Cornell University Foundation

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The Cornell University Foundation is a donor advised fund providing a service for Cornell alumni and friends who wish to make charitable gifts through the structure of a donor-advised fund.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 22-2848738) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4 volunteers.
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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $74K a year · 0.3% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
94%
of spending
94% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
1.5 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $194.2M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
1.5 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $9K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$97K
0.05% of total assets
Liabilities are 0.05% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 4 voting members
2 of 4 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$27.9M
+49% vs prior year
Spent
$22.5M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$198.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$27.9M
FY2025▲ +49%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$39.1M
FY2021$29.2M
FY2022$18.3M
FY2023$41.0M
FY2024$18.8M
FY2025$27.9M
Expenses
$22.5M
FY2025▲ +52%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$33.4M
FY2021$50.0M
FY2022$28.4M
FY2023$25.5M
FY2024$14.8M
FY2025$22.5M
Net assets
$198.2M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$166.5M
FY2021$179.7M
FY2022$165.9M
FY2023$176.7M
FY2024$185.5M
FY2025$198.2M

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

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2024.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $21.1M Management & general 6% · $1.4M

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

4 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Cornell University Foundation executive salaries →

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Manages donor-advised funds that allow Cornell alumni and friends to direct charitable gifts to the university and other nonprofit organizations.

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1 program · $21.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The organization provides allocations to cornell university and other charitable organizations.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 22-2848738) · Dispute this line
$21.1Mprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$9K
Grants paid · 575 grants · $166.1M · 2019–2024
Cornell UniversityNY · FY2024$12,072,105
Mass General Brigham IncorporatedMA · FY2024$1,345,000
Stem Next Opportunity FundCA · FY2024$850,000
Tumblehome INCMA · FY2024$800,000
Skidmore CollegeNY · FY2024$352,500
Saratoga Arts INCNY · FY2024$300,000
Trustees of Boston UniversityMA · FY2024$250,000
St Peters Health PartnersFY2024$250,000
Proctors CollaborativeNY · FY2024$250,000
East Haddam CT Board of EducationFY2024$141,133
See all 575 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$27.9M
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$13.6M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Money outPt IX
$22.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$21.1M
Managementcol C$1.4M
Owns and owesPt X
$198.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.8M
Total assetsLn 16$198.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$97K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$7.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$13.6M
Gains on assetsLn 7$13.6M
Total revenueLn 12$27.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$2.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$194.2M
Other assetsLn 15$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$198.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$97K
Net assetsLn 32$198.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$7.5M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$597K$2.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$183.9M$194.2M
Total assetsLn 16$185.6M$198.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$96K$97K
Net assetsLn 32$185.5M$198.2M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$21.1M$21.1M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$5K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$18K$18K
Investment management feesLn 11f$1.2M$1.2M
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$190K$190K
Total functional expensesLn 25$22.5M$21.1M$1.4M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 1, 2026 $27.9M$22.5M$5.4M$198.2M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Apr 14, 2025 $18.8M$14.8M$3.9M$185.5M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 14, 2024 $41.0M$25.5M$15.4M$176.7M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 12, 2023 $18.3M$28.4M−$10.1M$165.9M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 12, 2022 $29.2M$50.0M−$20.8M$179.7M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 13, 2021 $39.1M$33.4M$5.7M$166.5M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors D · Assets and endowments I · Grants J · Pay M · Noncash O · Explanations R · Related orgs
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $27,921,987 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,381,263$12,847,312
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $10,391,537$15,082,425
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0−$7,750
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $18,772,800$27,921,987
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $13,553,754$21,111,742
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,281,407$1,396,090
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,835,161$22,507,832
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,937,639$5,414,155
Part VI · Governance 2 of 4 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members2
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $27,921,987 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$12,847,312
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$7,543,084
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,847,312
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,470,180$1,470,180
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $13,612,245$13,612,245
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission −$7,750−$7,750
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$7,750 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $15,082,425$27,921,987
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $22,507,832 across 5 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $21,106,602$21,106,602
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $5,140$5,140
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $17,500$17,500
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $1,188,235$1,188,235
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $190,355$190,355
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $21,111,742 · Management $1,396,090 · Fundraising $0$22,507,832
Part X · Balance sheet $198,346,615 assets, 10 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $596,596$2,816,673
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,400,835$1,641,955
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $178,463,758$192,552,508
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,139,736$1,335,479
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $185,600,925$198,346,615
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $96,000$96,750
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $96,000$96,750
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $185,504,925$198,249,865
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $185,504,925$198,249,865
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $185,600,925$198,346,615
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $198,249,865 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$27,921,987
XI-2 Total expenses$22,507,832
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,414,155
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$185,504,925
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$7,135,042
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$195,743
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$198,249,865

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

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