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Top Rated

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

CharityWatch rating issued
October 2021

Top-Rated Charity
A-
CharityWatch Rating
Our independent rating based
on a number of factors.
 
76%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$12
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
3 International Drive
Rye Brook, NY 10573

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.lls.org

Stated Mission

To cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2020

Program Percentage: 76%

The percentage of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$400,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $12

How many dollars Leukemia & Lymphoma Society spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$433,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Joint Costs

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's rating was adjusted for Joint Costs. If you are a donor who considers direct mail, telemarketing, and other Joint Cost solicitations to be true charitable programs, the below efficiency ratios, which were not adjusted for joint costs, may better reflect your goals.

Program % Cost to Raise $100
78% $10
Accounting rules allow charities to report some telemarketing, direct mail, and other solicitation costs as Program expenses. CharityWatch believes that most donors do not consider a charity's solicitation activities to be the Programs they are intending to support with their donations. We therefore adjust such expenses out of a charity's reported Program expense and add it to Fundraising expense prior to calculating its rating.

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society IRS Form 990 13-5644916
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Audited Consolidated Financial Statements Multiple
Entity: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 13-5644916
Entity: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Document Type: Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy Opt-Out Policy  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Louis J. DeGennaro President/CEO $825,885
2 Gwen Nichols Executive VP/Chief Medical Officer $541,540
3 Kathy Griesenbeck Executive VP/Chief Relationship Officer $422,942
1
Name: Louis J. DeGennaro
Title: President/CEO
Compensation: $825,885
2
Name: Gwen Nichols
Title: Executive VP/Chief Medical Officer
Compensation: $541,540
3
Name: Kathy Griesenbeck
Title: Executive VP/Chief Relationship Officer
Compensation: $422,942

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch's rating of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society includes the financial activities of the entities consolidated in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, including The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, Inc.

According to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) fiscal 2020 consolidated audit (Note 1(b), Principles of Consolidation):

"The accompanying [audited] consolidated financial statements include the accounts of LLS that encompass the National Office of LLS and its fifty-seven chapters in the United States, and LLS's not-for-profit affiliates, including The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, Inc. (LLSC) and its five chapters in Canada, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Research Programs, Inc. (LLSRP), and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Research Foundation (LLSRF). ... All significant intercompany and intra-LLS accounts and transactions have been eliminated in [the audit] consolidation."

According to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 9, Donated Services, Goods, and Media), LLS received "donated goods, donated services for family support group facilitators and research grant reviewers, as well as donated media" in fiscal 2020 on which it placed a total value of approximately $8.93 million. Of this amount, approximately $5.28 million consisted of donated media.

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 1(e), Risks and Uncertainties):

"LLS invests in various investment securities. Investment securities are exposed to various risks such as interest rate risks, fluctuations in market values, and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the [audited] consolidated balance sheet."

According to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 1(g), Subsequent Events):

"The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world in the first two quarters of 2020 has caused significant volatility in U.S. and international markets. There is significant uncertainty around the breadth and duration of business disruptions related to COVID-19, as well as its impact on the U.S. and international economies and, as such, LLS is unable to determine if it will have a material impact on its operations.

"LLS evaluated subsequent events after the balance sheet date of June 30, 2020 through November 5, 2020, which was the date the [audited] consolidated financial statements were available for issuance, and concluded no additional disclosures are required."

According to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) tax filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, LLS reports re: Compensation, Supplemental Information (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part III):

Regarding severance payments to officers, directors, trustees, key employees and highest compensated employees (Schedule J, Part I, Line 4a), LLS reports a severance payment to Rosemarie A. Loffredo in the amount of $286,599 in calendar year 2019. 

[Rosemarie A. Loffredo is reported as Chief Financial Officer – "end 3/31/2019," with total compensation of $395,931 in calendar year 2019 (Schedule J, Part II).]


Regarding nonfixed payments to officers, directors, trustees, key employees and highest compensated employees (Schedule J, Part I, Line 7):

"Bonuses were paid based on the achievement if [sic] the employee individual performance. Bonuses were capped according to LLS's policy. These amounts are reported on Schedule J Part II, Column (B) (ii) ['Bonus & incentive compensation']."


LLS reports "Bonus & incentive compensation" payments to nine individuals in calendar year 2019, including $170,259 and $109,375 paid to Louis J. DeGennaro, President & CEO, and Robert Beck, EVP Chief Operating Officer (through 7/5/19), respectively. The reported total compensation in 2019 for DeGennaro and Beck is $825,885 and $353,824, respectively. The other seven individuals received "Bonus & incentive compensation" in 2019 that ranged from $79,786 to $40,547, with associated reported total compensation ranging from $541,540 to $371,838 (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part II).


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