Awana 
Summary
Awana is a global, nonprofit ministry with fully integrated evangelism and longterm discipleship programs for ages 2 to 18 that actively involves parents and church leaders. Each week, more than 3 million children and youth, 330,000 volunteers and 260 field staff take part in Awana in 38,000 churches around the world. Offered through local churches, Awana reaches kids where they're at and walks alongside them in their faith journey.
Awana is a nonprofit organization and contributions to it are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. In addition, it is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Contact information
Mailing address:
One East Bode Rd.
Streamwood, IL 60107-6658
Website: www.awana.org
Phone: (630) 213-2000
Email: CustomerServiceHelp@awana.org
Organization details
EIN: 362428692
CEO/President: Mr. Jack Eggar
Chairman: Mr. David Branton
Board size: 16
Founder: Mr. Art Rorheim
Year founded: 1950
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2001
Purpose
Kids represent the greatest opportunity to make a long-term impact on our world for Christ. Those kids who come to faith at an early age discover God's purpose for their lives and hope for the future. Ministry leaders and parents witness the profound impact Awana has in reaching kids with the gospel and watching them grow as long-term disciples.
Awana is a nonprofit organization and contributions to it are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. In addition, it is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Mission statement
Awana uses the following statement to express its mission:
The mission of Awana is "to equip and empower Christian leaders worldwide to evangelize and disciple children to know, love and serve Christ." In short, Awana aims to reach kids, equip leaders, and change the world.
Statement of faith
Awana uses the following to express its Statement of Faith:
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is supernaturally inspired, so that it is inerrant in the original manuscripts and preserved by God in its verbal and plenary inspiration, so that it is a divinely authoritative standard for every age and every life. (Matthew 5:18; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)
GOD
We believe in one God that eternally exists and reveals Himself in three persons - Father, Son, Holy Spirit - having each the same nature, attributes and perfections, worthy of the same worship and confidence. (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:1-2, 14, 10:30, 14:15-17; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
We believe in God as absolute and sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and that creation was by divine command, from nothing and not through an evolutionary process. (John 1:3, 10; Acts 17:24-25; Genesis 1:1)
We believe that God, by His sovereign choice and out of love for men, sent Christ into the world to save sinners. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 John 4:14)
GOD THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ was fully God in the flesh and fully man, that He was born of a virgin and that He lived a sinless life, in which He taught and performed mighty works and wonders and signs exactly as revealed in the four gospels. We believe that He was crucified, shed His blood, died to pay the penalty for our sins and was raised bodily from the dead on the third day. Forty days later He ascended to the Father's right hand where He is Head of the Church and intercedes for believers. From there He is coming again personally, bodily and visibly to this earth to set up His millennial kingdom. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Hebrews 1:1-2, 7:25; Luke 1:30-35; Ephesians 4:8; John 1:1-5, 10-14, 14:3; Colossians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:3,11; Revelation 20:4)
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and is God, possessing all the divine attributes. He convicts of sin, regenerates, indwells, baptizes and seals all believers at the moment of their salvation, filling them in response to yieldedness with the goal of conforming them to the image of Christ. (John 3:5, 16:7-11; Acts 5:3-4; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, 5:18; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:13)
MAN
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God. We believe that all men are morally corrupt, and of themselves utterly unable to remedy their lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:18, 3:23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12)
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is a gift of God and is received by man through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin. We believe that man is justified by grace through faith apart from works and that all true believers, once saved, are kept secure in Christ forever. (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 4:5, 6:23, 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-29; Ephesians 2:8-9)
THE CHURCH
We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit through saving faith in Jesus Christ; that they are united together in the body of Christ of which He is Lord and Head; and are commissioned for the God-given tasks of worshiping, fellowshipping, teaching, evangelizing and exercising the spiritual gifts. (Acts 2:42,47; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:23-24; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of the local church is clearly taught in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe that the local church is autonomous and free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16, 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4)
