Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College 
The information on this page was last updated 4/6/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
We help shape the way churches and Christian nonprofits think about and respond to poverty.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Chalmers Center
507 McFarland Rd
Suite B
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Website: chalmers.org
Phone: 706.956.4119
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 272341083
CEO/President: Abigail Sebesta
Chairman: Michael Briggs
Board size: 7
Founder: Dr. Brian Fikkert
Ruling year: 2010
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2014
Purpose
We equip local churches to address the broken relationships at the root of poverty, living out Jesus' Kingdom today.
Mission statement
Statement of faith
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Community Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 677 of 1077 | 72 of 142 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1014 of 1078 | 123 of 142 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 602 of 1078 | 79 of 142 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 249 of 1077 | 25 of 142 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 14% | 7% | 7% | 23% | 17% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 4% | 13% | 7% | 6% | 20% | 15% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 92% | 91% | 93% | 94% | 91% | 92% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 12% | 8% | 8% | 16% | 17% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 8% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 8% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 80% | 84% | 85% | 75% | 72% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 87% | 111% | 79% | 82% | 128% | 91% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 69% | 88% | 66% | 70% | 96% | 65% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 13% | -11% | 21% | 18% | -28% | 9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 18% | -20% | 37% | 41% | -87% | 20% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 12% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 11% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.87 | 1.70 | 1.24 | 1.75 | 3.61 | 1.73 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.60 | 1.01 | 1.02 | 1.04 | 1.11 | 1.10 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.64 | 1.71 | 1.27 | 1.82 | 4.01 | 1.90 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 14.18 | 7.33 | 9.40 | 12.81 | 8.57 | 7.98 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.08 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.75 | 6.05 | 8.45 | 6.08 | 2.64 | 5.53 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 10% | 14% | 10% | 8% | 11% | 11% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 89% | 51% | 72% | 53% | 25% | 51% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Cash | $1,152,626 | $960,122 | $1,037,866 | $588,027 | $1,133,598 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $435,739 | $852,780 | $43,197 | $32,105 | $50,049 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $1,588,365 | $1,812,902 | $1,081,063 | $620,132 | $1,183,647 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $14,762 | $37,095 | $40,843 | $68,471 | $117,781 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $14,762 | $37,095 | $40,843 | $68,471 | $117,781 |
| Total assets | $1,603,127 | $1,849,997 | $1,121,906 | $688,603 | $1,301,428 |
| Liabilities | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $160,273 | $152,087 | $37,505 | $72,329 | $148,285 |
| Other current liabilities | $56,495 | $40,800 | $46,859 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $216,768 | $192,887 | $84,364 | $72,329 | $148,285 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $216,768 | $192,887 | $84,364 | $72,329 | $148,285 |
| Net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Without donor restrictions | $5,552 | $92,997 | $672,342 | $412,766 | $720,204 |
| With donor restrictions | $1,380,807 | $1,564,113 | $365,200 | $203,508 | $432,939 |
| Net assets | $1,386,359 | $1,657,110 | $1,037,542 | $616,274 | $1,153,143 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $2,236,235 | $2,703,965 | $2,239,956 | $1,765,331 | $2,279,101 |
| Program service revenue | $170,683 | $148,242 | $95,073 | $120,181 | $133,308 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $2,390 | $98 | $114 | $228 | $283 |
| Other revenue | $39,649 | $67,234 | $53,906 | $64,789 | $63,662 |
| Total other revenue | $212,722 | $215,574 | $149,093 | $185,198 | $197,253 |
| Total revenue | $2,448,957 | $2,919,539 | $2,389,049 | $1,950,529 | $2,476,354 |
| Expenses | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Program services | $2,163,531 | $1,937,625 | $1,681,416 | $1,863,342 | $1,621,539 |
| Management and general | $239,250 | $170,049 | $138,502 | $226,522 | $241,744 |
| Fundraising | $316,927 | $192,297 | $147,863 | $397,534 | $381,788 |
| Total expenses | $2,719,708 | $2,299,971 | $1,967,781 | $2,487,398 | $2,245,071 |
| Change in net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($270,751) | $619,568 | $421,268 | ($536,869) | $231,283 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($270,751) | $619,568 | $421,268 | ($536,869) | $231,283 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Michael Briggs | Executive Director | $145,951 |
| Stu Minshew | VP of Operations | $101,420 |
| Brian Fikkert | Founder and President | $37,500 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2019
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 4/6/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Program accomplishments
Over 500,000 copies of When Helping Hurts sold
Equipped 30K+ churches and nonprofits worldwide
Served over 1 million people in poverty