Ministry Spotlight: Trinity Broadcasting Network
With high net assets and leaderships salaries, ministry now in the ‘Withhold Giving’ category
Trinity Broadcasting Network’s (TBN) Donor Confidence Score recently fell from 45 to 25, placing it in the “Withhold Giving” category. Its overall financial efficiency rating is now 2 stars.
Matt Crouch and wife, Laurie / Screenshot from TBN’s 50th Anniversary documentary, Part 1
TBN’s financial efficiency rating changed, in part, because of its low asset utilization score. According to its 2023 Form 990, the organization has $189.3 million in net assets.
From 2019 to 2023, the organization had only one year where it did not have a deficit — 2021, during which TBN had a surplus of almost $30 million. In 2019, on the other hand, the organization’s total expenses were $935.1 million and its revenue was $81.5 million. In 2020, 2022 and 2023, the deficits were between $1 million and $10 million.
Much of the drop in TBN’s Donor Confidence Score is because the organization is not a member of the ECFA, and because of its board structure. It consists of a 3-member board, according to information from 2023. Two of the members are CEO Matthew Crouch and his wife Laurie. The third member is TBN Director Colby May. Together, the three earn nearly $2 million a year.
In 2023, the organization paid Matthew Crouch a salary of $969,002. It paid Colby May $617,868.
TBN claims to be the largest Christian television network in the world. In the U.S., “TBN is available in approximately 100 million television households, making it America’s most-watch (sic) faith channel, according to Nielsen ratings,” according to its website.
Its programming features numerous megachurch pastors like Steven Furtick and Joel Osteen, and political and cultural commentators like Eric Metaxas and Mike Huckabee.
Andrew Wommack has a program on TBN called Andrew Wommack: Gospel Truth. Wommack’s ministry, Andrew Wommack Ministries, does not file a Form 990 and has an F transparency grade with a low donor confidence score of 12.
TBN’s media department did not respond to our multiple requests for comment.
MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 25 (out of a possible 100) “Withhold Giving”
MinistryWatch Financial Efficiency Rating: 2 Stars (out of a possible 5 Stars)
MinistryWatch Transparency Grade: D
Revenue in Most Recent Year Available: $80,424,389
Five-Year Revenue Trend: Decreasing by (1.3%)
Percent of Revenue TBN Spends on Fundraising: 0%
Percent Peer Group Spends on Fundraising: 6%
CEO/President: Matthew Crouch
President’s Salary and Other Compensation: $969,002
A complete MinistryWatch profile for TBN can be found here.
Find recent MinistryWatch articles mentioning TBN here.
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