Awana 
Summary
Awana is a global child evangelism and discipleship ministry that actively engages parents and church leaders. Each week over 4.8 million children and youth, 427,000 volunteers, and 200 field staff take part in Awana in over 63,000 churches around the world. Offered through local churches, Awana meets 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: partnercare@awana.org
Organization details
EIN: 362428692
CEO/President: Valerie Bell
Chairman: Gary Thomas
Board size: 10
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
The vision of Awana is that all children and youth throughout the world will come to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mission statement
The mission of Awana is to equip leaders to reach kids with the gospel and engage them in lifelong discipleship.
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)
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 | | 490 of 772 | 14 of 18 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 593 of 773 | 14 of 18 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 385 of 773 | 10 of 18 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 374 of 772 | 11 of 18 |
Click here to read Awana's response to our ratings
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 12% | 25% | 27% | 20% | 19% | 19% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 6% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 82% | 39% | 33% | 36% | 32% | 33% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 9% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 18% | 61% | 67% | 64% | 68% | 67% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 80% | 79% | 81% | 82% | 82% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 100% | 108% | 93% | 102% | 103% | 106% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 80% | 87% | 73% | 83% | 84% | 87% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 0% | -8% | 7% | -2% | -3% | -6% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 0% | -18% | 16% | -4% | -9% | -17% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.87 | 1.75 | 1.82 | 2.12 | 2.19 | 2.41 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.31 | 1.16 | 1.23 | 1.54 | 1.70 | 1.83 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.58 | 2.04 | 2.24 | 3.26 | 3.73 | 4.40 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 7.60 | 7.56 | 6.45 | 4.26 | 3.51 | 3.29 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.16 | 0.23 | 0.29 | 0.30 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.16 | 5.12 | 4.53 | 2.82 | 2.30 | 1.90 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 15% | 28% | 14% | 25% | 27% | 18% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 16% | 0% | 9% | 9% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 41% | 41% | 47% | 35% | 33% | 34% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Cash | $10,329,520 | $7,548,753 | $3,747,943 | $3,247,706 | $2,332,428 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $4,378,473 | $3,830,495 | $4,387,164 | $5,590,577 | $4,626,692 |
| Short-term investments | $372,588 | $2,652,436 | $2,829,780 | $1,670,867 | $2,510,565 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $15,080,581 | $14,031,684 | $10,964,887 | $10,509,150 | $9,469,685 |
| Long-term investments | $645,844 | $1,118,366 | $1,356,310 | $1,440,212 | $1,058,311 |
| Fixed assets | $1,047,069 | $1,273,894 | $3,721,786 | $4,967,389 | $5,755,825 |
| Other long-term assets | $782,186 | $827,611 | $838,669 | $981,680 | $1,032,405 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,475,099 | $3,219,871 | $5,916,765 | $7,389,281 | $7,846,541 |
| Total assets | $17,555,680 | $17,251,555 | $16,881,652 | $17,898,431 | $17,316,226 |
| Liabilities | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,748,969 | $1,717,016 | $2,061,835 | $2,399,511 | $2,002,598 |
| Other current liabilities | $245,025 | $459,063 | $510,646 | $596,708 | $878,156 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,993,994 | $2,176,079 | $2,572,481 | $2,996,219 | $2,880,754 |
| Debt | $2,815,850 | $0 | $1,553,819 | $1,600,000 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $162,677 | $170,606 | $176,006 | $187,545 | $205,866 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $2,978,527 | $170,606 | $1,729,825 | $1,787,545 | $205,866 |
| Total liabilities | $4,972,521 | $2,346,685 | $4,302,306 | $4,783,764 | $3,086,620 |
| Net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Unrestricted | $7,641,634 | $10,006,639 | $7,943,262 | $8,796,053 | $10,150,564 |
| Temporarily restricted | $4,840,775 | $4,797,481 | $4,535,334 | $4,217,864 | $3,978,292 |
| Permanently restricted | $100,750 | $0 | $100,750 | $100,750 | $100,750 |
