The World Race
The World Race, a program of Adventures in Missions, runs 2-week to 11-month Christian mission trips and study-abroad programs for young adults ages 17-30, charging $7,795-$9,995 per participant and supplementing fees with peer-to-peer support raising, having sent 132,000+ participants across 11+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersGainesville, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The World Race does
The World Race is a program of Adventures in Missions, a private nonprofit interdenominational Christian mission organization headquartered in Gainesville, Georgia. It designs, markets, and operates immersive short- to long-term mission experiences for young adults ages 17-30, structured across five duration tiers: Ambassador Trips (2-4 weeks, teens), Semesters (1-4 months, 1-2 countries, $7,795-$9,995), Journey School (8-month study abroad, ages 18-23), Gap Year (9 months, 4-5 countries, ages 17-20), and the flagship Expedition (11 months, 11 countries, ages 21-30). Since 2007 it has dispatched more than 132,000 participants across 11+ countries in Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania, partnering with local ministries such as YWAM Panama, RAMAS Peru, and HOPE Ministries Zimbabwe.
The organization runs on a distributed technology stack rather than proprietary software. ServiceReef powers participant login, application management, and trip logistics; PushPay handles donor payments and fundraising flows; and the worldrace.org website serves as the primary content, marketing, and application entry point. The offering is augmented by a 21 Day Devotional resource, a 13-episode vlog library, participant blogs, and parent-facing materials to support family buy-in for underage applicants.
Commercially, the business blends per-participant program fees ($7,795-$9,995) with a $49 non-refundable application fee and a significant support-raising component in which participants solicit tax-deductible donations from their personal networks to fund their trip. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website, with guided inside-sales support from Admissions Advisors (all alumni), conference presence, and an alumni-referral engine that converts each former participant into both a recruiting advocate and an admissions staffer. Risk management is outsourced to MissionSafe, and the parent organization also operates Journey School, child sponsorship (sponsorship.adventures.org), and relief programs under a unified brand portfolio.
The World Race firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The World Race
- Legal name
- Adventures in Missions
- Website
- https://worldrace.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The World Race, a program of Adventures in Missions, runs 2-week to 11-month Christian mission trips and study-abroad programs for young adults ages 17-30, charging $7,795-$9,995 per participant and supplementing fees with peer-to-peer support raising, having sent 132,000+ participants across 11+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The World Race industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Christian Mission Trip Programs
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Tour Operators (561520)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Structured Gap Year Programs (Multi-Sector & Rotational) (EDAIAGAJ), Gap Year + Study Abroad Hybrid Programs (EDAIAAAG), Faith-Based Group Travel (Church/Mosque/Temple) Organizers (THAKAHAH), Religious Festival & Event Travel (e.g., Kumbh Mela, World Youth Day) Agencies (THAKAHAN)
Keywords
Where The World Race is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gainesville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The World Race business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Mission Trip Program Fees: Participants pay program fees for mission trips which vary by program length and destination. Fees cover logistics, accommodation, meals, transportation between countries, training, and ministry coordination. Pricing ranges from approximately $7,795 to $9,995 depending on the trip.
- Application Fees: A $49 non-refundable application fee is charged when submitting an application, which also serves as the first donation toward the participant's trip.
- Donations and Support Raising: Participants raise support from their personal network to fund their trip. The organization facilitates this through fundraising guidance and crowd-funding platforms. Donations may be tax-deductible for US residents.
- Donations: Individual donors can make donations to support the organization and its mission through PushPay platform. Also includes child sponsorship programs through sponsorship.adventures.org.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Latin America Semester - 1-4 months, 1-2 countries |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Africa and Southeast Asia Semesters - 1-4 months, 1-2 countries |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Application Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Gap Year Program - 9 months, 4-5 countries, Ages 17-20 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Expedition Program - 11 months, 6 countries, Ages 21-30 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The World Race product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The World Race organizes multi-month international Christian mission trip programs for young adults, including 11-month Expedition routes across 11 countries, 9-month Gap Year routes across 4-5 countries, 1-4 month Semesters across 1-2 countries, and an 8-month Journey School study abroad program. Participants pay program fees and raise personal support, with logistics, accommodation, meals, transportation, training, and ministry placement provided across partner ministry sites.
