Aurora University FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Aurora, IL501(c)(3)Since 1899Colleges & UniversitiesEIN 36-2166964Revenue $150.7M in FY2020

On file with the IRSaurora.edu347 S Gladstone Ave, 60506-4877 · Aurora, ILTax-exempt since Sep 1941School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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To provide post-secondary undergraduate and graduate education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$2.1M 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $7.0M a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.1M
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
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $14K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$70.6M
32% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 32% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
23
of 24 voting members
Looks good: 23 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
$150.7M
Spent
$146.7M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$151.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$150.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$150.7M
FY2021$160.8M
FY2022$176.4M
FY2023$172.8M
FY2024$173.8M
FY2025$184.7M
Expenses
$146.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$146.7M
FY2021$148.9M
FY2022$167.2M
FY2023$165.3M
FY2024$171.9M
FY2025$177.2M
Net assets
$151.4M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$151.4M
FY2021$170.9M
FY2022$171.4M
FY2023$180.7M
FY2024$185.8M
FY2025$196.7M

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 Sep 1941.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $130.4M Management & general 10% · $14.6M Fundraising 1% · $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

34 people listed on the 990; $2.1M 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
$607,447Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Academic Affairs
$267,128Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Vice President for Student Life
$255,539Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Enrollment
$230,320Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Communications
$225,300Pt VII · Sec A
$225,014Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$213,242Pt VII · Sec A
$91,881Pt VII · Sec A

Susana Rivera-Mills’s $541K as President is at the 44th 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
Rebecca L Sherrick$185,658$638,417$728,251$708,793——
Rebecca L Sherrick PHD————$684,025$607,447
Susana Rivera-Mills$540,972$327,374————
Jeffrey a King$348,603$360,884$296,530———
John a Prall—$326,795$317,416———
Sharon W Maxwell$306,594$277,278$278,468$270,401$247,526$225,014
Deborah Maue$291,121$256,876$258,243$230,903$218,703$225,300
John Andrew Prall$287,486—————

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

Programs and updates

Offers college and graduate degrees to students.

Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $130.4M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Aurora university provides post-secondary education and related activities and support services to 4,510 undergraduate students and 2,923 graduate students on its three locations in aurora, illinois, williams bay, wisconsin and woodstock, illinois, as well as on-line and various other locations.

$121.8Mprogram expense
02

Aurora university has residence hall capacity of 639 beds on its aurora campus, as well as, offering housing services for its graduate and undergraduate students on its wisconsin campus. Food service for students and staff is provided at three locations on the aurora campus and a dining hall on the wisconsin campus.

