Scripture Union USA 
The information on this page was last updated 11/30/2022. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Through a range of activities, multimedia resources, and publications, Scripture Union USA provides opportunities for children, young people and adults to explore the Bible, respond to Jesus and grow in faith. We also provide training and partnership opportunities to help churches, organizations and other leaders do the same.
Board and staff work together to regularly review SU ministry and materials, to identify future needs and opportunities and to develop strategies and plans.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Scripture Union USA
PO Box 215
Valley Forge, PA 19481-0215
Website: www.scriptureunion.org
Phone: (800) 621-5267
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 251228715
CEO/President: Gail Martin
Chairman: Mildred Webber Holmes
Board size: 10
Founder:
Ruling year: 1992
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1980
Purpose
Our vision is to see people of all ages coming to faith in Christ, committed to God and His Word and living as salt and light.
Mission statement
Working with churches and partners, Scripture Union seeks to:
- make God's Good News known to children, young people and families, and
- encourage people of all ages to meet God daily through the Bible and prayer
Statement of faith
Scripture Union upholds the truths of Christianity as revealed by God in Holy Scripture including:
- The unity of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in the Godhead.
- The sovereignty of God in creation, providence, revelation, redemption and final judgment.
- The divine inspiration and the entire trustworthiness and unity of Holy Scripture and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
- The sinfulness and guilt of all people since the Fall, rendering them subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
- Redemption from the guilt, penalty and power of sin solely through the sacrificial death, as our representative and substitute, of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.
- The bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and His ascension to the right hand of God the Father.
- The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit to make the death of Christ effective to the individual sinner, granting repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- The justification of the sinner by the grace of God through faith in Christ alone.
- The indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit in the believer.
- The one holy, universal Church, which is the Body of Christ, and to which all true believers belong.
- The expectation of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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 | | 587 of 1031 | 11 of 16 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 739 of 1032 | 14 of 16 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 624 of 1032 | 10 of 16 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 314 of 1031 | 6 of 16 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 9% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 9% | 8% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 88% | 96% | 94% | 93% | 89% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 8% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 7% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 12% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 11% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 82% | 83% | 85% | 82% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 90% | 90% | 104% | 105% | 95% | 109% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 74% | 74% | 86% | 89% | 78% | 95% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 10% | 10% | -4% | -5% | 5% | -9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 13% | 24% | -12% | -16% | 16% | -40% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 7% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 8% | 6% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.03 | 1.63 | 2.77 | 2.77 | 2.53 | 2.84 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.30 | 1.23 | 1.00 | 1.01 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.70 | 2.00 | 2.77 | 2.81 | 2.53 | 2.84 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 10.18 | 9.66 | 10.90 | 8.37 | 3.76 | 2.51 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.12 | 0.27 | 0.40 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.11 | 5.39 | 3.94 | 3.76 | 3.48 | 2.54 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 16% | 30% | 12% | 13% | 27% | 40% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 21% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 66% | 43% | 32% | 31% | 29% | 21% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Cash | $485,321 | $336,595 | $387,166 | $676,288 | $200,185 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $95,663 | $91,953 | $93,847 | $136,549 | $269,405 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $46,715 | $393,281 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $580,984 | $428,548 | $481,013 | $859,552 | $862,871 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $0 | $234 | $6,617 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term assets | $131,881 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $131,881 | $234 | $6,617 | $0 | $0 |
| Total assets | $712,865 | $428,782 | $487,630 | $859,552 | $862,871 |
| Liabilities | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $58,172 | $37,449 | $53,977 | $228,755 | $344,401 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,980 | $1,875 | $3,480 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $60,152 | $39,324 | $57,457 | $228,755 | $344,401 |
| Debt | $150,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $883 | $560 | $6,871 | $5,873 | $2,428 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $150,883 | $10,560 | $6,871 | $5,873 | $2,428 |
| Total liabilities | $211,035 | $49,884 | $64,328 | $234,628 | $346,829 |
| Net assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Without donor restrictions | $130,194 | $150,256 | $151,028 | $459,523 | $311,301 |
| With donor restrictions | $371,636 | $228,642 | $272,274 | $165,401 | $204,741 |
| Net assets | $501,830 | $378,898 | $423,302 | $624,924 | $516,042 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Total contributions | $1,131,026 | $1,099,634 | $1,213,080 | $2,124,171 | $2,000,076 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,517 | $1,432 | $1,051 | $1,014 | $852 |
| Other revenue | $150,298 | $40,821 | $71,200 | $152,203 | $245,226 |
| Total other revenue | $151,815 | $42,253 | $72,251 | $153,217 | $246,078 |
| Total revenue | $1,282,841 | $1,141,887 | $1,285,331 | $2,277,388 | $2,246,154 |
| Expenses | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Program services | $947,190 | $984,294 | $1,146,578 | $1,777,772 | $2,137,517 |
| Management and general | $61,431 | $63,316 | $62,281 | $184,682 | $139,083 |
| Fundraising | $151,288 | $138,681 | $142,185 | $212,256 | $174,065 |
| Total expenses | $1,159,909 | $1,186,291 | $1,351,044 | $2,174,710 | $2,450,665 |
| Change in net assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $122,932 | ($44,404) | ($65,713) | $102,678 | ($204,511) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $122,932 | ($44,404) | ($65,713) | $102,678 | ($204,511) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Blaine Bergey | Business Manager | $104,817 |
| Gail Martin | President | $67,338 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2020
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 11/30/2022. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Scripture Union began in London in 1867 as a ministry providing Bible training for children through lively play & stories in an informal setting.
In the United States, Scripture Union began in 1959 and has developed a variety of evangelism and discipleship programs for children, youth and families, as well as several Bible engagement programs and publications for all ages.
Today, Scripture Union is active in over 120 countries. We still work to introduce children and young people to Jesus, as well as equipping adults with in-depth resources for regular Bible reading. Movements in each country may carry out the mission a little differently, but all are centered around the same goal.