Wycliffe Bible Translators
The information on this page was last updated 3/17/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
For more than 75 years, Wycliffe has helped people around the world translate the Bible into their own languages.
No one should have to learn another language to understand God's Word. And yet millions of people are still waiting for a single word of the Bible's life-transforming power. Let's help churches and communities around the world get Scripture in their language... until all the nations worship!
Contact information
Mailing address:
Wycliffe Bible Translators
PO Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862-8200
Website: www.wycliffe.org
Phone: (407) 852-3600
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 951831097
CEO/President: John Chesnut
Chairman: Lindsay Olesberg
Board size: 15
Founder: William Cameron Townsend
Ruling year: 1942
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 09/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1980
Purpose
We believe that Bible translation is most transformational as a locally led, sustainable ministry of the church. Wycliffe USA serves together with churches and Bible translation organizations around the world so that local churches have Scripture and other resources to meet their spiritual needs, along with the capacity to continue to meet those growing needs in the future.
Our Vision: For people from every language to understand the Bible and be transformed.
Mission statement
Serve with the global body of Christ to advance Bible translation and work together so people can encounter God through his Word.
Statement of faith
WE BELIEVE IN ONE GOD.
The one God exists eternally in three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and is completely trustworthy, speaking with supreme authority in all matters of belief and practice.
We believe all people are created in the image of God and have intrinsic value, but as a result of sin are alienated from God and each other, and therefore in need of reconciliation.
We believe the Church is the body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers and is commissioned to make disciples of all nations.
WE BELIEVE JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.
He was born of the virgin Mary, and he is fully God and fully human. He demonstrated God's love for sinners by suffering the penalty of death in their place, rose bodily from the dead and ascended to heaven where he intercedes for his people.
We believe all who repent and trust in Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior are, by the grace of God, declared to be right with him, receiving forgiveness and eternal life.
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally in glory, raise the dead and judge the world.
WE BELIEVE IN ETERNAL LIFE.
We believe all people will rise from the dead - those who are in Christ to enjoy eternal life with God and those who are lost to suffer eternal separation from him.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who imparts new life to those who believe in Christ. Through his indwelling presence and transforming power he gives assurance and equips believers for holy living and effective service.
Donor confidence score
This organization does not file a Form 990.
Show donor confidence score detailsTransparency 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 | 415 of 1123 | 6 of 18 | |
| Fund acquisition rating |  | 495 of 1124 | 8 of 18 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 265 of 1124 | 8 of 18 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 686 of 1123 | 9 of 18 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 6% | 6% | 8% | 5% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 6% | 7% | 4% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 97% | 98% | 97% | 97% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 6% | 7% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 85% | 85% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 92% | 112% | 80% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 77% | 78% | 95% | 70% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 8% | -12% | 20% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 10% | 11% | -15% | 30% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 9% | 9% | 7% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.98 | 1.11 | 1.31 | 1.10 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.48 | 1.23 | 1.57 | 1.50 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.47 | 1.36 | 2.06 | 1.65 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 6.56 | 4.76 | 7.64 | 9.89 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.11 | 0.21 | 0.13 | 0.10 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.41 | 6.95 | 5.07 | 6.55 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 15% | 17% | 9% | 7% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 68% | 75% | 70% | 84% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||
| Assets | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Cash | $23,165,500 | $560,501 | $293,789 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $7,407,711 | $2,150,115 | $1,456,602 |
| Short-term investments | $95,652,233 | $74,017,849 | $89,995,873 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $126,225,444 | $76,728,465 | $91,746,264 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $29,264,259 | $41,922,602 | $43,189,650 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $2,144,893 | $2,352,128 |
