Free Wheelchair Mission

The information on this page was last updated 3/3/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian, faith-based nonprofit that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for developing countries around the world.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Free Wheelchair Mission
15279 Alton Parkway
Suite 300
Irvine, CA 92618

Website: freewheelchairmission.org

Phone: (949) 273-8470

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 311781635

CEO/President: Nuka Solomon / Don Schoendorfer, PhD

Chairman: Stuart Rattray

Board size: 11

Founder: Don Schoendorfer, PhD

Ruling year: 2002

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 06/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 2004


Purpose

Free Wheelchair Mission believes in a world where everyone who needs a wheelchair has one.

With an estimated 75 million people around the world today in need of a wheelchair, Free Wheelchair Mission continues our mission to provide mobility to people living with disabilities in developing countries.

Free Wheelchair Mission continues its focus and commitment on becoming a leading provider of mobility in developing countries, but beyond placing recipients in a wheelchair, Free Wheelchair Mission is bringing transformation that opens doors to education, employment opportunities, and community that these individuals only dreamed of before receiving the gift of mobility.


Mission statement

To provide the transforming gift of mobility to people with disabilities living in developing nations, as motivated by Jesus Christ.


Statement of faith

Donor confidence score

Show donor confidence score details

Transparency grade

A

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Relief and Development

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating843 of 109461 of 84
Fund acquisition rating1057 of 109783 of 84
Resource allocation rating962 of 109776 of 84
Asset utilization rating146 of 109415 of 84

Click here to read Free Wheelchair Mission's response to our ratings


Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
6%20%21%18%20%18%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
6%19%21%18%20%17%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
99%96%99%99%99%99%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
6%20%21%18%18%19%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
1%4%1%1%1%1%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
85%75%73%76%75%75%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
93%95%97%102%108%92%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
79%71%71%77%81%69%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
7%5%3%-2%-8%8%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
19%22%14%-11%-44%33%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
7%5%6%7%6%6%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.522.883.274.884.073.03
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.231.501.481.291.241.14
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
2.094.324.856.285.063.46
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
10.794.672.624.733.267.12
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.090.210.380.210.310.14
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
4.722.191.531.511.642.98
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
11%24%34%26%31%17%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
62%26%20%15%17%27%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20212020201920182017
Cash$2,108,126$1,898,610$1,404,251$543,960$2,573,489
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$79,965$97,808$358,450$639,941$267,122
Short-term investments$0$0$0$1,008,130$0
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$2,188,091$1,996,418$1,762,701$2,192,031$2,840,611
Long-term investments$854,676$711,698$205,959$176,503$150,715
Fixed assets$222,940$234,957$286,056$338,122$249,792
Other long-term assets$15,165$15,165$15,165$15,165$7,869
Total long-term assets$1,092,781$961,820$507,180$529,790$408,376
Total assets$3,280,872$2,958,238$2,269,881$2,721,821$3,248,987
 
Liabilities20212020201920182017
Payables and accrued expenses$466,717$369,034$368,914$655,963$372,460
Other current liabilities$1,745$393,430$4,071$17,227$26,292
Total current liabilities$468,462$762,464$372,985$673,190$398,752
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$315,461$239,698$205,959$176,503$150,715
Total long-term liabilities$315,461$239,698$205,959$176,503$150,715
Total liabilities$783,923$1,002,162$578,944$849,693$549,467
 
Net assets20212020201920182017
Without donor restrictions$1,577,549$1,167,388$859,733$1,521,502$2,010,287
With donor restrictions$919,400$788,688$831,204$350,626$689,233
Net assets$2,496,949$1,956,076$1,690,937$1,872,128$2,699,520
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20212020201920182017
Total contributions$9,565,075$9,888,129$10,780,792$10,160,698$10,611,476
Program service revenue$0$0$96,355$85,378$108,985
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$393,100$0$0$8,130$0
Other revenue$25,748$59,542$10,594$0$0
Total other revenue$418,848$59,542$106,949$93,508$108,985
Total revenue$9,983,923$9,947,671$10,887,741$10,254,206$10,720,461
 
Expenses20212020201920182017
Program services$7,060,321$7,072,244$8,361,140$8,343,953$7,357,811
Management and general$449,207$564,936$730,530$719,215$613,151
Fundraising$1,933,522$2,045,352$1,977,261$2,018,430$1,863,832
Total expenses$9,443,050$9,682,532$11,068,931$11,081,598$9,834,794
 
Change in net assets20212020201920182017
Surplus (deficit)$540,873$265,139($181,190)($827,392)$885,667
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$540,873$265,139($181,190)($827,392)$885,667

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Don SchoendorferPresident$198,541
Nuka SolomonChief Executive Officer$152,232
Angela Ruiz GomezNational Director of Devel$133,945
Debbie Le FeverSenior Director of Finance$128,171

Compensation data as of: 6/30/2021


Response from ministry

Free Wheelchair Mission believes in a world where everyone who needs a wheelchair has one. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our organization. To support our work of transforming lives through the gift of mobility, please visit FreeWheelchairMission.org.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/3/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

In 1979, Don Schoendorfer witnessed a woman in Morocco crawling across a dirt road. This heartbreaking sight sent him on a journey to help this woman and others like her living in developing countries. Using his MIT education and professional expertise in the biomedical field, he created a simple and inexpensive wheelchair in his garage. After distributing the first few wheelchairs in India, he founded the faith-based nonprofit, Free Wheelchair Mission in 2001.


Program accomplishments

In collaboration with a network of like-minded partners, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed more than 1.3 million wheelchairs to people living with disabilities in 94 developing countries around the world, providing renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, at no cost to the recipient.


Needs

There are still an estimated 75 million individuals around the world who are waiting for wheelchairs. You can partner with Free Wheelchair Mission in helping to provide the gift of mobility at FreeWheelchairMission.org.