Hi there all,
It has been extensively reported on the forum that there has been a marked increase in effort over the past two years by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses to encourage an increase in monetary donations. This has also been accompanied by the stripping of financial capital from the local congregations. As has also been reported on this forum, this has in all probability been done to facilitate the financing of the vast new HQ building project as well as the financing of the shift from a publishing company to becoming an internet based charismatic multimedia company which produces lame Pixar/Disney animation knock offs while simultaneously parading the governing body's ever expanding waistlines, blingy accoutrements and stupid grins.
Meanwhile the financials of the organization remains as murky as ever. To facilitate a modest insight into the inner financial machinations of our former spiritual Amway, I have constructed an asset graph for the Pennsylvania corporation. This is based upon the financial statements that have been released in the past and also the currently available 990T forms. So here goes:
Notes:
1. Between 1995 and 2016 only 8 years worth of information is currently available (as far as I am aware). The 1995 to 1999 information comes from the financial statements that were supplied for financial reporting of the Pennsylvania corporation while it was registered in the United Kingdom. The 2011 to 2014 information is sourced from the total stated asset value on the 990T forms. Any non-profit has to disclose the total asset value of the organization on a 990T. (For verification one could for example look at the asset value of the US cancer associations stated asset value as reported on their 990T's and then compare that with what is reported on a website like charity navigator. There is a ballpark alignment in the figures.)
2, Between 1999 and 2010 no information is available for the Pennsylvania corporation, so therefore linear growth was assumed for simplicity sake. I guess one could make the inferences a bit more stochastic to feign realism but blah...
3. The graph is on total asset value, NOT net asset value and therefore does not include liabilities.
4. Notice the decline in asset value in 2014. There is a 12% decline ($134 062 000) in total asset value between 2013 and 2014. This would explain the governing body's enthusiasm for donations.
5. Of the 8 years worth of data only 2014 shows a decrease from the previous year in total asset value.
6. My projection for 2015 is based upon the idea that in 2015 it has been reported that the request for the increase in donations has in fact been successful (if the governing body is to be believed) , but it also factors in the previous years decline and the fact that the governing body hammers on donations (including taking away ice cream money) which means there is something negative afoot. But then again your guess is as good as mine.
7. My projection for 2016 is based upon the idea that the recovery will continue and result in an reasonable increase. I factor in things like prevailing wind direction, the average length of a Prince album, the number of words in a Watchtower magazine etc. Again your guess is as good as mine.
So there you have it...