Product overview
The World Race is a Christian mission trip organization offering multiple program durations and age groups. The core portfolio includes World Race Expedition (11 months, ages 21-30), World Race Gap Year (9 months, ages 17-20), World Race Semesters (1-4 months, ages 18-30), and Journey School (8-month study abroad, ages 18-23). Additional offerings include short-term Ambassador Trips for teens (2-4 weeks) and Alumni-only trips for program graduates. Supporting resources include participant blogs documenting field experiences and a 21 Day Devotional on listening prayer. All programs are administered through Adventures in Missions and emphasize spiritual formation, intentional community, leadership development, and cross-cultural ministry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- World Race Expedition: 11-month mission trip program for young adults ages 21-30 visiting multiple countries
- World Race Gap Year
- World Race Semesters
- Journey School
- Ambassador Trips
Products and services
- World Race Expedition An 11-month, 11-country mission trip program for young adults ages 21-30 focused on spiritual formation, cross-cultural ministry, and discipleship, with logistics, accommodation, meals, transportation, training, and ministry placement provided.
- World Race Gap Year A 9-month, 5-country mission trip program for young adults ages 17-20 designed for spiritual growth, leadership development, and cross-cultural service, typically taken as a gap year after high school.
- World Race Semesters A 1-4 month mission trip program covering 1-2 countries for young adults ages 18-30, offering shorter-term opportunities for spiritual growth and global service. Pricing is $7,795 for Latin America Semester and $9,995 for Africa and Southeast Asia Semester.
- Journey School An 8-month study abroad and leadership development program for young adults ages 18-23 combining experiential education, coaching, and discipleship across cultures.
- Ambassador Trips High school teen mission trips lasting 2-4 weeks for younger participants, providing an introduction to cross-cultural missions and Christian service.
- Alumni Trips Mission trip opportunities exclusively for World Race graduates who have completed a previous World Race program.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93% of participants grew in intimacy with God
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The World Race
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The World Race technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
The World Race partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.
- Adventures in MissionsflagshipThe World Race is a program of Adventures in Missions, an interdenominational mission organization. Adventures in Missions provides organizational infrastructure, staff, risk management, and operational support for World Race programs. The organization also manages related programs including World Race, SethBarnes.com, Child Sponsorship, and Adventures Relief.
- MissionSafecoreMissionSafe provides travel insurance and risk management services for World Race participants. They work closely with the organization to ensure participants receive necessary care while overseas. MissionSafe headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia provides advanced training in risk management and crisis response for World Race leadership.
- YWAM PanamacoreYouth With A Mission (YWAM) Panama is a ministry partner where World Race teams serve. YWAM Panama receives World Race teams who come with energy, purpose, and intention to serve, looking past cultural differences and language barriers to reach people.
- RAMAS Ministry, PerucoreRAMAS Ministry in Peru is a local ministry partner. They value World Race teams because team members are always ready to serve in unconventional ways, bringing freedom and blessing to the nation.
- HOPE Ministries ZimbabwecoreHOPE Ministries Zimbabwe partnered with World Race teams who helped them surpass their goal of planting 20 churches by 2020. Teams assisted with training and discipling young leaders as they prepared to plant churches throughout the region.
- Local Ministry Partners WorldwidecoreThe World Race partners with various local ministries and organizations in destination countries who provide on-the-ground support, ministry opportunities, housing, and local guidance for racers. These long-term missionary partners provide direction while short-term teams provide velocity and enthusiasm.
- ServiceReefsupportingServiceReef provides participant login and application management platform for World Race participants to manage their applications, forms, and trip information.
