Wilkes University

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To educate through a commitment to attention, exceptional teaching, and academic excellence.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 202 volunteers and 1,807 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.3M a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.2M
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $89.6M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.0 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$93.3M
37% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 37% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
26
of 27 voting members
Looks good: 26 of 27 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$163.9M
+8% vs prior year
Spent
$160.8M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$158.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$163.9M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$139.4M
FY2021$146.1M
FY2022$160.9M
FY2023$150.8M
FY2024$151.9M
FY2025$163.9M
Expenses
$160.8M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$142.5M
FY2021$137.2M
FY2022$153.6M
FY2023$146.7M
FY2024$152.4M
FY2025$160.8M
Net assets
$158.7M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$125.0M
FY2021$144.7M
FY2022$145.0M
FY2023$144.4M
FY2024$149.9M
FY2025$158.7M

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

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1948.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $141.8M Management & general 11% · $17.0M Fundraising 1% · $2.0M

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

42 people listed on the 990; $3.2M 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
President
$391,338Pt VII · Sec A
Of Finance and COO (exit 8/25)
$266,513Pt VII · Sec A
President / Provost
$265,384Pt VII · Sec A
$255,452Pt VII · Sec A
Nesbitt School of Pharmacy
$219,366Pt VII · Sec A
Of Business and Engineering
$210,177Pt VII · Sec A
Special Asst to the President
$203,117Pt VII · Sec A
College of Health and Education
$189,406Pt VII · Sec A

Greg Cant’s $391K as President is at the 25th 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
Patrick F Leahy—————$444,136
Greg Cant$391,338$363,149$356,840$370,545$193,316—
Paul Adams Interim Pres Thru————$278,053—
Ellen Gallagher Vice President$266,513—————
David Ward Senior Vice$265,384—————
Ellen Gallagher—$262,528$219,791———
Kevin Boyle—$255,454————
Kevin Boyle Vice President$255,452—————

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 Wilkes University 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides higher education, academic support services, and research opportunities through exceptional teaching, library resources, and dedicated student development programs.

Questions for Wilkes University

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3 programs · $141.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Instruction

Includes all expenditures for activities that are part of the institution's instructional programs. This includes credit and non credit courses, academic, vocational and technical instruction. The university offers 50 undergraduate majors, 15 graduate degree programs and several pre-professional and certificate programs.

$96.6Mprogram expense
02

Student Services

Includes funds expended for activities with the primary purpose of contributing to the students' emotional and physical well-being and intellectual, cultural, and social development outside the context of the formal instruction program.

$31.6Mprogram expense
03

Academic Support

Includes funds expended to provide support services for the institution's primary mission of instruction, research, and public service. The academic administration of the university including academic deans but not department chairs that are charged to their primary function category are found in this program.

$13.6Mprogram 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$15K
Grants paid · 32 grants · $261.8M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$42,305,462
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,202,067
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,173,081
Unitemized GrantFY2024$333,101
Unitemized GrantFY2024$194,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$38,004,192
Unitemized GrantFY2023$3,015,036
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,911,762
Unitemized GrantFY2023$220,191
Unitemized GrantFY2023$97,143
Unitemized GrantFY2022$36,049,568
Unitemized GrantFY2022$4,874,809
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,777,018
Unitemized GrantFY2022$189,079
Unitemized GrantFY2022$141,558
Unitemized GrantFY2022$5,451
Unitemized GrantFY2021$35,341,205
Unitemized GrantFY2021$7,125,845
See all 32 grants →

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending May 2025 · $47.1M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$39.4M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$4.8M
Nursing Student LoansDepartment of Health and Human Services · ALN 93.364 · Direct$625K
Federal Perkins Loan Program_federal Capital ContributionsDepartment of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$594K
Trio Upward BoundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.047 · Direct$511K

Plus 9 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending May 2024 · $45.7M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$37.8M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$3.7M
Federal Perkins Loan ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$804K
Twenty-First Century Community Learning CentersDepartment of Education · ALN 84.287 · Through Pennsylvania Department of Education$773K
Highway Planning and ConstructionDepartment of Transportation · ALN 20.205 · Through Pennsylvania Department of Transportation$707K

Plus 10 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 2 findings.

Year ending May 2023 · $40.7M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$32.4M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$3.2M
Federal Perkins Loan ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$1.4M
Highway Planning and ConstructionDepartment of Transportation · ALN 20.205 · Through Pennsylvania Department of Transportation$697K
Twenty-First Century Community Learning CentersDepartment of Education · ALN 84.287 · Through Pennsylvania Department of Education$556K

Plus 12 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending May 2022 · $50.4M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$36.4M
Covid-19 Education Stabilization FundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Direct$6.6M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$3.4M
Federal Perkins LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.038 · Direct$1.6M
Nursing Student LoansDepartment of Health and Human Services · ALN 93.364 · Direct$520K

