United Bible Societies

The information on this page was last updated 12/28/2022. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

The United Bible Societies (UBS) is the collective name for our fellowship of 146 individual Bible Societies working in over 200 countries and territories. From wherever and however they operate, Bible Societies all share the mission of placing the Word of God in the hearts and minds of the people they serve.

We're constantly innovating and partnering with like-minded organisations to ensure people around the world are able to access the Bible in a format that is accessible and engaging for them.

Our Digital Bible Library® is one example of this. Through this backend digital curation of thousands of translations, partners like YouVersion are able to make these available to audiences of more than 5.6 billion people around the world.

Our literacy training helps around 100,000 people across the globe every year to learn basic reading and writing skills.


Contact information

Mailing address:
United Bible Societies
Swindon Wiltshire
Sn5 7pj
United Kingdom,

Website: unitedbiblesocieties.org

Phone:

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 980428633

CEO/President: Rev. Dr. Robert Cunville

Chairman: Elaine Duncan - Global Council Chair

Board size: 7

Founder: William Wilberforce

Ruling year: 2006

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 12/31

Member of ECFA: No

Member of ECFA since:


Purpose

We've translated the entire Bible into the languages of more than half of the world's population. That's around 70 percent of all Bible translations that exist today. Yet there are still so many people waiting for a Bible translation in their own language, including the users of all but one of the roughly 400 sign languages around the world.

Our goal over the next 20 years is, by God's provision, to complete 1200 translation projects, which will provide around 600 million people with access to Scripture.


Mission statement

The objective of the Association is to promote the widest possible effective distribution and use of the Bible or any parts of the Bible throughout the world, including translation into any language or languages, printing and publication of the Bible or anypart of the Bible.


Statement of faith

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

D

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Bible Translation Organizations

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating167 of 10502 of 16
Fund acquisition rating80 of 10512 of 16
Resource allocation rating47 of 10511 of 16
Asset utilization rating768 of 105011 of 16

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20192018201720162015
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
8%0%0%0%0%0%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
8%0%0%0%0%0%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
98%91%96%97%96%96%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
8%0%0%0%0%0%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
2%9%4%3%4%4%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20192018201720162015
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
82%95%95%98%99%98%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
90%98%102%89%98%97%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
74%93%97%87%97%96%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
10%2%-2%11%2%3%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
13%2%-1%8%1%2%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
7%5%5%2%1%2%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20192018201720162015
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.030.560.560.450.500.51
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.301.081.171.171.231.27
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.700.610.650.530.610.65
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20192018201720162015
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
10.184.654.334.704.084.87
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.100.210.230.210.240.21
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
5.1115.5514.2017.9014.7614.71
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20192018201720162015
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
16%23%30%27%30%30%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%1%1%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
66%138%126%163%140%137%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20192018201720162015
Cash$34,917,145$21,494,314$27,749,980$22,829,827$19,108,984
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$19,500,356$30,922,098$25,243,777$25,144,229$24,210,092
Short-term investments$32,119,028$27,411,602$30,911,329$24,640,773$23,729,665
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$86,536,529$79,828,014$83,905,086$72,614,829$67,048,741
Long-term investments$5,227,215$3,800,152$5,007,973$6,771,069$7,251,448
Fixed assets$1,598,111$1,708,559$1,881,697$2,152,601$2,337,856
Other long-term assets$0$7,684,547$7,614,145$7,804,218$8,321,556
Total long-term assets$6,825,326$13,193,258$14,503,815$16,727,888$17,910,860
Total assets$93,361,855$93,021,272$98,408,901$89,342,717$84,959,601
 
Liabilities20192018201720162015
Payables and accrued expenses$17,518,539$15,893,174$15,114,361$15,132,589$13,508,980
Other current liabilities$1,079,844$2,529,678$2,724,017$2,648,827$248,912
Total current liabilities$18,598,383$18,422,852$17,838,378$17,781,416$13,757,892
Debt$194,218$298,446$414,250$533,125$888,397
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$2,265,169$8,924,989$7,917,161$8,608,853$10,585,522
Total long-term liabilities$2,459,387$9,223,435$8,331,411$9,141,978$11,473,919
Total liabilities$21,057,770$27,646,287$26,169,789$26,923,394$25,231,811
 
Net assets20192018201720162015
Without donor restrictions$0$0$0$0$0
With donor restrictions$0$0$0$0$0
Net assets$72,304,085$65,374,985$72,239,112$62,419,323$59,727,790
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20192018201720162015
Total contributions$48,705,058$49,106,143$48,410,465$43,781,219$42,985,800
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$1,924,359$1,446,935$372,645$1,147,311$1,425,967
Other revenue$3,073,318$385,842$1,234,856$589,323$268,538
Total other revenue$4,997,677$1,832,777$1,607,501$1,736,634$1,694,505
Total revenue$53,702,735$50,938,920$50,017,966$45,517,853$44,680,305
 
Expenses20192018201720162015
Program services$49,829,375$49,428,999$43,610,398$43,969,155$42,699,362
Management and general$2,605,347$2,473,519$680,322$625,659$762,416
Fundraising$0$0$0$0$0
Total expenses$52,434,722$51,902,518$44,290,720$44,594,814$43,461,778
 
Change in net assets20192018201720162015
Surplus (deficit)$1,268,013($963,598)$5,727,246$923,039$1,218,527
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$1,268,013($963,598)$5,727,246$923,039$1,218,527

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 12/28/2022. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

William Wilberforce helped found the first Bible Society while working tirelessly for the abolition of the slave trade and the emancipation of slaves in Britain in 1804.

In 1946, immediately following World War II, a movement that had grown to little more than a dozen Bible Societies came together to found the global fellowship of 'United Bible Societies'.

Today, by God's grace, United Bible Societies (UBS) has grown to become one of the most globally expansive not-for-profits in the world.


Program accomplishments


Needs