Otterbein University

Tax-deductible

Westerville, OH501(c)(3)Since 1847Colleges & UniversitiesEIN 31-4379532Revenue $107.5M in FY2025

On file with the IRSotterbein.edu1 S Grove St, 43081-2004 · Westerville, OHTax-exempt since Dec 1945School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Otterbein University is an inclusive community dedicated to educating the whole person in the context of humane values. Our mission is to prepare graduates to think deeply and broadly, to engage locally and globally, and to advance their professions and communities. (continued on Schedule O

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 220 volunteers and 1,497 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $599K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 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
$1.6M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 75% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.2 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $47K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$44.9M
18% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 18% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 24 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 24 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$107.5M
+4% vs prior year
Spent
$114.5M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$207.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$107.5M
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$106.5M
FY2021$102.9M
FY2022$108.6M
FY2023$106.5M
FY2024$103.7M
FY2025$107.5M
Expenses
$114.5M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$107.1M
FY2021$98.7M
FY2022$106.2M
FY2023$105.6M
FY2024$107.2M
FY2025$114.5M
Net assets
$207.0M
FY2025-0.1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$179.9M
FY2021$209.7M
FY2022$201.4M
FY2023$201.1M
FY2024$207.2M
FY2025$207.0M

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 Dec 1945.

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% · $100.3M Management & general 11% · $12.3M Fundraising 2% · $1.8M

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

31 people listed on the 990; $1.6M 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 of the University
$391,490Pt VII · Sec A
$224,282Pt VII · Sec A
Executive VP for Strategic Initiatives
$199,920Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Institutional Advancement
$182,775Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Student Affairs
$142,945Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director - the Point
$129,013Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director of Development
$125,508Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee and Professor
$105,802Pt VII · Sec A

Comerford John’s $391K as President of the University 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
Comerford John$391,490$385,164$383,186$379,696——
John Comerford————$378,725$375,635
Sherman-Heckler Wendy$224,282$196,336$189,836$187,402——
Blackburn-Smith Jefferson$199,920$174,305$169,525$167,197——
Wendy Sherman Heckler————$187,402$185,287
McGreevey Michael$182,775$177,641$176,649$176,121——
Neumann Karl Willie———$177,717——
Michael McGreevey————$176,121$174,594

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.

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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

Offers liberal arts and professional education programs for students.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $100.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Otterbein university's commitment is to the liberal arts as the base of all learning. Three features create a distinctive learning culture: 1) from our founding otterbein has been intentionally inclusive of women and persons of color; 2) otterbein's governance system includes students and faculty in decision-making through a single…

$100.3Mprogram 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 · 6 grants · $238.9M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$43,531,869
Unitemized GrantFY2023$39,788,491
Unitemized GrantFY2022$38,582,914
Unitemized GrantFY2021$38,340,451
Unitemized GrantFY2020$38,006,303
Unitemized GrantFY2019$40,605,376