- PushPaysupportingPushPay provides donor login and payment processing for World Race donations, enabling supporters to give securely through their platform.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The World Race competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Adventures in Missions: Adventures in Missions is the parent organization that operates The World Race as one of its programs. Directly comparable because it runs other mission trip programs (Ambassador Trips, etc.) using the same operational infrastructure, staff, and brand.
Broad incumbents
- International Mission Board (IMB): The IMB is the Southern Baptist Convention's global mission sending agency. Comparable as a large, established Christian organization that sends young adults and families on long-term mission assignments, though it focuses more on career missionaries rather than short-term programs.
- Young Life: Young Life is a major US-based Christian youth ministry with deep reach into middle and high school students through clubs, camps, and leadership programs. Comparable in mission and target demographic (teen/young adult Christians), though it focuses more on domestic relational ministry than multi-country mission trips.
- Go International (Campus Crusade): CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) runs short-term mission trips and longer summer programs for college students globally. Comparable because it serves the same college-age Christian demographic with mission-focused immersive experiences.
Direct peers
- Josiah Venture: Josiah Venture runs mission and discipleship programs for young adults across Central and Eastern Europe. Comparable because it offers multi-month mission experiences for young Christians with cross-cultural ministry and leadership development, targeting a similar age demographic.
- Operation Mobilisation (OM): OM is a global Christian mission organization operating in 110+ countries with ship-based and land-based programs for young adults. Comparable as it offers similar multi-month to multi-year mission programs for young Christians across multiple countries.
- Mercy Ships: Mercy Ships operates hospital ships delivering free healthcare in developing countries, with a large volunteer base including young adults who serve long-term. Comparable as a faith-based organization deploying young adults into multi-month international service experiences.
- Youth With A Mission (YWAM): YWAM is the world's largest interdenominational Christian mission organization, running Discipleship Training Schools (3-6 month) and longer programs across 1,000+ locations in 180+ countries. Directly comparable to World Race as both target young adults with multi-country, immersive Christian mission programs, and YWAM is an actual on-the-ground partner of World Race.
- Youth for Christ (YFC): YFC is a global Christian youth organization reaching young people in 100+ countries with discipleship, camps, and missions. Comparable because it targets similar youth demographics with faith formation, leadership development, and mission engagement programs.
Emerging players
- Frontier Ventures: Frontier Ventures (formerly U.S. Center for World Mission) runs the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement program and related discipleship experiences targeting young adults interested in cross-cultural ministry. Comparable in offering structured, multi-week faith formation for the same demographic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The World Race social profiles
Digital presenceThe World Race financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The World Race leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The World Race subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The World Race funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The World Race M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The World Race
What does The World Race do?
The World Race organizes multi-month international Christian mission trip programs for young adults, including 11-month Expedition routes across 11 countries, 9-month Gap Year routes across 4-5 countries, 1-4 month Semesters across 1-2 countries, and an 8-month Journey School study abroad program. Participants pay program fees and raise personal support, with logistics, accommodation, meals, transportation, training, and ministry placement provided across partner ministry sites.
Is The World Race a public or private company?
The World Race is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The World Race founded?
The World Race was founded in 2007. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is The World Race based?
The World Race is headquartered in Gainesville, United States, in the North America region.
How does The World Race make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Mission Trip Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are application Fees, donations and Support Raising and donations.
Who are The World Race's main competitors?
Adventures in Missions is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are International Mission Board (IMB), Young Life and Go International (Campus Crusade). Direct peers are Josiah Venture, Operation Mobilisation (OM), Mercy Ships, Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and Youth for Christ (YFC). Frontier Ventures is listed as an emerging player.
Does The World Race have an API?
No public API is recorded for The World Race.
What industry is The World Race in?
The World Race's product category is Christian Mission Trip Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAI, Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs, with a secondary code of EDAIAGAJ, Structured Gap Year Programs (Multi-Sector & Rotational). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8200.