Simpson University 
The information on this page was last updated 9/16/2024. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Simpson University, California's only Christian university north of Sacramento, has been educating and shaping world-influencers for nearly 100 years. Fully accredited, Simpson offers 24 liberal arts and professional studies degrees, an adult bachelor degree-completion program, graduate studies, and credential programs, serving more than 1,000 students a year.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Simpson University
2211 College View Dr
Redding, CA 96003
Website: simpsonu.edu
Phone: 530-224-5600
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 941339635
CEO/President: Dr. Norman Hall
Chairman: Dr. James M. Postma
Board size: 22
Founder: W. W. Newberry
Ruling year: 1953
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 04/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Simpson University, a school of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, is a Christ-centered learning community with an enduring commitment to world service and faith-infused education in professional studies and liberal arts.
Simpson University's passion is to be the university of choice for students who aspire to achieve their chosen life goals through a Christ-led, transformational and innovative education.
Mission statement
Simpson University is a Christ-centered learning community committed to developing each student in mind, faith and character for a lifetime of meaningful work and service in a constantly changing world.
Statement of faith
There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 28:19)
Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace. (Philippians 2:6-11, Luke 1:36-38, I Peter 3:18, Hebrews 2:9, Romans 5:9, Acts 2:23-24, Hebrews 8:1, Matthew 26:64)
The Holy Spirit is a divine person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 14:15-18, John 16:13, Acts 1:8, John 16:7-11)
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice. (II Peter 1:20-21, II Timothy 3:15-16)
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God; he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 3:23, I Corinthians 15:20-23, Revelation 21:1-4,8)
Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God. (Titus 3:4-7)
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion. (I Thessalonians 5:23, Acts 1:8, Romans 6:1-14)
Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body. Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age. (Matthew 8:16-17, James 5:13-16)
The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. (Ephesians 1:22-23, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-47)
There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment. (I Corinthians 15:20-23, John 5:28-29)
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer's blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. (Hebrews 10:37, Luke 21:27, Titus 2:11-14)
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 397 of 1117 | 45 of 127 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 713 of 1118 | 95 of 127 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 466 of 1118 | 51 of 127 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 225 of 1117 | 24 of 127 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $2,806,039 in government grants in 2024.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 13% | 18% | 12% | 6% | 3% | 28% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 5% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 16% | 12% | 18% | 34% | 40% | 17% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 5% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 84% | 88% | 82% | 66% | 60% | 83% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 86% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 83% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 103% | 102% | 85% | 76% | 102% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 82% | 88% | 87% | 72% | 64% | 84% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | -3% | -2% | 15% | 24% | -2% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | -5% | -4% | 30% | 66% | -9% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 13% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 12% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.53 | 0.79 | 0.73 | 0.71 | 0.65 | 1.06 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.64 | 3.31 | 2.94 | 2.42 | 2.36 | 10.42 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.44 | 2.60 | 2.15 | 1.71 | 1.54 | 11.05 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 7.92 | 19.79 | 12.83 | 17.25 | 11.16 | 2.19 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.13 | 0.05 | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.09 | 0.46 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.38 | 4.38 | 5.16 | 6.62 | 7.11 | 0.59 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 24% | 61% | 61% | 60% | 68% | 82% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 58% | 57% | 56% | 63% | 74% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 151% | 49% | 53% | 57% | 49% | 17% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $5,749,188 | $7,745,971 | $9,663,394 | $13,042,893 | $2,581,312 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $2,724,279 | $3,492,129 | $5,318,602 | $1,073,235 | $269,854 |
| Short-term investments | $6,760,317 | $6,468,181 | $6,699,228 | $6,947,585 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $15,233,784 | $17,706,281 | $21,681,224 | $21,063,713 | $2,851,166 |
| Long-term investments | $2,033,481 | $2,320,048 | $725,836 | $725,836 | $635,047 |
| Fixed assets | $31,571,098 | $30,149,589 | $28,575,776 | $26,339,031 | $25,795,810 |
| Other long-term assets | $1,532,837 | $1,866,005 | $1,464,663 | $1,602,332 | $421,094 |
