Bluffton University FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Bluffton, OH501(c)(3)Since 1899Colleges & UniversitiesEIN 34-4428207Revenue $32.2M in FY2020

On file with the IRSbluffton.edu1 University Dr, 45817-2104 · Bluffton, OHTax-exempt since Apr 1943School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Shaped by the historic peace church tradition and nourished by a desire for excellence in all phases of its programs, Bluffton University seeks to prepare students of all backgrounds for life as well as vocation, for responsible citizenship, for service to all peoples and, ultimately, for the purpose of god's universal kingdom.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$643K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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 $210K a year · under 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
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$643K
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
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
10
named funders · $123K
Looks good: 10 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$17.7M
25% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 25% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
17
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 17 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$32.2M
Spent
$33.2M
To programs
91%
Net assets
$51.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$32.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$32.2M
FY2021$35.9M
FY2022$35.7M
FY2023$34.3M
FY2024$33.9M
FY2025$30.1M
Expenses
$33.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$33.2M
FY2021$32.8M
FY2022$35.0M
FY2023$34.4M
FY2024$34.9M
FY2025$33.0M
Net assets
$51.8M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$51.8M
FY2021$58.9M
FY2022$57.0M
FY2023$57.9M
FY2024$57.9M
FY2025$56.6M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1943.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $30.3M Management & general 6% · $2.0M Fundraising 3% · $972K

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

24 people listed on the 990; $643K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
President
$234,521Pt VII · Sec A
VP Advancement
$100,264Pt VII · Sec A
VP Academic Affairs
$89,751Pt VII · Sec A
VP Enrollment Mgmt & Marketing
$88,542Pt VII · Sec A
Interim VP Student Life
$74,533Pt VII · Sec A
VP Fiscal Affairs
$55,792Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jane Wood’s $236K as President (left 02/2025) is at the 48th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M 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
Jane Wood$235,837$225,931$214,359$205,000$217,038$234,521
Gayle Trollinger$89,551$106,682$103,877———
Amy Mullins——$101,036———
Hans Houshower————$81,170$100,264
Arthur Woodruff Left 1221———$97,742——
Lamar Nisly——$86,424$95,124$87,253$89,751
Robin Bowlus—$91,400$88,250$86,065$88,694$88,542
Arthur Woodruff————$90,515—

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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates students for life, work, citizenship, and service to God and others.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $30.3M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Bluffton university provides an educational experience that promotes our four enduring values of discovery, community, respect and service. One can choose from 45 majors and more than 43 minors. Business administration, education, sport management, and nutrition and dietetics are among our largest majors.

$30.3Mprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 10 funders →
Grants paid · 6 grants · $84.2M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$13,588,454
Unitemized GrantFY2023$13,881,490
Unitemized GrantFY2022$14,598,037
Unitemized GrantFY2021$15,401,506
Unitemized GrantFY2020$13,722,316
Unitemized GrantFY2019$12,960,189

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$32.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$659K
Money outPt IX
$33.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$30.3M
Managementcol C$2.0M
Fundraisingcol D$972K
Owns and owesPt X
$51.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.4M
Total assetsLn 16$69.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$17.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b17
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$129K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$102K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$7K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$659K
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$4K
Total revenueLn 12$32.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$5K
SavingsLn 2$10.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$12.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$33.5M
Other assetsLn 15$6.5M
Total assetsLn 16$69.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$17.7M
Net assetsLn 32$51.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5535
VolunteersI 615
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.9M$10.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$13.3M$12.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$35.4M$33.5M
Total assetsLn 16$73.6M$69.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$19.4M$17.7M
Net assetsLn 32$54.1M$51.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$13.0M$13.0M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$704K$611K$64K$29K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.2M$5.2M$586K$334K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$261K$210K$39K$12K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.8M$1.5M$176K$131K
Payroll taxesLn 10$529K$426K$65K$38K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$11K$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$85K$85K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.4M$1.2M$127K$49K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$51K$45K$5K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$917K$796K$83K$38K
Information technologyLn 14$188K$164K$17K$8K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$1.7M$1.4M$189K$86K
TravelLn 17$404K$351K$37K$17K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$74K$65K$7K$3K
InterestLn 20$459K$459K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.6M$2.2M$232K$106K
InsuranceLn 23$348K$302K$32K$14K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.6M$2.2M$233K$106K
Total functional expensesLn 25$33.2M$30.3M$2.0M$972K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $30.1M$33.0M−$2.9M$56.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $33.9M$34.9M−$950K$57.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $34.3M$34.4M−$61K$57.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $35.7M$35.0M$614K$57.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $35.9M$32.8M$3.1M$58.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $32.2M$33.2M−$996K$51.8M 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $32,215,069 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,491,872$4,286,882
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $26,193,145$27,239,628
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,348,350$658,951
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $161,105$29,608
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $31,194,472$32,215,069
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $11,163,332$12,960,189
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $10,040,017$9,483,458
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $10,889,711$10,767,740
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $32,093,060$33,211,387
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$898,588−$996,318
Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members17
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $32,215,069 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $33,857 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$6,793
VIII-1e Government grants$128,744
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,151,345
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$102,347
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,286,882
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $27,239,628$27,239,628
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $663,059$663,059
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$4,108−$4,108
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$4,249−$4,249
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $27,273,485 · Excluded from tax $654,702$32,215,069
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $33,211,387 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $12,960,189$12,960,189
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $611,248 · Management $63,912 · Fundraising $29,056$704,216
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,246,449 · Management $585,656 · Fundraising $334,088$6,166,193
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $210,081 · Management $39,144 · Fundraising $11,927$261,152
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,515,706 · Management $176,289 · Fundraising $130,834$1,822,829
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $425,604 · Management $65,490 · Fundraising $37,974$529,068
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $11,289$11,289
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $85,200$85,200
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,214,391 · Management $126,976 · Fundraising $48,508$1,389,875
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $44,618 · Management $4,665 · Fundraising $2,121$51,404
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $795,745 · Management $83,203 · Fundraising $37,827$916,775
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $163,581 · Management $17,104 · Fundraising $7,776$188,461
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,440,092 · Management $189,480 · Fundraising $86,143$1,715,715
IX-17 TravelPrograms $350,571 · Management $36,656 · Fundraising $16,665$403,892
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $64,601 · Management $6,755 · Fundraising $3,071$74,427
IX-20 InterestPrograms $459,393$459,393
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,222,228 · Management $232,356 · Fundraising $105,636$2,560,220
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $302,104 · Management $31,588 · Fundraising $14,361$348,053
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,224,676 · Management $232,610 · Fundraising $105,750$2,563,036
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $30,251,277 · Management $1,988,373 · Fundraising $971,737$33,211,387
Part X · Balance sheet $69,534,991 assets, 24 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $1,528,837; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $5,000$5,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $10,867,139$10,384,004
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,396,036$1,852,173
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $784,527$586,180
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $40,142$10,583
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,776,420$2,337,863
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $35,388,514$33,470,568
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $13,332,135$12,865,359
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $7,275,623$6,494,424
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $73,572,823$69,534,991
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,645,988$2,712,174
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $9,319,881$8,823,818
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $2,193,995$4,996,919
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $19,444,339$17,728,013
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $19,225,335$17,618,761
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $34,903,149$34,188,217
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $54,128,484$51,806,978
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $73,572,823$69,534,991
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $51,806,978 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$32,215,069
XI-2 Total expenses$33,211,387
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$996,318
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$54,128,484
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$436,976
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$888,212
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$51,806,978

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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