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Lutheran World Relief Inc at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Public charity

Lutheran World Relief Inc

Affirming god's love for all people, we work with lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice and human suffering.

$4.0M
Granted FY2025still arriving
12
Grants FY2025still arriving
10
States reached
$283k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2024.

Community Improvement$396kPublic Safety & Disaster$167kReligion$93kMembership Benefit$43kEnvironment$6k
02FY2025 · 12 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 12 grants below total $1,082,073, the rows itemized in this filing. The $3,988,353 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $2,906,280 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2025

  • $10k–50k5 grants · $169k
  • $50k–250k6 grants · $630k
  • $250k+1 grant · $283k
$72,377
Median grant
10
States reached
$157M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA$282,500
CHURCH WORLD SERVICE$165,016
INSPIRITUS$162,500
LFS OF THE CAROLINAS$87,376
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES$73,002
LUTHERAN SERVICES FLORIDA$72,377
ABCCM$70,000
SCSELCA- SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA SYNOD$42,000
SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS SYNOD$37,500
LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK$37,500
ACCION INTERNATIONAL$34,069
CEVA AIR AND OCEAN USA$18,233
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY19–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 53% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants spread fairly evenly across need levels.

area typical 12%GROUND UP INVESTING LLC: $328k → 10%ACCION INTERNATIONAL: $34k → 16%FINE CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION: $53k → 11%Federation of Co-op Society Unions: $43k → 22%SCSELCA- SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA SYNOD: $42k → 14%CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: $165k → 17%SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS SYNOD: $38k → 10%LUTHERAN SERVICES FLORIDA: $72k → 13%ECONOMETRICA (THE ECONOMETRIC SOCIETY): $15k → 12%ABCCM: $70k → 12%INSPIRITUS: $163k → 13%BEE Group: $47k → 7%Lutheran Disaster Response: $50k → 14%CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA: $283k → 9%Lutheran World Services India Trust: $46k → 15%CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES: $73k → 19%LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK: $38k → 14%CEVA AIR AND OCEAN USA: $18k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Grants abroad, by region: $2.9M on the FY2025 return

Schedule F, as filed: 6 regions. The IRS asks for region and purpose, not the recipient, so no country or grantee can be named here.

Sub-Saharan Africa$1.8M · 64% · 6 grants

Stated purpose: CORUS EDUCATION INITIATIVE IN SIERRA LEONE · ESPOIR: SOWING RESILIENCE IN THE CENTRE-NORD AND EAST REGIONS OF BURKINA FASO · PROFIT (PROMOTION DES FILIERES HORTICOLES AU TOGO)

South Asia$466k · 16% · 7 grants

Stated purpose: BUILDING DISASTER RESILIENT COMMUNITIES IN NEPAL (UTTHANSHIL) · DISASTER RESILIENT YOUTH AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROJECT · IMPROVING MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH PROJECT (BAAL SWASTHYA PROJECT)

Europe (including Iceland and Greenland)$287k · 10% · 3 grants

Stated purpose: USDA TRACE NIGERIA - FOOD FOR PROGRESS CACAO VALUE CHAIN STRENGTHENING · MATSYA (MODERNIZING AQUACULTURE IN NEPAL) · UAE004 - AGRICTULTURE SUPPORT TO KHARKIVE FARMERS (ELCA)

Middle East and North Africa$208k · 7% · 3 grants

Stated purpose: AMAL (HOPE) PROJECT PHASE II · LEBANON DISPLACEMENT CRISIS RESPONSE · QUEST RECOVERING BUSINESSES PHASE 2

South America$79k · 3% · 3 grants

Stated purpose: FOOD SECURITY IN CASTROVIRREYNA, PERU (2023-2026) · MOCCA REGIONAL LATIN AMERICA · TRANSFORMING THE VRAEM

Central America and the Caribbean$19k · 1% · 1 grant

Stated purpose: STRENGTHENING OF COMMUNITY-BASED STRUCTURES FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATIO

How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving. Grants abroad on Schedule F are filed by region, purpose and amount with no recipient name, so they are shown by region and cannot be placed on the country map or matched to a grantee.
03Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Aca International

Aca international contributes to the success of its members, the positive reputation of the industry and the health of the economy. we accomplish this by 1) being the comprehensive, knowledge-based resource for the credit and collection…

—
2
Fusion Industry Association

The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) is the unified voice of the growing fusion industry. Fusion energy, when commercialized, will revolutionize the global energy system by providing a clean, safe, sustainable form of always-on energy.…

Environment
3
World Coffee Research

World coffee research unites the global coffee industry to drive science-based agricultural solutions to urgently secure a diverse and sustainable supply of quality coffee today and for generations to come. our mission is to grow, protect,…

International
4
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association Inc

The chartered alternative investment analyst association, inc. (caia) is a global professional credentialing body dedicated to creating greater alignment, transparency, and knowledge for all investors, with a specific emphasis on…

Community Improvement
5
Aacsb International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Aacsb international provides quality assurance of business school programs, the latest in business education intelligence, thought leadership, and learning and development services.