$8.6Mprogram 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$14K
Grants paid · 25 grants · $399.5M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$74,661,615
Unitemized GrantFY2024$150,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$43,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$32,037
Unitemized GrantFY2024$30,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$70,441,697
Unitemized GrantFY2023$83,132
Unitemized GrantFY2023$30,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$64,071,949
Unitemized GrantFY2022$330,238
Unitemized GrantFY2022$12,238
Unitemized GrantFY2022$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$2,473
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,400
Unitemized GrantFY2021$63,963,756
Unitemized GrantFY2021$6,958,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$13,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$10,000
See all 25 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$150.7M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$123.8M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$24.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.2M
Money outPt IX
$146.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$130.4M
Managementcol C$14.6M
Fundraisingcol D$1.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$151.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$27.6M
Total assetsLn 16$222.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$70.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
34
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a24
IndependentVI 1b23
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$24.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$22.3M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$119K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$123.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$965K
Gains on assetsLn 7$66K
Total revenueLn 12$150.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$9.2M
SavingsLn 2$18.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$27.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$37.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$152.5M
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$222.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$70.6M
Net assetsLn 32$151.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51,736
VolunteersI 6447
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$16.1M$27.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$40.8M$37.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$146.6M$152.5M
Total assetsLn 16$209.0M$222.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$60.3M$70.6M
Net assetsLn 32$148.6M$151.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$20K$20K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$57.8M$57.8M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$952K$747K$205K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$42.2M$35.5M$5.6M$1.1M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.5M$1.4M$59K$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3.6M$3.3M$233K$31K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3.2M$3.0M$216K$28K
Legal feesLn 11b$147K$147K
Accounting feesLn 11c$146K$146K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$130K$130K
Investment management feesLn 11f$156K$156K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$15.5M$14.3M$1.1M$127K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$570K$453K$117K
Office expensesLn 13$3.5M$2.3M$1.1M$49K
Information technologyLn 14$2.0M$248K$1.7M$89K
OccupancyLn 16$2.8M$2.5M$296K$18K
TravelLn 17$614K$563K$37K$14K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$177K$141K$36K
InterestLn 20$807K$807K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$9.3M$8.0M$1.2M$87K
InsuranceLn 23$720K$42K$678K$368
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$769K$711K$49K$9K
All other expensesLn 24e$53K$53K$224$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$146.7M$130.4M$14.6M$1.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $184.7M$177.2M$7.5M$196.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $173.8M$171.9M$1.9M$185.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $172.8M$165.3M$7.5M$180.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $176.4M$167.2M$9.2M$171.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $160.8M$148.9M$11.9M$170.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $150.7M$146.7M$4.0M$151.4M 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 $150,735,428 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $21,119,986$24,824,102
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $118,386,972$123,775,713
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,737,063$1,170,432
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,124,292$965,181
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $142,368,313$150,735,428
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $50,852,009$57,821,300
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $49,188,174$51,454,921
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $35,448,857$37,423,506
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $135,489,040$146,699,727
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $6,879,273$4,035,701
Part VI · Governance 23 of 24 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body24
VI-1b Independent voting members23
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 $150,735,428 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $289,866 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$22,294,068
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,530,034
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$119,114
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$24,824,102
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $123,775,713$123,775,713
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $8,384 · Excluded from tax $1,095,926$1,104,310
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $5,610$5,610
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $116,544$116,544
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $66,122$66,122
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $553,161$553,161
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $123,954,230 · Unrelated business $562,295 · Excluded from tax $1,394,801$150,735,428
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $146,699,727 across 23 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $20,254$20,254
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $57,801,046$57,801,046
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $747,465 · Fundraising $204,605$952,070
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $35,482,847 · Management $5,646,164 · Fundraising $1,084,701$42,213,712
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,416,919 · Management $59,282 · Fundraising $13,179$1,489,380
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,297,618 · Management $233,090 · Fundraising $30,672$3,561,380
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,994,205 · Management $216,324 · Fundraising $27,850$3,238,379
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $147,394$147,394
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $146,492$146,492
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $130,307$130,307
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $155,735$155,735
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $14,274,906 · Management $1,136,747 · Fundraising $126,786$15,538,439
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $452,543 · Management $117,413$569,956
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,332,891 · Management $1,086,132 · Fundraising $48,698$3,467,721
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $248,489 · Management $1,665,222 · Fundraising $88,573$2,002,284
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,513,775 · Management $295,875 · Fundraising $18,173$2,827,823
IX-17 TravelPrograms $563,358 · Management $36,664 · Fundraising $14,292$614,314
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $141,308 · Management $35,611$176,919
IX-20 InterestManagement $807,312$807,312
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $8,011,856 · Management $1,198,294 · Fundraising $86,514$9,296,664
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $41,861 · Management $677,666 · Fundraising $368$719,895
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $710,543 · Management $49,214 · Fundraising $9,464$769,221
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $52,806 · Management $224 · Fundraising $0$53,030
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $130,357,225 · Management $14,588,627 · Fundraising $1,753,875$146,699,727
Part X · Balance sheet $221,966,879 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,493,563$9,166,669
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $11,621,162$18,438,719
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $867,859$744,309
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,379,129$1,614,440
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $308,215$376,195
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,842,524$1,547,362
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $146,622,050$152,531,274
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $32,708,122$31,839,187
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $8,115,502$5,708,724
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $208,958,126$221,966,879
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $12,857,998$9,464,335
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $4,945,105$3,201,967
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $25,047,399$52,283,278
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,932,140$4,933,913
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $60,321,048$70,552,394
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $107,992,737$110,634,972
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $40,644,341$40,779,513
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $148,637,078$151,414,485
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $208,958,126$221,966,879
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $151,414,485 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$150,735,428
XI-2 Total expenses$146,699,727
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,035,701
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$148,637,078
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$53,352
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1,204,942
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$151,414,485

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

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