THE ORDINANCES
We believe the ordinances for the believer are water baptism by immersion and the Lord's supper as a memorial. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation. But both of which are an evidence of obedience and fellowship with the Lord. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41, 8:12, 35-38; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
We believe that a Christian should walk in holiness and not after the flesh, with the goal of being conformed to the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As a new creation, walking in the Spirit, the Christian learns to grow in faith, in obedience to Scripture, in prayer, in fellowship with the saints and in a life of service. We believe that the Christian will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to have his life evaluated according to his deeds. (Galatians 5:16-26; Hebrews 10:25; Ephesians 4:20-24; Hebrews 11:6, 12:1-2; John 17:17; Ephesians 6:18; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)
THE SECOND COMING
We believe in the personal, premillennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, of the believer to everlasting glory and the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Titus 2:11-13; John 14:1-6; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:11-15; 2 Peter 3:10)
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Leadership Training
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 368 of 576 | 10 of 15 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 486 of 576 | 12 of 15 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 366 of 576 | 8 of 15 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 173 of 576 | 8 of 15 |
Click here to read Awana's response to our ratings
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Median % for all ministries in MW database | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 27% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 20% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 94% | 33% | 36% | 32% | 33% | 32% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 6% | 67% | 64% | 68% | 67% | 68% |
| Operating ratios | Median % for all ministries in MW database | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 79% | 81% | 82% | 82% | 83% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 93% | 102% | 103% | 106% | 104% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 80% | 73% | 83% | 84% | 87% | 87% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | 7% | -2% | -3% | -6% | -4% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 16% | -4% | -9% | -17% | -11% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
| Investing ratios | Median measure for all ministries in MW database | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.10 | 1.82 | 2.12 | 2.19 | 2.41 | 2.17 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.65 | 1.23 | 1.54 | 1.70 | 1.83 | 1.69 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.19 | 2.24 | 3.26 | 3.73 | 4.40 | 3.66 |
| Liquidity ratios | Median measure for all ministries in MW database | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.94 | 6.45 | 4.26 | 3.51 | 3.29 | 3.80 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.10 | 0.16 | 0.23 | 0.29 | 0.30 | 0.26 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.71 | 4.53 | 2.82 | 2.30 | 1.90 | 2.42 |
| Solvency ratios | Median % for all ministries in MW database | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 10% | 14% | 25% | 27% | 18% | 17% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 9% | 9% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 74% | 47% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 38% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $7,548,753 | $3,747,943 | $3,247,706 | $2,332,428 | $626,486 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $3,830,495 | $4,387,164 | $5,590,577 | $4,626,692 | $5,603,630 |
| Short-term investments | $2,652,436 | $2,829,780 | $1,670,867 | $2,510,565 | $5,615,798 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $14,031,684 | $10,964,887 | $10,509,150 | $9,469,685 | $11,845,914 |
| Long-term investments | $1,118,366 | $1,356,310 | $1,440,212 | $1,058,311 | $1,078,525 |
| Fixed assets | $1,273,894 | $3,721,786 | $4,967,389 | $5,755,825 | $6,028,622 |
| Other long-term assets | $827,611 | $838,669 | $981,680 | $1,032,405 | $1,044,921 |
| Total long-term assets | $3,219,871 | $5,916,765 | $7,389,281 | $7,846,541 | $8,152,068 |
| Total assets | $17,251,555 | $16,881,652 | $17,898,431 | $17,316,226 | $19,997,982 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,717,016 | $2,061,835 | $2,399,511 | $2,002,598 | $2,192,396 |
| Other current liabilities | $459,063 | $510,646 | $596,708 | $878,156 | $925,006 |
| Total current liabilities | $2,176,079 | $2,572,481 | $2,996,219 | $2,880,754 | $3,117,402 |
| Debt | $0 | $1,553,819 | $1,600,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $170,606 | $176,006 | $187,545 | $205,866 | $242,223 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $170,606 | $1,729,825 | $1,787,545 | $205,866 | $242,223 |
| Total liabilities | $2,346,685 | $4,302,306 | $4,783,764 | $3,086,620 | $3,359,625 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Unrestricted | $10,006,639 | $7,943,262 | $8,796,053 | $10,150,564 | $12,569,111 |
| Temporarily restricted | $4,797,481 | $4,535,334 | $4,217,864 | $3,978,292 | $3,968,496 |
| Permanently restricted | $0 | $100,750 | $100,750 | $100,750 | $100,750 |
