LATCOM 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 10/27/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
LATCOM is a unique mission that seeks to spread the Gospel in Bolivia and across Latin America by training, equipping, and motivating people within their own countries to become Christian leaders. We believe that by inspiring and empowering people from the countries where we work to become leaders, more people in Latin America will come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Since 1984, LATCOM has pioneered ministries in Latin America. Having built a rich tradition, we now minister in 13 Spanish-speaking countries and have begun training indigenous leaders to reach the 400 tribal groups of the Amazon Basin.
LATCOM is a partnership between North American and South American Christians. In the U.S., LATCOM has a Board of Directors, an Executive Director, a home office staff, and several U.S.-based missionaries. Likewise in South America, there is a Board of Directors (based in Bolivia), a Bolivian staff, and several Bolivian missionaries. LATCOM's U.S. office gives support and counsel to our Bolivian counterparts.
Contact information
Mailing address:
LATCOM
4133 Ellwood Road
New Castle, PA 16101
Website: www.latcom.org
Phone: (724) 924-9070
Email: office@latcom.org
Organization details
EIN: 330072964
CEO/President: Rev. Tim Ramsey
Chairman:
Board size: 7
Founder: Dr. Charles Ramsey
Ruling year: 1990
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1995
Purpose
Our vision is to transform Latin America through leadership outreach to indigenous communities, to the Church, and to the secular world by training, equipping, and inspiring followers of Christ to serve in the places where they can make an impact.
Our Mission... That Latin Americans and their nations would be transformed with the Gospel and a Biblical worldview through training, equipping, and motivating current and future leaders. Leadership and Communication Training in Latin America' Doctrinal Statement is:
Leadership Training - Equipping Leaders
In the developing world, 95% of pastors are bi-vocational and non-professional. While they are respected in their communities, church leaders lack training on how to manage money, people, and power. They also need to learn how to apply a biblical worldview in the public arena. LATCOM provides this additional training so pastors and Christian leaders can truly make a difference in their communities.
LATCOM also leads an indigenous training program aimed at equipping tribal leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to lead their people with wisdom and integrity.
Monte Blanco - Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders
Purchased in 2004, Monte Blanco Camp, the former Tambo Boarding School, is nestled in the Andes mountains, approximately 70 miles west of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Within a decade, Monte Blanco has become known as the best Christian camp in Bolivia and one of the top in Latin America. Over 6,000 campers attend Monte Blanco each year, where they learn biblical foundations and Christian principles that will result in a life of devotion and service to the Lord.
REDES - Transforming Communities
Mission statement
Statement of faith
We believe in the divine, verbal inspiration of the Holy Spirit and their authority for faith and practice in the lives of believers.
We believe in the unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons therein, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He is true God and true man.
We believe in the lost condition of man, and his individual need of salvation from sin through the mercy and grace of God, and of the eternal condemnation of the lost.
We believe in the all-sufficient, substitutionary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary to redeem the world.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We believe in the bodily ascension to heaven of the glorified Savior.
We believe in the personal mission of the Holy Spirit for the regeneration and sanctification of the believer.
We believe in the living church of Christ on earth as the missionary agent for the evangelization of the world.
We believe in the personal return of Lord Jesus Christ, the hope of the church.
We believe in the power and providence of God to meet our every need."
