Whole Word Institute
The information on this page was last updated 5/12/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Whole Word Institute serves as a source language capacity builder for the Bible translation movement, providing education and tools to accelerate access to the full Bible for people of all languages, whether written, oral or signed.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Whole Word Institute
P.O. Box 23027
Richmond, VA 23223
Website: wholewordinstitute.com
Phone: 804-482-0756
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 473406578
CEO/President: David Swarr PhD
Chairman: Samuel Chiang
Board size: 9
Founder:
Ruling year: 2015
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2017
Purpose
Vision: The whole Word accessible to the whole world
Our Goal: to see the whole Word available in the 4,000+ languages still requiring a translation of the Old Testament
Our Commitment: to play a part by training 4,220 translators and consultants in Biblical Hebrew by 2033
Mission statement
Our mission is to advance access and engagement with the whole Word of God for every language, culture and people whether written, oral or signed.
Statement of faith
The 4.2.20 Foundation subscribes to the Lausanne Covenant.
Articles
| 5/21/2026 | Ministry Spotlight: Whole Word Institute |
| 5/15/2026 | All God's Children Reinstated to ECFA |
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Bible Translation Organizations
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | 171 of 1420 | 4 of 14 | |
| Fund acquisition rating |  | 671 of 1420 | 7 of 14 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 104 of 1420 | 5 of 14 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 333 of 1421 | 3 of 14 |
This ministry has a negative net worth, making it impossible to assign it a valid financial efficiency rating.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 8% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 7% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 97% | 78% | 81% | 71% | 78% | 73% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 3% | 22% | 19% | 29% | 22% | 27% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 88% | 87% | 87% | 87% | 89% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 101% | 107% | 99% | 111% | 90% | 113% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 77% | 93% | 86% | 96% | 79% | 100% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | -1% | -7% | 1% | -11% | 10% | -13% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 119% | 106% | 12957% | 74% | -293% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 7% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 6% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.64 | 2.69 | 1.91 | 3.20 | 3.51 | 4.69 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.14 | 2.53 | 2.13 | 1.15 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.49 | 6.81 | 4.07 | 3.68 | 3.51 | 4.69 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 18.48 | 1.53 | 2.16 | 2.52 | 3.25 | 2.80 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.05 | 0.66 | 0.46 | 0.40 | 0.31 | 0.36 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.15 | 0.61 | 1.58 | 1.97 | 2.37 | 1.64 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 9% | 114% | 98% | 100% | 49% | 82% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 44% | 36% | 53% | 19% | 46% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 70% | -5% | 1% | 0% | 14% | 4% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $258,637 | $633,610 | $676,672 | $665,248 | $465,296 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $507,636 | $522,786 | $333,660 | $136,992 | $125,666 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $85,466 | $80,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $766,273 | $1,241,862 | $1,090,332 | $802,240 | $590,962 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term assets | $1,173,300 | $1,408,254 | $160,885 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,173,300 | $1,408,254 | $160,885 | $0 | $0 |
| Total assets | $1,939,573 | $2,650,116 | $1,251,217 | $802,240 | $590,962 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $311,594 | $280,371 | $293,313 | $194,821 | $176,665 |
| Other current liabilities | $190,840 | $294,840 | $139,375 | $51,647 | $34,569 |
| Total current liabilities | $502,434 | $575,211 | $432,688 | $246,468 | $211,234 |
| Debt | $857,308 | $950,800 | $660,800 | $150,000 | $274,535 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $858,300 | $1,069,921 | $160,885 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $1,715,608 | $2,020,721 | $821,685 | $150,000 | $274,535 |
| Total liabilities | $2,218,042 | $2,595,932 | $1,254,373 | $396,468 | $485,769 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | ($535,886) | ($236,548) | ($6,077) | $326,117 | ($5,798) |
| With donor restrictions | $257,417 | $290,732 | $2,921 | $79,655 | $110,991 |
| Net assets | ($278,469) | $54,184 | ($3,156) | $405,772 | $105,193 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $3,828,638 | $4,143,115 | $2,545,972 | $2,443,838 | $1,786,596 |
| Program service revenue | $1,040,292 | $930,576 | $1,033,873 | $621,973 | $671,919 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $2,765 | $13,056 | $5,948 | $25 | $14 |
| Other revenue | $15,110 | $20,761 | $13,774 | $50,262 | $4,950 |
| Total other revenue | $1,058,167 | $964,393 | $1,053,595 | $672,260 | $676,883 |
| Total revenue | $4,886,805 | $5,107,508 | $3,599,567 | $3,116,098 | $2,463,479 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $4,567,813 | $4,404,626 | $3,468,457 | $2,457,846 | $2,454,659 |
| Management and general | $386,060 | $386,276 | $358,309 | $205,665 | $174,619 |
| Fundraising | $265,585 | $259,266 | $181,729 | $152,008 | $142,138 |
| Total expenses | $5,219,458 | $5,050,168 | $4,008,495 | $2,815,519 | $2,771,416 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($332,653) | $57,340 | ($408,928) | $300,579 | ($307,937) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($332,653) | $57,340 | ($408,928) | $300,579 | ($307,937) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| David Swarr | President & CEO | $157,048 |
| Daniel Araujo | CFO | $95,724 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2024
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 5/12/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]