Simmons University is a community of higher learning that unites passion with purpose.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 749 volunteers and 2,327 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $2.9M a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.1M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $253.4M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 0.3 months of spending in cash, plus $253.4M in investments.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $24K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$304.0M
54% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 54% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
24
of 25 voting members
Looks good: 24 of 25 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$225.9M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$221.5M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$254.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$225.9M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$235.0M
FY2021$219.2M
FY2022$254.4M
FY2023$225.0M
FY2024$220.5M
FY2025$225.9M
Expenses
$221.5M
FY2025▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$239.4M
FY2021$220.9M
FY2022$250.1M
FY2023$238.7M
FY2024$226.6M
FY2025$221.5M
Net assets
$254.3M
FY2025▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$233.2M
FY2021$278.5M
FY2022$236.3M
FY2023$241.8M
FY2024$251.4M
FY2025$254.3M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1938.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $185.8M Management & general 15% · $33.2M Fundraising 1% · $2.4M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

37 people listed on the 990; $3.1M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$533,423Pt VII · Sec A
$330,563Pt VII · Sec A
CEO, Inst. for Inclusive Leadership
$314,790Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Chief Fin. Off., Treasurer
$300,959Pt VII · Sec A
Development Officer (until 09/24)
$292,884Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Enrollment Management
$289,516Pt VII · Sec A
Dean, School of Nursing
$283,696Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Chief Info. Off.
$223,428Pt VII · Sec A

Lynn Perry Wooten’s $533K as President is at the 43rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 674 $100M+ education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Helen G Drinan Until 620—————$645,915
Helen G Drinan————$638,676—
Lynn Perry Wooten$533,423$540,437$569,678$566,286$293,317—
Michael J Barone————$481,663—
Debra Perez Until 720—————$346,036
Sheila C Conboy Until 520—————$336,575
Stephanie Cosner$330,563$275,674$266,500———
Susan Brady$314,790$310,211$305,414$300,450$299,951—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Simmons University executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides transformative higher education, academic resources, and comprehensive student support services to foster lifelong learning and personal well-being.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $185.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Instruction

Undergraduate programs: simmons university is a private institution offering a women-centered undergraduate experience that emphasizes leadership, academic excellence, professional preparation, and an inclusive community.

$71.4Mprogram expense
02

Academic Support and Student Services

Includes expenditures for activities that support and enhance the student's education, as well as contribute to their emotional and physical well-being. Included in this category is the university library which houses over 140,345 printvolumes, subscribes to AND/OR provides access to 151,562 e-journals, 244,296 e-books, and 114…

$58.4Mprogram expense
03

Instruction

Graduate programs: simmons currently serves 3,652 students in graduate programs at the master and doctoral levels. The university's graduate programs are co-educational. These programs are housed in the gwen ifill college of media, humanities, and social sciences; school of library and information science; school of nursing; school of…