| Net assets | $12,583,159 | $14,904,870 | $12,579,346 | $13,114,667 | $14,229,606 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $11,016,176 | $11,038,571 | $12,533,391 | $12,294,740 | $12,816,104 |
| Program service revenue | $16,323,988 | $19,325,396 | $21,056,057 | $22,461,383 | $22,937,816 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | ($313,842) | ($193,863) | $183,561 | $317,711 | $310,484 |
| Other revenue | $1,344,646 | $3,581,410 | $1,444,908 | $3,015,897 | $3,188,377 |
| Total other revenue | $17,354,792 | $22,712,943 | $22,684,526 | $25,794,991 | $26,436,677 |
| Total revenue | $28,370,968 | $33,751,514 | $35,217,917 | $38,089,731 | $39,252,781 |
| Expenses | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Program services | $24,665,959 | $24,781,473 | $29,063,654 | $32,138,985 | $34,309,094 |
| Management and general | $3,249,860 | $3,619,759 | $4,171,206 | $4,695,901 | $4,972,217 |
| Fundraising | $2,776,860 | $3,024,758 | $2,518,378 | $2,369,784 | $2,380,221 |
| Total expenses | $30,692,679 | $31,425,990 | $35,753,238 | $39,204,670 | $41,661,532 |
| Change in net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($2,321,711) | $2,325,524 | ($535,321) | ($1,114,939) | ($2,408,751) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($2,321,711) | $2,325,524 | ($535,321) | ($1,114,939) | ($2,408,751) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Matthew Markins | President/CSO | $200,504 |
| Valerie Bell | CEO | $186,449 |
| Lawrence Chip Root | Senior Director of Technology | $153,758 |
| Brian Rhodes | Senior Vice President | $144,621 |
| Lisa Kralina | CFO | $127,141 |
| Debra Bruns | Controller | $101,524 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2019
Response from ministry
Awana knows that the presence of a caring adult makes all the difference in the life of a child. When this relationship is centered on the Gospel of Jesus, the impact can extend into eternity. To that end, Awana provides proven and adaptable discipleship materials, meeting the developmental needs of children aged 2-18 who live in ever-changing cultural landscapes. Through these programs, local leaders around the globe are equipped to present the unchanging message of the gospel, and a generation of kids begin a lifelong journey of discipleship.
As of 2020, Awana is privileged to reach more than 4.8 million children around the world each week with the gospel.
History
In 1941, the children's program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago laid the foundation for what would later become 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 both churched and unchurched kids. As a pioneer in children's ministry, Art created new, innovative ways to reach kids with the gospel and lead them to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
As other churches learned of the program's success, they 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 126 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 culture a place to belong, build confidence, and grow in faith. Awana continually pursues new discipleship opportunities by expanding locations and partnerships. God is using the ministry of Awana in prisons, refugee camps, slums, and other hard-to-reach places around the world, transforming the lives of children and, through them, friends, families, and entire communities.
In 2020, leaders of Awana co-authored Resilient: Child Discipleship and the Fearless Future of the Church. Resilient Child Discipleship looks beyond the tactics of everyday ministry and focuses energy on the few key factors that truly contribute to effective, long-term discipleship in the midst of a changing cultural landscape.
Also in 2020, to prepare kids to lead the church of 2050, Awana released Brite, a digital curriculum that is packed with biblically sound lessons, leader resources, and engaging media tools to raise resilient disciples. Serving churches and families, Brite is downloadable, offering flexible materials for the weekend space.
Needs
Awana expresses its ministry needs as follows:
Every day Awana lays the groundwork for life-long discipleship, ensuring that children around the world know the Word of God. The gospel drives our mission to reach kids from every walk of life, creating generations of Christian leaders who walk boldly into the future to be used by God to change the world. Around the globe, or around the corner, the timeless truth of God's love can be the catalyst to a life filled with hope and purpose.
In every country and every unique location, our vision and prayer remain the same: that all children and youth around the world will come to know, love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our work focuses around three key pillars:
- Increase Impact: Capacity Building and Innovation
- Around The Corner: U.S. Ministry
- Around The World: International Ministry