Alfalit International, Inc. 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 6/7/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
We are a faith-based, nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by Eulalia Cook, Justo and Luisa Gonzalez. We offer programs in literacy, basic education, early childhood development/preschool, health, nutrition, job and skills training and community development to the poorest in 16 countries throughout Africa, Latin America, Europe and the United States. Alfalit reaches very poor and remote areas and provides high quality, cost-effective education with compassion and respect for the people we teach.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Alfalit International, Inc.
3026 NW 79th Avenue
Miami, FL 33122-3122
Website: www.alfalit.org
Phone: (305) 597-9078
Email: info@fluxdmg.com
Organization details
EIN: 591595459
CEO/President: Catherine F. Penrod, MPA
Chairman: Joseph Milton
Board size: 14
Founder: Eulalia Cook, Justo and Luisa Gonzalez
Year founded: 1961
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2013
Purpose
The vision of Alfalit resides in the heart of every human being who yearns to improve himself or herself and longs for a better quality life, but has no opportunity to get it. Whether under a tree, in a sun baked field, or in a corrugated tin shed, Alfalit wants to be there teaching those persons - giving them self-esteem, hope, and the basic tolls not only to survive but to truly live.
Mission statement
OUR MISSION: to create hope and opportunity through literacy and education in order to improve individual lives, raise self-esteem and to share the love of Jesus Christ so that people will come to know and believe in Him and follow His/her teachings and be enabled to apply Christian principles in lives, homes, and communities.
Statement of faith
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Relief and Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 303 of 940 | 28 of 76 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 566 of 942 | 48 of 76 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 489 of 942 | 36 of 76 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 122 of 940 | 12 of 76 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 4% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 99% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 99% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 4% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 85% | 86% | 86% | 85% | 88% | 89% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 97% | 99% | 96% | 99% | 100% | 93% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 83% | 84% | 83% | 84% | 88% | 83% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 3% | 1% | 4% | 1% | 0% | 7% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | 6% | 19% | 5% | 1% | 32% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 7% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 7% | 8% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.63 | 3.89 | 4.13 | 4.06 | 4.23 | 3.30 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.29 | 1.48 | 1.15 | 1.56 | 1.71 | 1.14 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.64 | 5.77 | 4.74 | 6.32 | 7.24 | 3.75 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.01 | 60.47 | 41.50 | 31.86 | 12.27 | 3.73 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.11 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.08 | 0.27 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.24 | 2.05 | 2.47 | 1.84 | 1.52 | 2.34 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 13% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 24% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 53% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 23% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $715,815 | $733,459 | $266,818 | $259,292 | $412,588 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $168,721 | $351,856 | $379,054 | $211,965 | $612,258 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $100,977 | $95,898 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $884,536 | $1,085,315 | $645,872 | $572,234 | $1,120,744 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $104,625 | $111,835 | $124,698 | $137,562 | $151,653 |
| Other long-term assets | $322,569 | $50,958 | $235,958 | $270,251 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $427,194 | $162,793 | $360,656 | $407,813 | $151,653 |
| Total assets | $1,311,730 | $1,248,108 | $1,006,528 | $980,047 | $1,272,397 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $14,627 | $26,150 | $20,275 | $46,646 | $300,630 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $14,627 | $26,150 | $20,275 | $46,646 | $300,630 |
| 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 | $14,627 | $26,150 | $20,275 | $46,646 | $300,630 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Without donor restrictions | $1,264,049 | $1,173,604 | $937,167 | $905,391 | $845,287 |
| With donor restrictions | $33,054 | $48,354 | $49,086 | $28,010 | $126,480 |
| Net assets | $1,297,103 | $1,221,958 | $986,253 | $933,401 | $971,767 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $5,168,387 | $5,373,039 | $4,131,313 | $4,126,552 | $4,507,039 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $11,063 | $11,473 | $3,917 | $23,474 | $6,218 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $11,063 | $11,473 | $3,917 | $23,474 | $6,218 |
| Total revenue | $5,179,450 | $5,384,512 | $4,135,230 | $4,150,026 | $4,513,257 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $4,376,375 | $4,450,807 | $3,464,343 | $3,634,525 | $3,723,599 |
| Management and general | $322,153 | $290,839 | $324,619 | $269,402 | $318,738 |
| Fundraising | $405,777 | $407,161 | $293,416 | $238,843 | $157,946 |
| Total expenses | $5,104,305 | $5,148,807 | $4,082,378 | $4,142,770 | $4,200,283 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $75,145 | $235,705 | $52,852 | $7,256 | $312,974 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $75,145 | $235,705 | $52,852 | $7,256 | $312,974 |
Compensation
Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.
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 6/7/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
Alfalit International Inc. began in 1943 when Dr. Frank Laubach presented his literacy method in Latin America and Cuba. At the same time, Eulalia Cook, a Christian missionary, started a literacy campaign in Baguanos, Oriente, Cuba. In 1961 Eulalia Cook and Justo and Luisa Gonzalez founded Alfalit in Alajuela, Costa Rica. In 1975 Alfalit International, Inc. is registered with the State of Florida on March 24 and the IRS recognizes it as a nonprofit on February 23. Founders of new corporation are: Eulalia Cook, Justo and Luisa Gonzalez, Roberto Perez, Robert and Jean Korner, and others. Roberto Perez becomes first President. In 1990 Alfalit had its first meetings with Ingvar Guldstrand, President of Lkarmissionen, Swedish Journal Social and Medical Foundation. In 1991 programs in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Panama are reorganized, and Lkarmissionen gives its first financial support to the literacy programs in Latin America. In 1994 an agreement with Lkarmissionen is signed backing a 5-Year Literacy Program (1994-99) in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Also in that year, Literacy Project begins in Equatorial Guinea, Africa and Alfalit's Literacy Program are reorganized in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Venezuela.
Program accomplishments
Our Impact: We bring adult literacy, basic education, preschool, conversational English and job skills to people living in poverty. Alfalit believes literacy is a fundamental right for all individuals.
51,180 total students last year
2,144 Alfalit conversational english students
34,750 adult students (74% female)
2,159 job skills students
3,983 preschoolers
1,586 trained volunteer teachers
Needs
We know we need God's help in serving our brothers and sisters who are often extremely poor and live in some of the most dangerous environments in the world.
We need volunteers to help with every aspect of our organization. When we work together, we can change lives in ways never imagined.
We do everything we can to minimize overhead costs so that we can maximize the programs we offer. When you make a donation to Alfalit, you are guaranteed that we will put your compassion to work effectively!