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Foreign Missions
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 929 of 1022 | 111 of 121 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 985 of 1024 | 117 of 121 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 969 of 1024 | 118 of 121 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 442 of 1022 | 55 of 121 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 5% | 16% | 22% | 23% | 26% | 24% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 16% | 22% | 23% | 26% | 24% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 20% | 23% | 25% | 26% | 25% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 64% | 58% | 55% | 54% | 58% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 95% | 82% | 92% | 92% | 99% | 96% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 53% | 53% | 51% | 54% | 56% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 5% | 18% | 8% | 8% | 1% | 4% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 8% | 33% | 16% | 18% | 3% | 13% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 16% | 19% | 20% | 20% | 17% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.21 | 1.34 | 1.51 | 1.68 | 2.01 | 2.12 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.29 | 1.41 | 1.75 | 2.07 | 2.52 | 2.70 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.77 | 1.90 | 2.64 | 3.47 | 5.07 | 5.73 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 20.97 | 43.17 | 24.28 | 19.09 | 21.32 | 7.30 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.05 | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.14 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.11 | 6.18 | 4.37 | 3.28 | 2.26 | 1.81 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 9% | 11% | 18% | 23% | 29% | 35% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 9% | 16% | 21% | 28% | 30% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 75% | 67% | 54% | 46% | 35% | 31% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $362,025 | $212,839 | $161,150 | $116,549 | $114,410 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $1,345 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $363,370 | $212,839 | $161,150 | $116,549 | $114,410 |
| Long-term investments | $8,087 | $5,906 | $6,241 | $3,922 | $4,338 |
| Fixed assets | $141,922 | $153,004 | $165,724 | $171,248 | $183,729 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,300 | $6,500 |
| Total long-term assets | $150,009 | $158,910 | $171,965 | $177,470 | $194,567 |
| Total assets | $513,379 | $371,749 | $333,115 | $294,019 | $308,977 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $8,418 | $8,765 | $8,440 | $5,466 | $15,680 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $8,418 | $8,765 | $8,440 | $5,466 | $15,680 |
| Debt | $45,598 | $58,006 | $69,833 | $81,012 | $91,535 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $45,598 | $58,006 | $69,833 | $81,012 | $91,535 |
| Total liabilities | $54,016 | $66,771 | $78,273 | $86,478 | $107,215 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Without donor restrictions | $318,119 | $186,032 | $175,916 | $160,741 | $65,938 |
| With donor restrictions | $141,244 | $118,946 | $78,926 | $46,800 | $135,824 |
| Net assets | $459,363 | $304,978 | $254,842 | $207,541 | $201,762 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $841,339 | $610,714 | $603,665 | $596,608 | $684,116 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $179 | $5 | $872 | $73 | ($1,552) |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $179 | $5 | $872 | $73 | ($1,552) |
| Total revenue | $841,518 | $610,719 | $604,537 | $596,681 | $682,564 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $443,161 | $323,047 | $309,597 | $319,823 | $381,759 |
| Management and general | $108,187 | $106,153 | $110,004 | $115,250 | $112,300 |
| Fundraising | $137,877 | $131,795 | $139,327 | $155,440 | $162,044 |
| Total expenses | $689,225 | $560,995 | $558,928 | $590,513 | $656,103 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $152,293 | $49,724 | $45,609 | $6,168 | $26,461 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $152,293 | $49,724 | $45,609 | $6,168 | $26,461 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Timothy Ramsey | Executive Director | $72,350 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2019
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 10/27/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
The History of LATCOM is as follows:
- Dr. Charles Ramsey incorporated LATCOM as Latin American Professionals Outreach in California in July of 1984.
- EPLABOL, LATCOM's counterpart in South America, began incorporation in Bolivia in September of 1984, beginning the unique model of ministry that would define LATCOM's missionary work. EPLABOL consists of a national and interdenominational board of directors who own and administer all of LATCOM's ministries in Bolivia. Our National Workers are Bolivian Christians who work for EPLABOL.
- Radio Centenario AM and Short Wave, a secular radio station was purchased in September 1984, and Christian radio began in Santa Cruz!
- In 1988 EPLABOL began administration of the LOGOS studio begun by Mission Communications. This permitted the mission to continue high quality production of professionally recorded Christian music, and to produce recordings of the Bible in the minority languages of Bolivia.
- In 1991 LATCOM and EPLABOL began the Escuela de Liderazgo (School of Leadership), a program designed to train Christian leaders in professional areas (accounting, administration, time management, program planning). It also promotes seminars that concentrate on bringing in key Christian leaders from throughout the world to train and motivate the church leaders of Bolivia.
- Through the EPLABOL board of directors COICOM (Evangelical broadcasters of Latin America) was born in 1992.
- In November of 1998 LATCOM and EPLABOL redirected the focus of the mission toward leadership development and away from mass communication. Our focus in radio became the evangelization of the 26 minority language groups represented in Bolivia. We are doing this through our short wave radio station in conjunction with three other missions.
- In 1999-2000 LATCOM and EPLABOL began a joint ministry to restore the village of Zapoc.
- In October of 2000 EPLABOL began Gente De Palabra (People of Their Word) a ministry geared to presenting the Gospel to the 20% of Bolivian society that make the political and economic decisions for the nation.
- In December, 2000 LATCOM transfers ownership and administration of VEA, a video ministry in the public and private schools of Santa Cruz, to EPLABOL. VEA reaches tens of thousands of students every year.
- In March, 2001 LATCOM and EPLABOL begin work on La Fortaleza, a conference and retreat center in Samaipata, Bolivia. It promises to be the first Christian conference center in all of Bolivia.
- In 2003, the Lord continues to open doors to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ in areas and places previous closed to other ministries, particularly to business, government, police, and military leaders.