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$107.5M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$90.8M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$6.9M
Money outPt IX
$114.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$100.3M
Managementcol C$12.3M
Fundraisingcol D$1.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$207.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$251.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$44.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
31
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a24
IndependentVI 1b19
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.3M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$821K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$37K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$90.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$6.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.0M
Gains on assetsLn 7$3.7M
Total revenueLn 12$107.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3K
SavingsLn 2$2.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$143.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$93.5M
Other assetsLn 15$2.2M
Total assetsLn 16$251.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$44.9M
Net assetsLn 32$207.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51,497
VolunteersI 6220
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$7.9M$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$143.2M$143.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$88.2M$93.5M
Total assetsLn 16$254.6M$251.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$47.3M$44.9M
Net assetsLn 32$207.2M$207.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$43.5M$43.5M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.2M$244K$894K$48K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$28.5M$24.0M$3.5M$1.0M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.7M$1.5M$175K$63K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6.4M$4.8M$1.4M$179K
Payroll taxesLn 10$2.0M$1.7M$254K$72K
Legal feesLn 11b$291K$203K$86K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$106K$106K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$24K$24K
Investment management feesLn 11f$555K$555K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$11.8M$11.3M$476K$46K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$483K$55K$425K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$4.3M$3.7M$531K$96K
Information technologyLn 14$1.8M$683K$1.1M$40K
OccupancyLn 16$1.9M$735K$1.0M$148K
TravelLn 17$1.2M$1.2M$40K$20K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1.1M$574K$479K$37K
InterestLn 20$1.2M$1.1M$46K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5.1M$4.6M$455K$70K
InsuranceLn 23$960K$405K$555K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$203K$6K$197K
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$114.5M$100.3M$12.3M$1.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $107.5M$114.5M−$7.0M$207.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $103.7M$107.2M−$3.5M$207.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $106.5M$105.6M$864K$201.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $108.6M$106.2M$2.4M$201.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $102.9M$98.7M$4.2M$209.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $106.5M$107.1M−$615K$179.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $107,492,633 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,195,181$7,886,703
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $87,155,075$90,758,132
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,913,507$6,892,227
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,438,330$1,955,571
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $103,702,093$107,492,633
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $39,788,491$43,531,869
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $38,709,089$39,851,875
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $28,654,643$31,134,750
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $107,152,223$114,518,494
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$3,450,130−$7,025,861
Part VI · Governance 19 of 24 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body24
VI-1b Independent voting members19
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 $107,492,633 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $85,083 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$36,595
VIII-1e Government grants$1,300,129
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,549,979
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$820,746
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,886,703
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $90,758,132$90,758,132
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $394,284 · Excluded from tax $2,729,249$3,123,533
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $8,843$8,843
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $467,058$467,058
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $3,683,611$3,683,611
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $20,953$20,953
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $1,440,344 · Unrelated business $18,373$1,458,717
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $92,198,476 · Unrelated business $412,657 · Excluded from tax $6,994,797$107,492,633
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $114,518,494 across 23 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $43,531,869$43,531,869
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $243,800 · Management $893,645 · Fundraising $47,979$1,185,424
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $24,009,937 · Management $3,481,309 · Fundraising $1,011,325$28,502,571
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,510,438 · Management $175,017 · Fundraising $63,091$1,748,546
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,794,646 · Management $1,429,091 · Fundraising $179,184$6,402,921
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,686,762 · Management $253,859 · Fundraising $71,792$2,012,413
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $203,255 · Management $85,644 · Fundraising $2,105$291,004
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $106,102$106,102
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $24,000$24,000
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $555,498$555,498
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $11,325,768 · Management $475,865 · Fundraising $46,403$11,848,036
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $54,867 · Management $425,406 · Fundraising $3,092$483,365
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,723,126 · Management $531,236 · Fundraising $95,572$4,349,934
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $683,386 · Management $1,099,788 · Fundraising $39,762$1,822,936
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $735,207 · Management $1,025,085 · Fundraising $147,536$1,907,828
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,164,814 · Management $40,251 · Fundraising $20,041$1,225,106
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $573,690 · Management $479,407 · Fundraising $37,165$1,090,262
IX-20 InterestPrograms $1,109,008 · Management $46,449 · Fundraising $3,698$1,159,155
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,583,685 · Management $454,765 · Fundraising $69,663$5,108,113
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $404,884 · Management $555,325$960,209
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,344 · Management $196,858$203,202
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $100,345,486 · Management $12,334,600 · Fundraising $1,838,408$114,518,494
Part X · Balance sheet $251,857,324 assets, 19 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $323,068; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,400$3,400
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,942,457$2,091,850
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,408,690$3,024,541
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $7,722,220$6,470,508
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,212,598$1,022,910
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $88,187,087$93,492,257
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $129,823,101$129,939,721
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $13,418,648$13,240,491
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $4,413,625$2,248,578
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $254,551,982$251,857,324
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,970,114$6,277,548
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $879,970$1,042,596
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $32,656,354$31,980,380
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $5,865,878$3,780,683
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $47,302,050$44,907,117
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $113,087,396$103,839,280
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $94,162,536$103,110,927
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $207,249,932$206,950,207
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $254,551,982$251,857,324
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $206,950,207 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$107,492,633
XI-2 Total expenses$114,518,494
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$7,025,861
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$207,249,932
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$6,725,071
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1,065
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$206,950,207

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

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