Ministry Spotlight: The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
ECFA no longer files Form 990 with IRS, but does post it online
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability’s (ECFA) Donor Confidence Score has fallen to 43 in the MinistryWatch database—a “Give with Caution” designation. The organization, which offers accreditation and resources to churches and ministries, no longer files its Form 990 with the IRS.
In order to become a partner organization with the ECFA, a ministry has to commit to upholding its Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship.
According to its website, the organization believes the way nonprofits “treat financial transparency, board governance, and stewarding charitable gifts can create trust with their donors or break it irreparably. In today’s world, demonstrating trustworthiness is more important than ever in effectively reaching the world for Christ. ECFA exists to help enhance that trust.”
In 2019, though, the ECFA set a new example for its members. It joined a growing number of organizations and ministries that have petitioned the IRS to be reclassified as an “association of churches.”
Under a “church” classification, a ministry is not required to file or post its Form 990s. The forms provide important information for donors, including: top employee salaries, yearly revenue and the amount of money an organization spends on its core programming.
While the ECFA does voluntarily prepare the form and make its Form 990s available on its website, many of its member organizations with the same distinction do not, and are not required to. That means accountability groups like ProPublica and MinistryWatch are not notified of yearly financial changes within the organization.
According to its 2023 990, the ECFA had a total revenue of $7.7 million, and its total expenses were $5.5 million.
MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 43 (out of a possible 100) “Give With Caution”
MinistryWatch Financial Efficiency Rating: 4 Stars (out of a possible 5 Stars)
MinistryWatch Transparency Grade: D
Revenue in Most Recent Year Available (2023 Form 990): $7,755,544
Five-Year Revenue Trend: Increasing (by about 85%)
Percent of Revenue the ECFA Spends on Fundraising: 0% (based on 2020 Form 990)
Percent Peer Group Spends on Fundraising: 7% (based on 2020 Form 990)
CEO/President: Michael Martin
President’s Salary and Other Compensation: $254,415 (in 2023)
A complete MinistryWatch profile for The ECFA can be found here.
Find recent MinistryWatch articles mentioning The ECFA here.
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