| Total long-term assets | $29,264,259 | $44,067,495 | $45,541,778 |
| Total assets | $155,489,703 | $120,795,960 | $137,288,042 |
| Liabilities | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $26,540,067 | $10,045,226 | $9,275,577 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $26,540,067 | $10,045,226 | $9,275,577 |
| Debt | $0 | $337,000 | $337,000 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $337,000 | $337,000 |
| Total liabilities | $26,540,067 | $10,382,226 | $9,612,577 |
| Net assets | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Without donor restrictions | $91,580,875 | $68,563,566 | $71,799,866 |
| With donor restrictions | $37,368,761 | $41,850,168 | $55,875,599 |
| Net assets | $128,949,636 | $110,413,734 | $127,675,465 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||
| Revenue | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Total contributions | $181,696,963 | $136,460,832 | $183,159,618 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,062,870 | $2,108,309 | $4,599,630 |
| Other revenue | $3,433,553 | $2,691,718 | $1,092,381 |
| Total other revenue | $4,496,423 | $4,800,027 | $5,692,011 |
| Total revenue | $186,193,386 | $141,260,859 | $188,851,629 |
| Expenses | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Program services | $145,607,686 | $133,888,073 | $132,118,373 |
| Management and general | $15,549,348 | $13,737,628 | $10,622,843 |
| Fundraising | $10,846,369 | $10,300,737 | $8,356,640 |
| Total expenses | $172,003,403 | $157,926,438 | $151,097,856 |
| Change in net assets | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $14,189,983 | ($16,665,579) | $37,753,773 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $14,189,983 | ($16,665,579) | $37,753,773 |
Compensation
Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.
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 3/17/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
In 1917 a missionary named William Cameron Townsend went to Guatemala to sell Spanish Bibles. But he was shocked when many people couldn't understand the books. They spoke Cakchiquel, a language without a Bible. Cam believed everyone should understand the Bible, so he started a linguistics school (the Summer Institute of Linguistics, known today as SIL) that trained people to do Bible translation. The work continued to grow, and in 1942 Cam officially founded Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Over the following decades, Wycliffe celebrated many milestones - from the first translation completed in 1951, all the way to the 500th translation completed in 2000. Around the same time, Wycliffe adopted a new challenge - a goal of seeing a Bible translation project started in every language still needing one by 2025.
Vision 2025
In 1999, our leaders realized that at the speed we were going, it would be at least 2150 before a Bible translation could be started for every language that needed one.
As they thought about the people perishing around the world every day without receiving the Good News of the gospel, they felt God calling them to adopt a new goal for accomplishing this mission.
Our leaders committed to do everything we could to see a Bible translation program in progress in every language still needing one by 2025.
Today, more than 1,600 languages still need a Bible translation started, and Wycliffe is working faster than ever to reach those languages as soon as possible.
Program accomplishments
Needs
Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. communicates the following needs:
(1) PRAYER cannot be overestimated. It launched the work of Bible translation, and it continues to move it forward. WBT relies on your prayers. WBT offers several tools to help you pray effectively for their members and work. Published prayer tools may be requested using their online contact form. WBT needs people committed to praying. You can fulfill a vital need by joining their support team as an intercessor. Invest in eternity, one prayer at a time.
(2) TELL others about the worldwide need for Bible translation. WBT cannot speak with all of them; they trust people who are interested in Bible translation--people like you--to help them spread the word. You can help to share the needs of more than 380 million people without God's Word.
(3) GIFT's can help provide someone with God's Word. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God." 2 Corinthians 9:12, (NIV). Four ways you can help are: (1) Support the ministry of an individual missionary; (2) Support the completion project for the 9 people groups in Central America; (3) Support a specific project; and (4) Contribute to the general fund: Worldwide Projects Fund.
(4) Go! Whether for a week or a lifetime, to Orlando or to your idea of the ends of the earth, you can participate in Bible translation by going. See the ministry's website for more information.
(5) Volunteer! You can give of your time, skills and labor to aid the task of Bible translation. Wycliffe depends on volunteers of all ages and vocations to help with specific projects and with the day-to-day running of our offices around the world. For more information call Wycliffe Associates at 407-852-3800 or check the 'volunteer' box on our contact form on our website and someone will get in touch with you.