UnfoldingWord 
The information on this page was last updated 3/14/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
unfoldingWord is a Bible Translation organization that equips and empowers the global church for excellence in Bible Translation and Theological Formation, collaborating with other equippers of the church to make disciples of every people group.
Projects
Leading the unfoldingWord project to provide unrestricted biblical content, technology tools, and training resources (including translationAcademy) to empower the global Church for Bible translation.
Extending the Gateway Languages Strategy in collaboration with Church networks worldwide in order to provide essential biblical resources to 100% of people groups in their own languages, through languages of wider communication.
Promoting the use of and encouraging translation of Open Bible Stories, an easy-to-understand, visual overview of the Bible. These fifty key stories, from Creation to Revelation, are effective for evangelism & discipleship, in text, audio, and video, on any mobile device, in any language, for free.
Developing translationCore, an innovative, open-source Bible translation platform with a focus on empowering the Church to improve and confirm the trustworthiness of their Bible translations.
Contact information
Mailing address:
UnfoldingWord
13485 Veterans Way
Suite 460
Orlando, FL 32827
Website: unfoldingword.org
Phone: 407-900-3005
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 141888977
CEO/President: David Reeves
Chairman: Michael Vos
Board size: 6
Founder:
Ruling year: 2004
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2011
Purpose
By purposely integrating Church-Centric Movements, Church-Centric Theological Formation, and Church-Centric Bible Translation, young churches can be established in previously unreached people groups and grow to full maturity while also learning Bible translation skills.
The outcome of this integration of theological formation and Bible translation is leadership of the church in any people group equipped to produce trustworthy Bible translations. It also helps to build a strong church that continues to expand while also using the translated Scriptures to build itself up in the faith, growing to full maturity in Christ.
Mission statement
The church in every people group, the Bible in every language.
We work with Church leaders around the world who are seeking to establish their churches in sound doctrine but lack access to Bible translations in the languages their people speak. By equipping these leaders with biblical resources and effective training, they are empowered to translate the Bible with excellence and efficiency in every language that needs one.
Statement of faith
The following statement of faith is in agreement with these historical creeds: Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed; and also the Lausanne Covenant.
We believe that Christian belief can and should be divided into essential beliefs and peripheral beliefs (Romans 14).
Essential beliefs
Essential beliefs are what define a follower of Jesus Christ and can never be compromised or ignored.
We believe the Bible to be the only inspired, inerrant, sufficient, authoritative Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; John 10:30).
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ (John 1:1-4; Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Peter 1:1).
We believe in the humanity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, and in His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Matthew 1:18,25; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Hebrews 4:15; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:22-24).
We believe that every person is inherently sinful and so is deserving of eternal hell (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6-7).
We believe that salvation from sin is a gift of God, provided through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, attained by grace through faith, not by works (John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:3-7).
We believe that true faith is always accompanied by repentance and regeneration by the Holy Spirit (James 2:14-26; John 16:5-16; Romans 8:9).
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the follower of Jesus Christ is enabled to live a godly life (John 14:15-26; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:16-18).
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, from all nations and languages and people groups (Philippians 2:1-4; Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:12,27).
We believe in the personal and physical return of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:10-11).
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the unsaved will be resurrected to eternal damnation in hell and the saved will be resurrected to eternal blessing in heaven with God (Hebrews 9:27-28; Matthew 16:27; John 14:1-3; Matthew 25:31-46).
Peripheral beliefs
Peripheral beliefs are everything else that is in Scripture but about which sincere followers of Christ may disagree (e.g. Baptism, Lord's Supper, the Rapture, etc.). We choose to agree to disagree agreeably on these topics and press on together toward a common goal of making disciples of every people group (Matthew 28:18-20).
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Bible Translation Organizations
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 527 of 1115 | 10 of 16 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 706 of 1116 | 12 of 16 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 816 of 1116 | 16 of 16 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 105 of 1115 | 2 of 16 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 9% | 6% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 7% | 9% | 6% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 97% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 9% | 6% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 3% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 75% | 76% | 72% | 65% | 71% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 94% | 99% | 98% | 102% | 84% | 91% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 74% | 74% | 74% | 73% | 54% | 65% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 6% | 1% | 2% | -2% | 16% | 9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 10% | 11% | 17% | -11% | 61% | 68% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 16% | 19% | 27% | 35% | 28% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.98 | 3.64 | 3.07 | 3.62 | 2.62 | 5.00 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.48 | 1.64 | 1.69 | 1.14 | 1.18 | 1.01 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.47 | 5.96 | 5.19 | 4.12 | 3.09 | 5.05 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 7.69 | 3.77 | 2.68 | 3.40 | 4.68 | 3.30 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.11 | 0.26 | 0.37 | 0.29 | 0.21 | 0.30 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.70 | 1.48 | 1.45 | 2.06 | 3.05 | 1.65 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 15% | 52% | 59% | 26% | 18% | 30% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 68% | 13% | 13% | 20% | 31% | 14% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $1,580,977 | $1,705,082 | $1,308,881 | $1,382,374 | $722,009 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $179,247 | $149,920 | $165,077 | $49,023 | $44,220 |
| Short-term investments | $54,502 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $1,814,726 | $1,855,002 | $1,473,958 | $1,431,397 | $766,229 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $564,700 | $594,634 | $201,293 | $257,271 | $7,878 |
| Other long-term assets | $591,354 | $687,678 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,156,054 | $1,282,312 | $201,293 | $257,271 | $7,878 |
| Total assets | $2,970,780 | $3,137,314 | $1,675,251 | $1,688,668 | $774,107 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $480,737 | $690,890 | $434,147 | $306,028 | $232,435 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $480,737 | $690,890 | $434,147 | $306,028 | $232,435 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $1,049,907 | $1,158,957 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $1,049,907 | $1,158,957 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $1,530,644 | $1,849,847 | $434,147 | $306,028 | $232,435 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | ($702,483) | $287,605 | $598,155 | $652,420 | $328,925 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,142,619 | $999,862 | $642,949 | $730,220 | $212,747 |
| Net assets | $1,440,136 | $1,287,467 | $1,241,104 | $1,382,640 | $541,672 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $10,963,004 | $9,844,959 | $5,920,122 | $5,263,754 | $4,238,786 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $387 | $749 | $79 | $34 | $0 |
| Other revenue | $13,036 | $8,463 | $8,654 | $4,338 | $221 |
| Total other revenue | $13,423 | $9,212 | $8,733 | $4,372 | $221 |
| Total revenue | $10,976,427 | $9,854,171 | $5,928,855 | $5,268,126 | $4,239,007 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $8,078,937 | $7,297,582 | $4,343,294 | $2,858,055 | $2,765,419 |
| Management and general | $1,752,738 | $1,781,963 | $1,661,099 | $1,535,297 | $1,085,587 |
| Fundraising | $992,083 | $550,538 | $65,998 | $33,806 | $22,170 |
| Total expenses | $10,823,758 | $9,630,083 | $6,070,391 | $4,427,158 | $3,873,176 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $152,669 | $224,088 | ($141,536) | $840,968 | $365,831 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $152,669 | $224,088 | ($141,536) | $840,968 | $365,831 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| David Reeves | President & CEO | $145,000 |
| Timothy Jore | Innovation & Strategy | $143,100 |
| Eric Steggerda | Field Networks | $135,786 |
| Jesse Griffin | COO | $135,500 |
| Christopher Klapp | Research & Development | $130,943 |
| Perry Oakes | Content | $114,294 |
| W Darrell Walters | CFO | $111,177 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2023
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 3/14/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]