Plus 9 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$163.9M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$144.1M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$5.7M
Money outPt IX
$160.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$141.8M
Managementcol C$17.0M
Fundraisingcol D$2.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$158.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$27.3M
Total assetsLn 16$252.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$93.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
42
listed · VII A
PaidVII A15
Voting boardVI 1a27
IndependentVI 1b26
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.4M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$94K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$507K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$144.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$5.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$69K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2.1M
Total revenueLn 12$163.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$8K
SavingsLn 2$27.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$27.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$89.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$119.1M
Other assetsLn 15$5.2M
Total assetsLn 16$252.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$93.3M
Net assetsLn 32$158.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51,807
VolunteersI 6202
Fiscal year endsHeaderMay
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
BondsSch K, Pt X
Tax-exempt bond debt owedX 20$63.8M
Bond issues listedSch K Pt I3
Raised by those issuesSch K Pt I$70.9M
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$94K
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$76.5M$67.2M$59.6M$61.4M$65.8M
Given inLn 1b$3.5M$2.0M$906K$1.3M$746K
SpentLn 1d–1f$3.2M$2.8M$2.6M$2.4M$2.3M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$32.7M$27.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$83.5M$89.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$117.8M$119.1M
Total assetsLn 16$251.0M$252.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$101.0M$93.3M
Net assetsLn 32$149.9M$158.7M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$47.2M$47.2M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.8M$1.7M$792K$303K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$46.2M$40.1M$5.3M$831K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2.4M$1.9M$462K$23K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$9.8M$9.1M$479K$151K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3.5M$2.8M$703K$59K
Legal feesLn 11b$399K$399K
Accounting feesLn 11c$116K$116K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$198K$198K
Investment management feesLn 11f$178K$178K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7.7M$6.8M$752K$74K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$758K$91K$662K$5K
Office expensesLn 13$2.8M$2.3M$437K$57K
Information technologyLn 14$3.4M$3.3M$137K
OccupancyLn 16$3.5M$3.3M$250K$411
TravelLn 17$2.1M$1.9M$114K$103K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$303K$230K$62K$12K
InterestLn 20$2.6M$2.5M$143K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5.0M$4.8M$271K
InsuranceLn 23$1.6M$1.1M$535K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$15.0M$11.0M$3.9M$86K
All other expensesLn 24e$3.2M$1.8M$1.3M$79K
Total functional expensesLn 25$160.8M$141.8M$17.0M$2.0M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Apr 15, 2026 $163.9M$160.8M$3.1M$158.7M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Apr 3, 2025 $151.9M$152.4M−$504K$149.9M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Apr 4, 2024 $150.8M$146.7M$4.1M$144.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $160.9M$153.6M$7.3M$145.0M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Mar 24, 2022 $146.1M$137.2M$8.9M$144.7M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Apr 8, 2021 $139.4M$142.5M−$3.0M$125.0M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $163,934,833 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,219,054$14,066,078
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $138,138,586$144,126,068
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $5,482,033$5,673,601
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $28,143$69,086
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $151,867,816$163,934,833
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $43,248,324$47,207,712
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $61,279,887$64,655,915
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $118,500$197,762
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $47,724,946$48,724,555
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $152,371,657$160,785,944
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$503,841$3,148,889
Part VI · Governance 26 of 27 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body27
VI-1b Independent voting members26
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 $163,934,833 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$506,939
VIII-1e Government grants$3,449,662
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$10,109,477
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$93,774
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$14,066,078
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $144,126,068$144,126,068
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$18,157 · Excluded from tax $3,586,389$3,568,232
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $2,801$2,801
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $2,105,369$2,105,369
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $66,285$66,285
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $144,126,068 · Unrelated business −$18,157 · Excluded from tax $5,760,844$163,934,833
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $160,785,944 across 22 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $47,207,712$47,207,712
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,666,555 · Management $791,966 · Fundraising $302,647$2,761,168
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $40,090,048 · Management $5,291,074 · Fundraising $831,302$46,212,424
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,912,691 · Management $462,081 · Fundraising $23,159$2,397,931
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $9,132,326 · Management $479,029 · Fundraising $150,721$9,762,076
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,759,822 · Management $703,072 · Fundraising $59,422$3,522,316
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $398,588$398,588
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $116,440$116,440
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $197,762$197,762
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $178,269$178,269
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,846,632 · Management $751,815 · Fundraising $73,751$7,672,198
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $90,975 · Management $661,865 · Fundraising $4,829$757,669
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,330,378 · Management $436,948 · Fundraising $57,132$2,824,458
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,286,804 · Management $137,321$3,424,125
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $3,278,295 · Management $250,268 · Fundraising $411$3,528,974
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,878,142 · Management $114,244 · Fundraising $103,412$2,095,798
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $229,796 · Management $61,812 · Fundraising $11,555$303,163
IX-20 InterestPrograms $2,504,890 · Management $142,741$2,647,631
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,752,683 · Management $270,832$5,023,515
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,076,231 · Management $534,777$1,611,008
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $10,967,391 · Management $3,908,787 · Fundraising $86,035$14,962,213
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,764,203 · Management $1,337,650 · Fundraising $78,653$3,180,506
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $141,775,574 · Management $17,029,579 · Fundraising $1,980,791$160,785,944
Part X · Balance sheet $252,088,643 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $6,800$7,802
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $32,643,361$27,276,008
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,374,370$1,526,709
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $10,212,749$8,924,499
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $631,155$433,086
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $117,775,743$119,073,539
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $62,451,103$72,364,737
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $19,690,675$16,085,525
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $1,350,886$1,153,730
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $4,816,368$5,243,008
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $250,953,210$252,088,643
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $10,356,310$11,538,261
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $15,090,835$13,658,254
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $66,000,633$63,800,602
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $9,589,112$4,350,295
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $101,036,890$93,347,412
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $87,646,785$84,788,340
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $62,269,535$73,952,891
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $149,916,320$158,741,231
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $250,953,210$252,088,643
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $158,741,231 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$163,934,833
XI-2 Total expenses$160,785,944
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,148,889
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$149,916,320
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$5,268,982
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$407,040
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$158,741,231

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

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