Becket Fund for Religious Liberty 
The information on this page was last updated 1/30/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Becket is a non-profit, public interest legal and educational institution. We are the leaders in the fight for religious liberty and the only law firm that defends all religious beliefs.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
1919 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20006
Website: becketlaw.org
Phone: (202) 955-0095
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 521858532
CEO/President: Mark Rienzi
Chairman: William P. Mumma
Board size: 13
Founder: Kevin "Seamus" Hasson
Ruling year: 1994
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 09/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Becket defends religious liberty for all-in principle and in practice. At Becket, we know that religious liberty is a universal human right. Our cases span a wide range of beliefs and practices, but all share a common vision of a world where freedom of exercise and expression is a protected right, free from government reach. With this vision as our goal, we take cases that will set strong and lasting precedent for all faiths-and we win.
Mission statement
Our mission is to protect the expression of all faiths, from A to Z-Anglican to Zoroastrian. Becket was founded on a simple principle: that because the religious impulse is natural to human beings, religious expression is natural to human culture. We advance this principle in three arenas-the court of law, the court of public opinion, and the academy-both at home and abroad.
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Advocacy
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 360 of 1076 | 14 of 41 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 393 of 1077 | 14 of 41 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 153 of 1077 | 10 of 41 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 785 of 1076 | 28 of 41 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 7% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 6% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 6% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 6% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 83% | 100% | 74% | 89% | 101% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 8% | 8% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 17% | 0% | 26% | 11% | -1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 80% | 86% | 85% | 85% | 86% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 92% | 72% | 97% | 64% | 91% | 99% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 70% | 62% | 82% | 55% | 79% | 86% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 8% | 28% | 3% | 36% | 9% | 1% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 12% | 32% | 3% | 55% | 21% | 4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.42 | 0.74 | 1.05 | 0.92 | 1.93 | 1.80 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.26 | 1.07 | 1.03 | 1.05 | 1.11 | 1.11 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.03 | 0.79 | 1.08 | 0.96 | 2.14 | 1.99 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 9.89 | 9.72 | 36.47 | 23.34 | 7.97 | 2.57 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.13 | 0.39 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.64 | 13.56 | 10.80 | 11.91 | 4.91 | 3.69 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 16% | 10% | 4% | 5% | 12% | 38% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 3% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 60% | 121% | 91% | 103% | 46% | 34% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
| Cash | $5,199,140 | $3,332,055 | $4,625,794 | $1,340,328 | $2,141,646 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $4,977,708 | $3,325,658 | $1,772,360 | $1,640,247 | $910,254 |
| Short-term investments | $2,377 | $63,428 | $37,355 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $10,179,225 | $6,721,141 | $6,435,509 | $2,980,575 | $3,051,900 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $228,448 | $109,678 | $195,269 | $229,555 | $290,683 |
| Other long-term assets | $445,675 | $80,322 | $124,653 | $101,397 | $36,832 |
| Total long-term assets | $674,123 | $190,000 | $319,922 | $330,952 | $327,515 |
| Total assets | $10,853,348 | $6,911,141 | $6,755,431 | $3,311,527 | $3,379,415 |
| Liabilities | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $143,761 | $146,739 | $113,650 | $112,269 | $605,257 |
| Other current liabilities | $903,286 | $37,572 | $162,052 | $261,783 | $580,696 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,047,047 | $184,311 | $275,702 | $374,052 | $1,185,953 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $20,610 | $103,051 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $44,366 | $103,481 | $70,305 | $11,703 | $4,907 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $44,366 | $103,481 | $70,305 | $32,313 | $107,958 |
| Total liabilities | $1,091,413 | $287,792 | $346,007 | $406,365 | $1,293,911 |
| Net assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
| Without donor restrictions | $6,934,435 | $3,693,619 | $4,644,168 | $1,751,533 | $1,345,504 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,827,500 | $2,929,730 | $1,765,256 | $1,153,629 | $740,000 |
| Net assets | $9,761,935 | $6,623,349 | $6,409,424 | $2,905,162 | $2,085,504 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $9,325,788 | $7,479,873 | $7,201,982 | $6,247,519 | $6,194,659 |
| Program service revenue | $2,159,119 | $1,875 | $2,734,104 | $933,079 | $276,285 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $13,943 | ($1,633) | $64 | $262 | $605 |
| Other revenue | ($282,471) | $124 | ($236,457) | ($198,755) | ($313,832) |
| Total other revenue | $1,890,591 | $366 | $2,497,711 | $734,586 | ($36,942) |
| Total revenue | $11,216,379 | $7,480,239 | $9,699,693 | $6,982,105 | $6,157,717 |
| Expenses | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
| Program services | $6,948,485 | $6,163,517 | $5,288,288 | $5,512,448 | $5,296,886 |
| Management and general | $466,964 | $402,903 | $370,745 | $382,059 | $419,617 |
| Fundraising | $663,586 | $696,953 | $544,772 | $480,802 | $354,785 |
| Total expenses | $8,079,035 | $7,263,373 | $6,203,805 | $6,375,309 | $6,071,288 |
| Change in net assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $3,137,344 | $216,866 | $3,495,888 | $606,796 | $86,429 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $3,137,344 | $216,866 | $3,495,888 | $606,796 | $86,429 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Mark Rienzi | President and CEO | $318,576 |
| Eric Baxter | VP & Senior Counsel | $246,166 |
| Eric Rassbach | VP & Senior Counsel | $239,643 |
| Luke Goodrich | VP & Senior Counsel | $237,172 |
| Montse Alvarado | VP & Chief Operating Officer | $232,290 |
| Daniel Blomberg | Senior Counsel | $210,614 |
| Lori Windham | Senior Counsel | $202,588 |
| Eric Hines | Chief Financial Officer | $150,711 |
| William Mumma | Board Chair | $46,627 |
Compensation data as of: 9/30/2021
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 1/30/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Since its founding in 1994, Becket's record shows it is the only law firm that defends religious liberty for all faiths.
In just over 25 years, Becket has become the premier religious liberty law firm and the only non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute that protects the free expression of all religious traditions.
In 1994, founder Kevin "Seamus" Hasson left a top D.C. law firm and opened Becket in Washington, D.C. Since then, Becket has grown into a vibrant law firm that has national and international reach. Though certainly not the largest, it is widely regarded-across political and religious lines-as the best religious liberty law firm in the United States. Since its founding, Becket has maintained an average 85% win rate in its cases.
Becket's principal work has always been First Amendment litigation, not only on behalf of people of faith against the government, but also in defense of the government when it is sued for being religion-friendly. The firm files most of its lawsuits in federal court, but beginning in 2004, it started filing suits before international tribunals under international law. Most of its academic work is accomplished under the umbrella of the Becket Institute, which was founded at St. Hugh's College of Oxford University in 1997.
Becket is named after Thomas Becket (1118-70 AD), who stood resolutely at the intersection of church and state. As a friend of King Henry II, Becket served as Chancellor of England and oversaw the laws of the kingdom. But as Archbishop of Canterbury, he steadfastly refused to allow the King to interfere in the affairs of the Church and was martyred by the King's knights for defending the principles of religious liberty.