$56.0Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 31 grants · $347.5M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$59,878,437
Unitemized GrantFY2024$310,432
Assumption UniversityMA · FY2024$21,393
Bay Cove Human Services INCMA · FY2024$8,000
Treft Systems INCFY2024$5,750
Boston Book Festival INCMA · FY2024$5,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$59,419,009
Unitemized GrantFY2023$400,777
Ilumis-ArFY2023$77,250
Boston Book Festival INCMA · FY2023$5,500
Unitemized GrantFY2022$58,644,637
Unitemized GrantFY2022$224,646
See all 31 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$225.9M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$169.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$30.9M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$17.1M
Money outPt IX
$221.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$185.8M
Managementcol C$33.2M
Fundraisingcol D$2.4M
Owns and owesPt X
$254.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.1M
Total assetsLn 16$558.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$304.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
37
listed · VII A
PaidVII A11
Voting boardVI 1a25
IndependentVI 1b24
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$17.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$4.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$3.3M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$100K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$169.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$30.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$8.6M
Gains on assetsLn 7$23.7M
Total revenueLn 12$225.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$6.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$6.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$253.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$239.2M
Other assetsLn 15$42.7M
Total assetsLn 16$558.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$304.0M
Net assetsLn 32$254.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52,327
VolunteersI 6749
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.5M$6.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$250.4M$253.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$246.7M$239.2M
Total assetsLn 16$565.5M$558.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$314.1M$304.0M
Net assetsLn 32$251.4M$254.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$383K$383K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$60.2M$60.2M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$544K$544K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.4M$1.4M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$59.0M$53.3M$4.4M$1.3M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2.1M$1.6M$449K$28K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$7.9M$933K$7.0M$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$4.3M$4.3M
Legal feesLn 11b$286K$12K$274K
Accounting feesLn 11c$124K$124K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$62K$62K
Investment management feesLn 11f$840K$840K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.9M$1.0M$589K$276K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$236K$183K$51K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$703K$602K$101K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$3.9M$881K$3.0M$108K
OccupancyLn 16$8.4M$7.0M$1.5M
TravelLn 17$1.4M$1.2M$156K$28K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$403K$344K$56K$2K
InterestLn 20$10.8M$10.1M$735K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$15.7M$11.2M$4.3M$263K
InsuranceLn 23$1.1M$16K$1.1M
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$35.9M$33.2M$2.4M$271K
All other expensesLn 24e$3.9M$1.8M$2.0M$91K
Total functional expensesLn 25$221.5M$185.8M$33.2M$2.4M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $225.9M$221.5M$4.4M$254.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $220.5M$226.6M−$6.1M$251.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $225.0M$238.7M−$13.7M$241.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $254.4M$250.1M$4.4M$236.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $219.2M$220.9M−$1.7M$278.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $235.0M$239.4M−$4.5M$233.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $225,907,706 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $16,860,111$17,061,764
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $179,405,590$169,442,260
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $17,806,953$30,851,226
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $6,431,424$8,552,456
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $220,504,078$225,907,706
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $60,849,395$61,115,632
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $74,276,361$74,596,997
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$62,407
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $91,481,770$85,686,808
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $226,607,526$221,461,844
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$6,103,448$4,445,862
Part VI · Governance 24 of 25 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body25
VI-1b Independent voting members24
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $225,907,706 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$99,700
VIII-1e Government grants$4,112,773
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$12,849,291
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$3,332,732
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$17,061,764
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $169,417,499 · Unrelated business $24,761$169,442,260
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$164,642 · Excluded from tax $7,333,731$7,169,089
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossUnrelated business $3,393,422 · Excluded from tax $5,189,810$8,583,232
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $23,682,137$23,682,137
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$30,776−$30,776
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $169,417,499 · Unrelated business $3,253,541 · Excluded from tax $36,174,902$225,907,706
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $221,461,844 across 24 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $382,816$382,816
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $60,188,869$60,188,869
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $543,947$543,947
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,386,405$1,386,405
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $53,259,304 · Management $4,417,489 · Fundraising $1,279,773$58,956,566
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,614,268 · Management $448,587 · Fundraising $27,668$2,090,523
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $932,794 · Management $6,960,296 · Fundraising $2,833$7,895,923
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $4,267,580$4,267,580
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $12,000 · Management $273,597$285,597
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $124,258$124,258
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $62,407$62,407
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $840,163$840,163
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,024,646 · Management $588,829 · Fundraising $275,538$1,889,013
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $183,341 · Management $50,690 · Fundraising $2,250$236,281
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $601,631 · Management $100,698 · Fundraising $1,048$703,377
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $881,250 · Management $2,950,975 · Fundraising $107,703$3,939,928
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $6,965,779 · Management $1,468,741$8,434,520
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,185,764 · Management $156,347 · Fundraising $28,126$1,370,237
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $343,988 · Management $56,321 · Fundraising $2,194$402,503
IX-20 InterestPrograms $10,107,219 · Management $735,010$10,842,229
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $11,204,175 · Management $4,270,315 · Fundraising $263,388$15,737,878
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,445 · Management $1,079,282$1,095,727
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $33,187,122 · Management $2,417,775 · Fundraising $270,875$35,875,772
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,804,447 · Management $2,013,967 · Fundraising $90,911$3,909,325
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $185,826,210 · Management $33,220,920 · Fundraising $2,414,714$221,461,844
Part X · Balance sheet $558,235,786 assets, 19 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $592,164; see the IRS return.
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $5,544,924$6,082,930
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $6,586,569$6,184,866
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $8,285,484$6,865,471
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,881,158$3,195,208
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $246,740,150$239,234,948
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $104,602,804$92,305,464
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $145,747,907$161,096,662
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $44,536,226$42,678,073
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $565,498,206$558,235,786
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $16,118,786$14,261,483
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $1,287,636$918,341
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $10,877,265$10,359,954
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $281,326,370$275,985,603
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,059,877$1,941,189
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $314,101,250$303,971,514
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $35,119,157$23,139,529
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $216,277,799$231,124,743
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $251,396,956$254,264,272
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $565,498,206$558,235,786
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $254,264,272 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$225,907,706
XI-2 Total expenses$221,461,844
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,445,862
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$251,396,956
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$1,638,916
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$60,370
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$254,264,272

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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