Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WITNESSING TO GOD'S LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE, WE STAND WITH AND ADVOCATE FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES THROUGH MINISTRIES OF SERVICE AND JUSTICE.
- Income
- $170.5 million
- Spending
- $165.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 5.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 91%
- Employees
- 833
- Volunteers
- 17
- Highest pay
- $730,672, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 66 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 44% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $32.2 million spent. RESETTLEMENT: IN 2025, LIRS RESETTLED 7,784 REFUGEES, UNACCOMPANIEDREFUGEE MINORS AND SIVS (AFGHAN SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS WHO SERVEDOVERSEAS ALONGSIDE THE US ARMED FORCES) FROM 44 COUNTRIES THROUGH ITSNETWORK OF LOCAL SOCIAL MINISTRY ORGANIZATIONS IN 78 LOCATIONS ACROSSTHE UNITED STATES, PREPARING A PLACE OF WELCOME TO MEET THE PARTICULARNEEDS OF THE REFUGEES AND ENGAGING LOCAL CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES TOASSIST REFUGEES TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT MEMBERS OF THEIR NEWCOMMUNITIES. THE TOP FIVE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN OF RESETTLED REFUGEES IN2025 WERE AFGHANISTAN, VENEZUELA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, SYRIA, AND SOMALIA.1. RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT (R&P) LIRS PROVIDES LIFE-SAVING PROTECTIONAND STABILIZATION SUPPORT TO REFUGEES DURING THEIR FIRST 90 DAYS IN THEUNITED STATES.2. MATCHING GRANT (MG) - THIS LIRS 8-MONTH EARLY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM ISAN ALTERNATIVE TO PUBLIC CASH ASSISTANCE. IN 2025, 1,261 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN MATCHING GRANT WERE SUPPORTED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT(EMPLOYED) ON OR BEFORE THE 240-DAY MARK.3. PREFERRED COMMUNITIES (PC) LIRS PROVIDED INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENTTO THE MOST VULNERABLE REFUGEES AND ASYLEES TO ENSURE ACCESS TOCRITICAL LIFE STABILIZING SERVICES AND RESOURCES. THIS HELPED MOVE 1,487PARTICIPANTS TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN 43 LOCATIONS. PC GAP SERVICESSERVED 3,041 CLIENTS IN 54 LOCATIONS.
- $111.3 million spent. 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 8,860 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN 2025. 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.
- $3.2 million spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:1. POST ARRIVAL STABILITY EMPOWERMENT (PASE): THROUGH FOUNDATION SUPPORT, PASE ADVANCES ECONOMIC INCLUSION BY PROVIDING HOLISTIC, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT THAT HELPS REMOVE BARRIERS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THROUGH TRAUMA-INFORMED, CLIENT-CENTERED CASE MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY-BASED REFERRALS, JOB READINESS WORKSHOPS, CAREER UPSKILLING OPPORTUNITIES, AND CONNECTIONS TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS, THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS NEWCOMERS IN BALTIMORE CITY AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. THIS PROGRAM MATCHED AND EXTENDED FEDERAL FUNDING, INCREASING THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT AND STRENGTHENING THE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND INTEGRATION OF BALTIMORE'S NEWEST RESIDENTS. IN 2025, GLOBAL REFUGE MD SUPPORTED 171 CLIENTS THROUGH PASE.
- $5.2 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES:LIRS SERVICES TRAVEL LOANS ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OFMIGRATION TO TRANSPORT LIRS-SPONSORED REFUGEES FROM THEIR ORIGINALLOCATION TO THEIR RESETTLEMENT LOCATION IN THE UNITED STATES.COLLECTIONS FROM THESE NON-INTEREST -BEARING LOANS ARE, IN PART, USED TOOFFSET LOAN SERVICING EXPENSES OF LIRS, WITH 75% OF THE COLLECTIONSRETURNED TO THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF MIGRATION TO REPLENISHTHE LOAN FUND; WHICH FINANCES TRANSPORTATION FOR RESETTLEMENT OF FUTURE REFUGEES.GLOBAL REFUGE NORTH DAKOTA (GLOBAL REFUGE ND) PROGRAMSREFUGEE SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM (RSS): RSS PROGRAM DELIVERED COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY CONNECTOR SERVICES TO REFUGEES AND OTHER OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT (ORR) POPULATIONS IN NORTH DAKOTA. THROUGH COMMUNITY CONNECTORS, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED TAILORED SUPPORT IN KEY AREAS SUCH AS FAMILY SUPPORT AND INTEGRATION SERVICES, ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES, SCHOOL NAVIGATION AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT, AND COMMUNITY ORIENTATION WORKSHOPS. THESE SERVICES WERE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE SUCCESSFUL RESETTLEMENT, FOSTER COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, AND SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM WELL-BEING OF REFUGEE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. GLOBAL REFUGE ND SERVED 622 RSS CLIENTS IN 2025.REFUGE CASH ASSISTANCE (RCA) PROGRAM: RCA PROGRAM PROVIDED MONTHLY CASH ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS TO HELP MEET BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, SHELTER, AND TRANSPORTATION. IN ADDITION, RCA SUPPORTED INDIVIDUALS IN ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND REDUCING DEPENDENCY ON WELFARE SERVICES THROUGH CASE MANAGEMENT AND REFERRALS TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT. GLOBAL