| Net assets | $14,904,870 | $12,579,346 | $13,114,667 | $14,229,606 | $16,638,357 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $11,038,571 | $12,533,391 | $12,294,740 | $12,816,104 | $13,236,419 |
| Program service revenue | $19,325,396 | $21,056,057 | $22,461,383 | $22,937,816 | $25,018,967 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | ($193,863) | $183,561 | $317,711 | $310,484 | ($92,337) |
| Other revenue | $3,581,410 | $1,444,908 | $3,015,897 | $3,188,377 | $3,339,746 |
| Total other revenue | $22,712,943 | $22,684,526 | $25,794,991 | $26,436,677 | $28,266,376 |
| Total revenue | $33,751,514 | $35,217,917 | $38,089,731 | $39,252,781 | $41,502,795 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $24,781,473 | $29,063,654 | $32,138,985 | $34,309,094 | $35,977,453 |
| Management and general | $3,619,759 | $4,171,206 | $4,695,901 | $4,972,217 | $4,784,538 |
| Fundraising | $3,024,758 | $2,518,378 | $2,369,784 | $2,380,221 | $2,588,844 |
| Total expenses | $31,425,990 | $35,753,238 | $39,204,670 | $41,661,532 | $43,350,835 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $2,325,524 | ($535,321) | ($1,114,939) | ($2,408,751) | ($1,848,040) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $2,325,524 | ($535,321) | ($1,114,939) | ($2,408,751) | ($1,848,040) |
Response from ministry
Awana is committed to helping local churches work with parents to raise children and youth to know, love and serve Christ. Awana is an outstanding evangelism tool for the local church. On average, 35 percent of the children in an Awana program are drawn from outside that local church body to a place where the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented. Many unchurched parents have come to trust Christ as Savior through the influence of an Awana ministry on their child. With about 250,000 volunteers serving in Awana worldwide, most Awana programs feature a healthy child-leader ratio of 1 to 4.
Awana holds firm to the belief that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, without works of any kind. Our programs and resources are designed to meet the needs of churches of all sizes and to fit within their budgets. A new program, providing a minimum of materials and products needed to begin their ministry, could expect to see costs of approximately $35 per child enrolled in their ministry. Most churches welcome an average of 100 or more children and youth each week, and the total annual costs of the church Awana program is less than $2,500.
As of November 2007, Awana is privileged to serve nearly 17,000 churches in over 100 countries around the world. Awana serves churches in nearly 100 different denominations.
History
In 1941, the children's program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago laid the foundation for the principles of Awana. Lance Latham, North Side's senior pastor, collaborated with the church's youth director, Art Rorheim, to develop weekly clubs that would appeal to churched and nonchurched kids. As a pioneer in children's ministry, Art created new and innovative ways to reach kids with the gospel and lead them to know, love and serve Jesus Christ.
Other churches learned about the success of the program and inquired about its availability. In 1950, Latham and Rorheim founded Awana as a parachurch organization. By 1960, 900 churches had started Awana programs. By 1972, Awana began its first international club in Bolivia. Today, children and youth in over 100 countries participate in Awana programs and millions of adults are alumni of Awana. Awana serves churches from 100 different denominations
Program accomplishments
Across the globe, Awana gives kids from every background and cultural setting a place to belong, build confidence and grow in faith. Awana continually expands to make disciples by pursuing new locations and partnerships. God is using the ministry of Awana in prisons, refugee camps, slums and other hard to reach places around the world.
Since 2007, the Leader-Based Strategy has cast vision to children's ministry globally, outside the U.S., to train and equip leaders to reach more kids for Christ by training their own church leaders. The result: we are witnessing kids and youth receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ and discipleship in multitude.
It is not only in Europe, Asia, Middle East and other regions where God is opening doors to spread the gospel, but here in North America, as well. Some of the most exciting developments in the U.S. and Canada are our growing church partnerships in Native American communities. We adapt our materials to speak biblical truth within the context of the culture. Through partnership, Native American children are hearing the gospel and receiving long-term discipleship that will make an eternal impact in their lives. Reservations in Arizona, New Mexico and Washington, as well as Canada, are implementing Awana programs to reach kids, their families and ultimately their communities.
Needs
Awana expresses its ministry needs as follows:
Children, everywhere, need to hear that Jesus loves them. Awana is providing children all over the world, in developing and poverty-stricken countries, with long-term evangelism and discipleship. This is only made possible through donor support.
Giving provides the resources to train and equip local leaders to reach children in their communities. The average cost-per-child impacted is just $10. Thus, $20 can reach 2 children; and $100 can reach 10 children. By becoming a Reach Partner, you can reach even more children for Christ. A $30 monthly gift reaches 36 children in a year.
Every gift can go a long way in changing a child's life forever through Christ.