Administer Justice, a legal aid ministry, recently dropped from a 5-Star financial efficiency score down to 1 Star in less than a year. MinistryWatch defines financial efficiency as getting the most out of the least amount of resources.
Administer Justice CEO Bruce Strom / Photo via Facebook
Administer Justice has been “empowering vulnerable neighbors with the help of a lawyer and the hope of God’s love” for decades.
Administer Justice currently has over 100 Gospel Justice Centers across the country, but their vision is to launch 1,000 centers “transforming lives in the name of Christ.” As a church-led model, these Centers are hosted by churches and supported by Christians in the community.
Targeted for low-income Americans, Administer Justice provides legal counsel and supports “vulnerable neighbors with the legal help they need.”
With a perfect MinistryWatch score as of June 2025, Administer Justice was awarded the Shining Light Award in 2024 and 2025. However, the ministry’s latest financials dropped them from the top 20% for financial efficiency to the bottom 20% compared with other ministries in the Community Development sector.
The drop in stars is due to its ratings in fund acquisition, resource allocation and asset utilization. That’s due, in part, to a jump in fundraising expenses—from 3% in 2023 to 10% in 2024, based on its 2024 Form 990. This figure is double the sector median of 5%.
Additionally, Administer Justice has held a negative savings ratio and a negative reserve accumulation rate since 2022. As of the most recent Form 990, their savings ratio is -12% compared to the sector median of 4% and their reserve accumulation rate is -7% compared to the sector median of 5%.
While financial efficiency is an important measurement, it should not be the sole basis on which donors make giving decisions. However, MinistryWatch believes that understanding financial efficiency is relevant and useful. To improve a financial efficiency score, a ministry must spend more on ministry and less on fundraising, asset accumulation, and administration.
MinistryWatch made multiple attempts to contact Administer Justice. It did not respond.
Administer Justice has an A Transparency Grade—it files a public Form 990, posts audited financial statements, and is a member of the ECFA.
MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 80 (out of a possible 100) “Give With Confidence”
MinistryWatch Financial Efficiency Rating: 1 Star (out of a possible 5 Stars)
MinistryWatch Transparency Grade: A
ECFA Member? Yes
Revenue in Most Recent Year Available: $1,213,263
Five-Year Revenue Trend: Increasing (by about 18%)
Percent of Revenue Spent on Fundraising: 10%
Percent of Revenue Peer Group Spends on Fundraising: 5%
CEO/President: Bruce Strom
President’s Salary and Other Compensation: $115,000
A complete MinistryWatch profile for Administer Justice can be found here.
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