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Lutheran Social Service of the South Inc

EIN 74-1109745 · Austin, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF CHILD ABUSE BY EMPOWERING CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

Income
$125.5 million
Spending
$128.0 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
2.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 86%
Employees
1,486
Volunteers
386
Highest pay
$532,026, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (human services, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 30% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (human services, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 (6)
  1. $9.5 million spent. OUR CHILDREN'S SERVICES INCLUDED OUR FOSTER IN TEXAS PROGRAM WHERE A FAMILY PARTNERS WITH UPBRING TO OPEN THEIR HOME AND THEIR HEARTS TO A CHILD IN NEED, PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, CLOTHING AND SHELTER. UPBRING ALSO PROVIDES LONG-TERM SUPPORT TO HELP CHILDREN BUILD STRONG BONDS WITH THEIR NEW FAMILY MEMBERS. FOSTER PARENTS ARE TRAINED IN TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, SO THEY CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN HEAL FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT BROUGHT THEM INTO FOSTER CARE. ADOPTIONS OCCUR NATURALLY THROUGH THE FOSTER IN TEXAS PROGRAM, AND ARE COMPLEMENTED BY DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION SERVICES TO HELP CHILDREN FIND THEIR FOREVER FAMILIES. BEREAL SUPPORTS YOUNG ADULTS AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE WITH HOUSING, ASSISTANCE FOR BASIC NEEDS, AND A STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING THEIR LIFE GOALS.
  2. $3.9 million spent. RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS INCLUDE LIFE-CHANGING WORK BEING DONE AT OUR NEW LIFE AND KRAUSE CHILDREN'S CENTERS THAT PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR GIRLS FROM ACROSS TEXAS TO HEAL FROM CHILDHOOD TRAUMAS. UPBRING'S CHILDREN'S SHELTERS AND TRANSITIONAL FOSTER CARE PROGRAMS PROVIDE CARE AND SUPPORT FROM OUR COMPASSIONATE STAFF AND NURTURING FOSTER PARENTS UNTIL THEIR FAMILIES CAN BE LOCATED.
  3. $23.5 million spent. EDUCATION SERVICES INCLUDE HEADSTART AND EARLY HEADSTART PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT HELP CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES PREPARE TO START KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN. EDUCATION SERVICES ALSO INCLUDE PROGRAMS AT UPBRING SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES IN AUSTIN. THE SCHOOL PROVIDES EDUCATION SERVICES TO CHILDREN AGES SIX-WEEKS TO ELEMENTARY AGE, RESERVING SPACES FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
  4. $77.4 million spent. THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT (ORR) IN TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES HELPS NEW POPULATIONS INTEGRATE INTO AMERICAN LIFE BY CONNECTING THEM TO CRITICAL RESOURCES. UPBRING OPERATES FOUR ORR PROGRAMS IN TEXAS FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE MIGRATED TO THE U.S. ALONE OR WITH OTHER MINORS. RATHER THAN BEING DEPORTED, CHILDREN WHO CROSS THE BORDER ALONE FROM CENTRAL AMERICA ARE TURNED OVER TO ORR, HELD IN DESIGNATED FACILITIES AND PROVIDED WITH SERVICES UNTIL THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS CAN BE LOCATED. THIS EXPERIENCE ALONE CAN BE SCARY, BUT THE STAFF AT UPBRING SHELTERS PROVIDE THE CHILDREN WITH AROUND-THE-CLOCK ATTENTION, CARING FOR THEIR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING.
  5. $371,532 spent. COMMUNITY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED PRIMARILY IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS AND HELP THOSE IN NEED WITH EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR FOOD, UTILITIES, PRESCRIPTIONS, FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS AND CONSULTATIONS.
  6. $1.4 million spent. COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND INNOVATION INITIATIVES: AS FAMILIES CONTINUE TO FACE THE STRESSORS OF POVERTY, DRUG ADDICTION, ISOLATION AND OTHER RISK FACTORS THAT CAN LEAD TO THE ABUSE OF CHILDREN, OUR ATTENTION AND RESOURCES WILL CONTINUE TO BE FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK DESIGNED TO DRIVE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE IN BREAKING THE CYCLE OF CHILD ABUSE THROUGH: INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND AN EXPANDING NETWORK OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.

    Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for churches. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1961.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 October 21, 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.