Education
6
International Life Sciences Institute

Ilsi is a global, nonprofit federation dedicated to generating and advancing emerging science and groundbreaking research to ensure foods are safe, nutritious and sustainable, and that they improve planetary and human health and well-being…

Science & Tech
7
Regenerative Organic Alliance

The roa intends to create a path for agricultural producers of food and fiber to introduce and scale the use of regenerative organic practices in their operation in an effort to increase soil health and carbon through soil. also the roa…

Food & Nutrition
8
American Foreign Service Association

American foreign service association (afsa) is both the principal advocate for the long-term institutional wellbeing of the professional career foreign service and responsible for safeguarding the interest of afsa members. (continued on…

—
9
Bank Climate Advocates

Bank Climate Advocates (BCA) combats climate change and its adverse effects primarily by using legal advocacy and action to align public financial institutions' investment policies and practices with the 1.5 degrees C warming limitation…

Environment
10
Institute of International Bankers

The iib represents the interests of the international banking community before u.s. legislative/regulatory bodies liaises with international regulatory bodies serves as a source of information to the media and other interested parties…

—
11
International Federation of Accountants

Ifac acts in the public interest and has no profit-making purpose. ifac serves the public interest by: speaking out and engaging as the voice for the global profession; leading and developing a future-ready accountancy profession; and…

Education
12
Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association

The wholesale & specialty insurance association (wsia) is the non-profit association of professionals and specialty market leaders dedicated to the wholesale distribution system. (continued on schedule o)wsia represents the interests of…

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Lutheran World Relief Inc; the most unlike its peers is Fine Chocolate Industry Association. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

8 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 8 of the 21 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
1
Early backer (in before they grew)
7/8
Grantees still filing
4/8
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

GROUND UP INVESTING LLC: $328,418 · OtherGROUND UP INVESTING LLCCATHOLIC CHARITIES USA: $282,500 · OtherCATHOLIC CHARITIES USAINSPIRITUS: $162,500 · OtherINSPIRITUSCATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES: $73,002 · OtherCATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICESLUTHERAN SERVICES FLORIDA: $72,377 · OtherLUTHERAN SERVICES FLORIDAABCCM: $70,000 · OtherABCCMEVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA: $50,000 · OtherLutheran World Services India Trust: $45,500 · OtherSCSELCA- SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA SYNOD: $42,000 · Other+5 more: $114,625 · Other+5 moreCHURCH WORLD SERVICE INC: $165,016 · InternationalCHURCH WORLD SERVICE…LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF INC: $116,608 · InternationalLUTHERAN WORLD RELIE…ACCION INTERNATIONAL: $34,069 · InternationalACCION INTERNATIONALLutheran Family Services in the Carolinas: $87,376 · Human ServicesFine Chocolate Industry Association: $52,710 · Community ImprovementBiblical Education By Extension Inc: $47,497 · ReligionPHILADELPHIA AREA COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE: $43,036 · Membership Benefit
Other$1,240,922International$315,693Human Services$87,376Community Improvement$52,710Religion$47,497Membership Benefit$43,036

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetCHURCH WORLD SERVICE INC: $165,016 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetLUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF INC: $116,608 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetLutheran Family Services in the Carolinas: $87,376 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetFine Chocolate Industry Association: $52,710 over 1y, 23% of budgetPHILADELPHIA AREA COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE: $43,036 over 1y, 16% of budgetECONOMETRIC SOCIETY INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds CHURCH WORLD SERVICE INC ↗
  • Who funds LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF INC ↗
  • Who funds Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas ↗
  • Who funds Fine Chocolate Industry Association ↗
  • Who funds Biblical Education By Extension Inc ↗
  • Who funds PHILADELPHIA AREA COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE ↗
  • Who funds ACCION INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds ECONOMETRIC SOCIETY INC ↗

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Lutheran World Relief Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Lutheran World Relief Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24
no gov · 10%2%6%14%25%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →median 47%
  • Lutheran World Relief Inc: 47% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
1report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
typical government reliance, FY20–24
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 21 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home