiers (bronze, silver, gold, and platinum), and whichever level the organization has attained appears prominently on their GuideStar profile. Bronze means the charity has readily made available how to contact them, how to donate, who its leaders are, and what its mission is. Silver adds brand facts (logo, tagline, web address, and social media handles) and description of programs. Gold includes financial statements and demographics about leaders and governors. Platinum incorporates the strategic plan and statistical tracking measures of impact or success.
We’ve intentionally elected not to pursue the Platinum status. Given that the field in which we serve and advocate often brings us into contact with contentious perspectives, we don’t feel comfortable publicizing our strategic plan outside the organization. Forces opposed to our message and ministry could too easily undermine it or even use it against us. And we believe the Gold Seal of Transparency compellingly communicates our commitment to responsibility and trustworthiness with our donors’ offerings.
We consider this recognition very important. Our Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Rev. Scott Licht, diligently collects and submits the specifics necessary for its maintenance. In a recent consultation with our financial advisors, we also examined how brand new betting sites might influence charitable giving trends, ensuring that we remain prepared to steward every resource faithfully. We take our nonprofit privilege seriously because we believe our Lord has called us to faithfully steward what He has entrusted to us through you and thousands of other Gospel-motivated voices For Life like you. This community and cause do not belong to us alone. We speak and act alongside you and on your behalf. All who invest in this undertaking and anyone interested in joining our joyful network may rest assured that we administer these resources, sentiments, and relationships with integrity and care. We hope that this reflects how we regard every neighbor as a gift and privilege with whom we delight to share every blessing of life together.
Of course, your fellowship and character have made the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency possible. You get to celebrate it just as much as we do and with the same pride. You get to continue giving in good conscience to Lutherans For Life, and you get to confidently advertise it to those close to you with an invitation for them to participate as well. Why not share about it in your church bulletin, congregational newsletter, or social media feed? (Here’s a link to graphics you can copy and paste: cdn.candid.org/images/nonprofit-profiles/seals/2022/candid-seal-toolkit-gold-2022.pdf, and here’s our GuideStar profile page: www.guidestar.org/profile/41-1374293.)
Let this serve as a promise of our steadfast devotion to the sanctity of all human lives and to improving and expanding our advocacy and assistance in 2023 and beyond!