Free Wheelchair Mission

The information on this page was last updated 9/28/2023. 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

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 rating784 of 111071 of 104
Fund acquisition rating1038 of 1111100 of 104
Resource allocation rating890 of 111178 of 104
Asset utilization rating119 of 111021 of 104

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


Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
7%17%18%17%18%18%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
6%17%18%18%18%18%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
99%100%100%101%102%102%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
6%18%19%18%20%19%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
1%0%0%-1%-2%-2%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
86%79%78%76%76%75%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
100%96%98%99%94%97%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
87%76%76%76%71%73%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
0%4%2%1%6%3%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
2%20%10%3%22%14%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
7%3%4%6%5%6%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.523.903.543.182.803.13
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.261.071.151.141.081.09
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
2.004.154.083.623.013.42
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
14.019.987.874.346.507.33
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.070.100.130.230.150.14
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
5.112.602.572.553.373.03
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20242023202220212020
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
8%19%26%28%24%34%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%13%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
55%21%21%23%27%21%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20242023202220212020
Cash$2,331,454$2,823,715$2,623,983$2,647,341$2,370,610
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$276,143$243,385$228,361$79,965$97,808
Short-term investments$1,540,081$297,037$259,650$315,461$239,698
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$4,147,678$3,364,137$3,111,994$3,042,767$2,708,116
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$91,630$134,544$171,171$222,940$234,957
Other long-term assets$179,783$379,404$262,235$15,165$15,165
Total long-term assets$271,413$513,948$433,406$238,105$250,122
Total assets$4,419,091$3,878,085$3,545,400$3,280,872$2,958,238
 
Liabilities20242023202220212020
Payables and accrued expenses$403,854$415,651$705,005$466,717$369,034
Other current liabilities$11,575$11,575$11,575$1,745$330
Total current liabilities$415,429$427,226$716,580$468,462$369,364
Debt$0$0$0$0$393,100
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$408,382$591,420$259,650$315,461$239,698
Total long-term liabilities$408,382$591,420$259,650$315,461$632,798
Total liabilities$823,811$1,018,646$976,230$783,923$1,002,162
 
Net assets20242023202220212020
Without donor restrictions$3,005,567$2,214,343$1,860,349$1,577,549$1,167,388
With donor restrictions$589,713$645,096$708,821$919,400$788,688
Net assets$3,595,280$2,859,439$2,569,170$2,496,949$1,956,076
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20242023202220212020
Total contributions$17,856,139$14,009,506$11,491,258$9,881,138$9,770,825
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$102,650$29,438$26$25$14
Other revenue($16,771)($10,658)($159,938)($167,025)($236,315)
Total other revenue$85,879$18,780($159,912)($167,000)($236,301)
Total revenue$17,942,018$14,028,286$11,331,346$9,714,138$9,534,524
 
Expenses20242023202220212020
Program services$13,617,266$10,689,328$8,590,222$6,933,518$6,986,318
Management and general$532,053$501,983$662,063$447,505$564,936
Fundraising$3,072,025$2,546,706$2,006,840$1,792,242$1,718,131
Total expenses$17,221,344$13,738,017$11,259,125$9,173,265$9,269,385
 
Change in net assets20242023202220212020
Surplus (deficit)$720,674$290,269$72,221$540,873$265,139
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$720,674$290,269$72,221$540,873$265,139

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Don SchoendorferPresident$237,012
Nuka SolomonChief Executive Officer$189,830
Angela Ruiz GomezNational Director of Dev$148,927
Wayne TwiggDirector of Finance$132,790
Brad CooperDirector of Marketing$123,510
Keith HerrDirector of Manufacturing$121,974
Vanessa Ann MendozaDirector of Programs$112,250

Compensation data as of: 6/30/2024


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 9/28/2023. 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.