Lions Services INC

Tax-deductible

Charlotte, NC501(c)(3)Since 1975Community DevelopmentEIN 51-0191811

Empowering people who are blind to achieve personal and economic independence by providing them with vocational rehabilitiation and employment opportunities and by providing eyecare to those in need.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 317 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $637K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$158K
to officers and key staff · 0.7% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 81% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.1 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.1M
45% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 45% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$23.2M
+34% vs prior year
Spent
$21.7M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$3.7M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$23.2M
FY2025▲ +34%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$23.3M
FY2022$16.0M
FY2023$16.5M
FY2024$17.4M
FY2025$23.2M
Expenses
$21.7M
FY2025▲ +18%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$22.9M
FY2022$17.9M
FY2023$18.4M
FY2024$18.5M
FY2025$21.7M
Net assets
$3.7M
FY2025▲ +65%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$7.2M
FY2022$5.3M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$3.7M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1976.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $18.8M Management & general 12% · $2.6M Fundraising 1% · $323K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $158K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President/Ce
$157,512Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairma
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Philip Murph’s $158K as President/Ce is at the 19th percentile of top reported officer pay among 572 $10–100M community development nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Philip Murph$157,512$144,127$138,502$122,987$105,273
Jim R Cranford————$113,526
Stacy Byram———$25,015$23,055

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Lions Services INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Helps blind individuals gain independence through job training and employment, and provides eye care.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Lions Services INC claims this page.

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1 program service account for $18.8M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

The organization is a social enterprise that provides employment opportunities to people who are blind through workforce development in manufacturing in the textile industry.

$18.8Mprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$23.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$23.0M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$114K
Investment incomeLn 3$56K
Money outPt IX
$21.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$18.8M
Managementcol C$2.6M
Fundraisingcol D$323K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$127K
Total assetsLn 16$6.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$114K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$38K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$23.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$56K
Other incomeLn 4–11$23K
Gains on assetsLn 7$54K
Total revenueLn 12$23.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$112K
SavingsLn 2$15K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$127K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.9M
Other assetsLn 15$45K
Total assetsLn 16$6.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.1M
Net assetsLn 32$3.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5317
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$162K$127K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.1M$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$5.7M$6.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.5M$3.1M
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$3.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$158K$158K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$9.1M$8.2M$776K$197K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$903K$793K$91K$19K
Payroll taxesLn 10$754K$661K$77K$16K
Legal feesLn 11b$25K$25K
Accounting feesLn 11c$28K$28K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$13K$13K
Office expensesLn 13$15K$15K
RoyaltiesLn 15$729K$729K
OccupancyLn 16$194K$143K$51K
TravelLn 17$52K$52K
InterestLn 20$31K$31K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$198K$96K$102K
InsuranceLn 23$108K$108K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$8.9M$8.2M$749K
All other expensesLn 24e$465K$57K$318K$91K
Total functional expensesLn 25$21.7M$18.8M$2.6M$323K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $23.2M$21.7M$1.4M$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $17.4M$18.5M−$1.1M$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $16.5M$18.4M−$1.9M$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $16.0M$17.9M−$1.9M$5.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $23.3M$22.9M$360K$7.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $23,181,548 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$113,861
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$38,480
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$113,861
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $22,988,557$22,988,557
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $1,932$1,932
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $53,915$53,915
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $23,283$23,283
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $23,067,687$23,181,548
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $21,735,243 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $157,512$157,512
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $8,160,523 · Management $775,632 · Fundraising $197,144$9,133,299
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $792,955 · Management $90,673 · Fundraising $19,156$902,784
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $661,416 · Management $76,807 · Fundraising $15,731$753,954
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $25,000$25,000
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $28,050$28,050
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $12,983$12,983
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $14,972$14,972
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $729,026$729,026
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $143,334 · Management $50,715$194,049
IX-17 TravelManagement $52,038$52,038
IX-20 InterestManagement $31,250$31,250
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $96,400 · Management $101,851$198,251
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $108,166$108,166
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $8,179,422 · Management $749,459$8,928,881
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $56,593 · Management $317,900 · Fundraising $90,535$465,028
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $18,819,669 · Management $2,593,008 · Fundraising $322,566$21,735,243
Part X · Balance sheet $6,737,241 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $149,499$111,876
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $12,998$14,712
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $407,373$236,283
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,414,389$1,609,518
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $1,546,424$2,589,005
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $65,044$192,738
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,079,509$1,938,419
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $71,324$44,690
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,746,560$6,737,241
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,899,642$2,329,831
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $619,114$733,301
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,518,756$3,063,132
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,508,521$3,442,826
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $719,283$231,283
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,227,804$3,674,109
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,746,560$6,737,241
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,674,109 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$23,181,548
XI-2 Total expenses$21,735,243
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,446,305
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,227,804
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,674,109

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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