| Total long-term assets | $35,137,416 | $34,335,642 | $30,766,275 | $28,667,199 | $26,851,951 |
| Total assets | $50,371,200 | $52,041,923 | $52,447,499 | $49,730,912 | $29,703,117 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $769,716 | $1,380,143 | $1,256,909 | $1,838,569 | $1,236,465 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $49,136 | $64,982 |
| Total current liabilities | $769,716 | $1,380,143 | $1,256,909 | $1,887,705 | $1,301,447 |
| Debt | $29,408,194 | $29,453,527 | $29,390,061 | $31,354,695 | $21,929,219 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $785,804 | $1,089,510 | $573,651 | $642,626 | $1,102,707 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $30,193,998 | $30,543,037 | $29,963,712 | $31,997,321 | $23,031,926 |
| Total liabilities | $30,963,714 | $31,923,180 | $31,220,621 | $33,885,026 | $24,333,373 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $7,728,886 | $8,651,022 | $9,335,574 | $6,070,638 | $5,369,744 |
| With donor restrictions | $11,678,600 | $11,467,721 | $11,891,304 | $9,775,248 | $0 |
| Net assets | $19,407,486 | $20,118,743 | $21,226,878 | $15,845,886 | $5,369,744 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $4,517,646 | $6,862,256 | $14,746,087 | $17,121,327 | $5,202,088 |
| Program service revenue | $32,867,303 | $28,927,822 | $28,082,922 | $25,209,924 | $25,802,884 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $563,397 | $576,812 | $643,547 | $485,115 | $246 |
| Other revenue | $707,140 | $819,681 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $34,137,840 | $30,324,315 | $28,726,469 | $25,695,039 | $25,803,130 |
| Total revenue | $38,655,486 | $37,186,571 | $43,472,556 | $42,816,366 | $31,005,218 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $33,963,049 | $32,249,737 | $31,483,860 | $27,403,039 | $26,118,707 |
| Management and general | $4,867,038 | $4,891,799 | $4,720,799 | $4,517,228 | $3,922,268 |
| Fundraising | $833,522 | $843,226 | $834,644 | $428,313 | $1,450,559 |
| Total expenses | $39,663,609 | $37,984,762 | $37,039,303 | $32,348,580 | $31,491,534 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($1,008,123) | ($798,191) | $6,433,253 | $10,467,786 | ($486,316) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($1,008,123) | ($798,191) | $6,433,253 | $10,467,786 | ($486,316) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Norman D Hall | President | $274,785 |
| Timothy N Dietz | Chief Financial Officer | $146,041 |
| Robert Quirk | Chief Operations Officer | $139,617 |
| Ken White | Dean of Advancement | $138,476 |
| Robert Harley | Athletic Director | $137,447 |
| Dale Simmons | Provost (part year) | $127,830 |
| Lisa Scott | Dean of School of Nursing | $122,911 |
| John Ayabe | Provost | $103,967 |
Compensation data as of: 4/30/2024
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 9/16/2024. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Simpson University was founded in 1921 as Simpson Bible Institute by W.W. Newberry, who served as its first president. Established in Seattle, Washington, the school was named in honor of Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843-1919), a Presbyterian minister who pioneered the Bible institute movement during the late nineteenth century and founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Initially offering a two-year program of study, the school was designed to promote spiritual growth and prepare students for Christian life and service, especially overseas.
As the 1926 catalog stated: "Seattle is several hundred miles nearer to China than any other trade routes across the Pacific...if this is the gateway through which the blessed gospel must reach millions yet in darkness, it is an ideal place to train and equip those who shall carry it to these needy souls..."
By 1940, Simpson was offering a choice of programs: Theology, Missiology and Bible/Music. By 1945, it had officially become the western regional school of the C&MA.
In 1955, the school moved to San Francisco, and its name was changed to Simpson Bible College since it was now granting bachelor's degrees. Over the years, the college continued to broaden its academic offerings so that by the time the half-century mark was reached in 1971, it had become a more comprehensive liberal arts college offering professional as well as biblical studies. That same year, the name was changed to Simpson College.
Another historic milestone was passed in 1989 when Simpson relocated to its current location in Redding and began building a new campus, which is still a work in progress. Since the move, undergraduate enrollment has grown from less than 200 to more than 1,200. Graduate programs (including the School of Education and A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary) have been established, and the Adult Studies (ASPIRE) program was added. In 2004, Simpson College became Simpson University.
Today, Simpson students represent a range of Christian denominations. Typically, the largest segment are members of The Christian and Missionary Alliance; the remainder are associated with more than 30 different denominations and several independent churches. They represent a mix of ethnic backgrounds, and they come from a number of states and foreign countries.
The faculty, as well, reflect a broad range of evangelical backgrounds. Educated at a cross-section of institutions across the nation, they are also experienced in international study and ministry.
Since the early 1950s, the logo-statement of the college has been "Gateway to World Service." Although our original mission has expanded since 1921 and alumni of today serve in a variety of ministerial and lay professions, Simpson University maintains its focus on global service and its passion to deliver the gospel of Christ to those still lost in darkness.