Updates from the January 2026 Trustee Meeting
Updates from the January 2026 Trustee Meeting
By Judy Van Cleave, secretary, Urantia Foundation, Idaho, United States
Books
Tamara Strumfeld reported that Urantia Foundation had another successful year for book distribution, and the goal of a 7% increase was attained! Sales totaled 23,928 copies, up 7% from 2024. Downloads totaled 53,567 books, up 21% for the year. Donated books totaled 1,657 copies, up 17% for the year.
The top priorities for the first quarter of 2026 include overseeing book printings and the testing of a new book app for Android and Apple devices.
Cultural Advisory Council (CAC)
Chris Wood announced the new cohort of four CAC members. The liaison team was careful to consider time zones since the advisors are expected to attend one another’s meetings. They decided to focus on multinational readers from Europe, South America, and Africa.
Please join me in welcoming the 2026–2027 CAC!
• Mr. Emeka Anazodo from Nigeria
• Ms. Vanessa Caycho from Peru, now residing in the United States
• Ms. Ady Namaran Coulibaly of the Ivory Coast and Ghana
• Mr. Antonio Schefer from the Netherlands, Colombia, and Peru
Education
Joanne Strobel reported that the September trimester of Urantia Book International School (UBIS) wrapped up on November 23. They enrolled 277 students into 19 courses, presented by 26 facilitators representing eight language branches. French courses resumed and enjoyed a great turnout. Myra Hight joined the Foundation’s UBIS team in October to manage the English branch.
Chris Wood reported on the success of the November Science Symposium and observed that the videos have received lots of views. The Education Committee is hosting an additional quarterly meeting of interorganizational education leaders to update one another on their respective activities. They collectively decided to focus the reader community on the importance of study groups.
Q4 Fundraising and Finances
• Unrestricted donations fell 19% below Q4 of 2024 but were up 30% for the year.
• Restricted donations rose 29% above Q4 of 2024 and were up 15% for the year.
• Total income rose 22% over Q4 of 2024 and was 43% over budget.
• Total YTD expenses rose 5% over 2024 but came in 8% under budget.
Governance
The Governance Committee reviewed and discussed the results of a board assessment that was conducted in November. The trustees are committed to ensuring that the expanded board functions effectively and is strategically aligned with the Foundation’s mission and values.
Mustard Seed Grants Program
Sherry Cathcart Chavis reported that there will be two interactive information sessions on Zoom to help applicants understand the application process and expectations. The dates for these sessions were January 30 and February 6. The staff of Urantia Foundation will continue to guide grant applicants throughout the process and will help ensure that grantees carefully read the Letter of Agreement before signing.
Translations
Reports were given on the progress of the Esperanto, Farsi, Greek, and Tagalog translations, the Portuguese revision, the Spanish 1993 correction project, and the Spanish 2021 revision refinement project. There have been some text updates for the Dutch, Polish, and Simplified Chinese translations.