REFUGE ND SERVED 357 RCA CLIENTS IN 2025.SERVICES FOR OLDER REFUGEES (SOR): THE SOR PROGRAM PROVIDED SUPPORT TO ELIGIBLE REFUGEES AGED 60 AND OLDER, ENSURING THEY HAD ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE AGING-RELATED SERVICES. SOR OFFERINGS INCLUDED CASE MANAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION, INTERPRETATION, REFERRALS TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, AND CITIZENSHIP AND NATURALIZATION PREPARATION FOR ELIGIBLE REFUGEE ELDERS. THE PROGRAM ALSO AIMED TO DELIVER SERVICES NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY. OVERALL, SOR SERVICES PROMOTED PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, SUPPORTED INTEGRATION INTO NEW COMMUNITIES, AND ENCOURAGED INDEPENDENT LIVING. GLOBAL REFUGE ND SERVED 21 SOR CLIENTS IN 2025. REFUGEE YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM (YMP): THE YMP PROGRAM ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF REFUGEE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, AGES 15-24, BY PROMOTING THEIR CIVIC AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MENTORING. THE PROGRAM RECRUITED, SCREENED AND TRAINED MENTORS TO SUPPORT NEWCOMER YOUTH. GLOBAL REFUGE ND CONNECTED 9 YOUTH WITH MENTORS IN 2025.REFUGEE HEALTH PROMOTION: THE PROGRAM PROVIDED REFUGEE HEALTH NAVIGATION SERVICES TO REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS IN NORTH DAKOTA. KEY SERVICES INCLUDED COORDINATING REFUGEE MEDICAL SCREENINGS, FACILITATING TIMELY COMMUNICATION AMONG STATE AGENCIES, MEDICAL PROVIDERS, AND RESETTLEMENT STAFF, OFFERING GUIDANCE ON HEALTH CARE COVERAGE OPTIONS, AND SUPPORTING ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM WORKED TO ELIMINATE TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS FOR BOTH INITIAL SCREENINGS AND FOLLOW-UP MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. GLOBAL REFUGE ND ASSISTED 118 CLIENTS THROUGH HEALTH PROMOTION IN 2025. REFUGEE AGRICULTURAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RAPP): THE RAPP SUPPORTED REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS IN IMPROVING THEIR LIVELIHOODS AND ACHIEVING ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY INCREASING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN AGRICULTURE, FOOD SYSTEMS, NUTRITION, AND ACCESS TO FARMERS MARKETS. GLOBAL REFUGE ND SERVED 58 RAPP CLIENTS IN 2025. EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM (EEP): THROUGH THE EEP, GLOBAL REFUGE ND STRENGTHENED COLLABORATION WITH EMPLOYERS TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS WITHIN THE RESETTLEMENT COMMUNITY. GLOBAL REFUGE ND ESTABLISHED FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS TO DEVELOP TRAINING CURRICULA, PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING, AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKPLACE-BASED TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND INTERNSHIPS ALL AIMED AT ENHANCING CLIENTS' ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT. GLOBAL REFUGE ND CLOSELY WORKED WITH 9 EMPLOYERS AND SUPPORTED 26 EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED AT THESE EMPLOYERS.GLOBAL REFUGE SAN ANTONIO (GLOBAL REFUGE SA) PROGRAMSREFUGEE SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM (RSS): THE RSS PROGRAM HELPED REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR ELIGIBLE POPULATION IN TEXAS ACHIEVE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE BY ASSISTING THEM IN FINDING AND MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT WHILE REMOVING BARRIERS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY. REFUGEE SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERS CASE MANAGEMENT, JOB DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT, AND CONNECTIONS TO SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT SUPPORT, SUCH AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES, DAYCARE, AND CITIZENSHIP ASSISTANCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAM PROVIDED SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO HELP CLIENTS OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO CULTURAL AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION. GLOBAL REFUGE SA SERVED 364 RSS CLIENTS IN 2025. REFUGE CASH ASSISTANCE (RCA) PROGRAM: RCA PROGRAM PROVIDED MONTHLY CASH ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS TO HELP MEET BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, SHELTER, AND TRANSPORTATION. GLOBAL REFUGE SA SERVED 319 RCA CLIENTS IN 2025. REFUGEE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (RMA): STAFF ASSISTED CLIENTS IN ACCESSING RMA, WHICH PROVIDES INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR REFUGEES AND OTHER ORR-ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS. SUPPORT INCLUDED ASSESSMENT, ENROLLMENT, AND COORDINATION WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS. GLOBAL REFUGE SA ASSISTED 20 CLIENTS IN 2025.REFUGEE SCHOOL IMPACT: RSI ENSURE ORR-ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, BIRTH TO AGE 18, ARE PREPARED TO SUCCEED IN FORMAL SCHOOLING, STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND AID THE SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF NEWLY ARRIVING REFUGEE YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. GLOBAL REFUGE SA SERVED 2 RSI CLIENTS IN 2025.GLOBAL REFUGE BALTIMORE AND ALEXANDRIA (GLOBAL REFUGE MD) PROGRAMSBALTIMORE NEW AMERICAN ACCESS COALITION (BNAAC): THE BNAAC PROGRAM PROVIDED SIX-MONTH CASE MANAGEMENT AND BENEFITS NAVIGAT
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1972.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.