501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$3.2M paid to officers and key staff.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · 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 surplus $985K a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% 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 · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $194K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$49.6M
18% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 18% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
24
of 25 voting members
Looks good: 24 of 25 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$82.4M
+21% vs prior year
Spent
$65.4M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$231.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$82.4M
FY2021▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$68.3M
FY2021$82.4M
FY2022$108.9M
FY2023$104.3M
FY2024$88.3M
FY2025$98.2M
Expenses
$65.4M
FY2021▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$69.6M
FY2021$65.4M
FY2022$106.7M
FY2023$106.2M
FY2024$95.2M
FY2025$101.3M
Net assets
$231.8M
FY2021▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$194.0M
FY2021$231.8M
FY2022$224.2M
FY2023$228.5M
FY2024$231.2M
FY2025$234.9M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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 May 1982.

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

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $55.1M Management & general 12% · $7.7M Fundraising 4% · $2.6M

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

37 people listed on the 990; $3.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
$717,043Pt VII · Sec A
$292,860Pt VII · Sec A
$277,120Pt VII · Sec A
VP University Advancement & External Relations
$254,109Pt VII · Sec A
VP Marketing, Communication & Enrollment
$238,666Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President Kettering Global
$217,159Pt VII · Sec A
Associate Provost
$204,384Pt VII · Sec A
Dean of College of Engineering
$187,339Pt VII · Sec A

Robert K McMahan JR’s $726K as President is at the 96th 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
Robert K McMahan——$743,819$895,329$717,043$683,657
Robert K McMahan JR$725,612$756,200————
James Zhang$302,279$325,886$313,941$316,195$292,860$274,969
Thomas Ayers——$302,814$303,512——
Marsha Bewersdorf$298,648$165,135————
Thomas W Ayers————$277,120$262,946
Susan Davies———$214,597$254,109$250,750
Jennifer Patterson$253,102$253,438————

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 Kettering 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects students with hands-on experiences and academics for leadership and service.

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3 programs · $22.9M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Undergraduate Instruction. Delivered 58,526 undergraduate student credit hours of instruction (one student credit hour represents 10 hours of instruction for one student). Awarded 428 baccalaureate degrees in 14 different programs.

$18.6Mprogram expense
02

July 1, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020

This subaward is issued by the MI-SBDC Lead Center at Grand Valley State University for the performance for a Scope of Work originally awarded to the Prime recipient. GVSU is the prime recipient of the US Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Development Center cooperative agreement to establish a statewide network of a…

$2.2Mprogram expense
03

Graduate Instruction. Delivered 6,556 graduate student credit hours of instruction (one student credit hour represents 10 hours of instruction for one student). Awarded 202 master's degrees in 8 different programs.

$2.1Mprogram 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
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 11 grants · $149.6M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$29,153,153
Flint and Genesee GroupMI · FY2024$11,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$27,589,707
Unitemized GrantFY2022$40,708,175
Unitemized GrantFY2021$44,726,565
Unitemized GrantFY2020$1,950,019
Unitemized GrantFY2020$1,737,949
Unitemized GrantFY2020$305,437
Unitemized GrantFY2019$1,602,959
Unitemized GrantFY2019$1,505,323
Unitemized GrantFY2019$318,370

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$82.4M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$52.3M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$25.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.7M
Money outPt IX
$65.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$55.1M
Managementcol C$7.7M
Fundraisingcol D$2.6M
Owns and owesPt X
$231.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$35.7M
Total assetsLn 16$281.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$49.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
37
listed · VII A
PaidVII A13
Voting boardVI 1a25
IndependentVI 1b24
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$25.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.3M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$3.3M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$52.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$52K
Gains on assetsLn 7$1.5M
Total revenueLn 12$82.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$0
SavingsLn 2$35.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$35.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$126.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$114.1M
Other assetsLn 15$10K
Total assetsLn 16$281.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$49.6M
Net assetsLn 32$231.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5920
VolunteersI 6515
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$22.3M$35.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$124.6M$126.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$88.7M$114.1M
Total assetsLn 16$242.8M$281.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$48.9M$49.6M
Net assetsLn 32$194.0M$231.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$4.0M$4.0M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.1M$0$1.7M$410K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$28.0M$24.6M$2.4M$1000K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2.3M$1.9M$285K$110K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$5.2M$4.3M$657K$254K
Payroll taxesLn 10$2.1M$1.7M$265K$103K
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$106K$72K$34K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$145K$0$145K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$125K$0$125K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7.8M$7.2M$396K$230K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$97K$92K$5K$120
Office expensesLn 13$1.7M$1.6M$81K$63K
Information technologyLn 14$0$0$0$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$2.3M$1.9M$284K$95K
TravelLn 17$40K$34K$6K$551
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$50K$33K$11K$7K
InterestLn 20$509K$509K$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4.4M$3.6M$548K$184K
InsuranceLn 23$376K$0$375K$285
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3.9M$3.4M$378K$117K
All other expensesLn 24e$281K$191K$90K$20
Total functional expensesLn 25$65.4M$55.1M$7.7M$2.6M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $98.2M$101.3M−$3.1M$234.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $88.3M$95.2M−$6.9M$231.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $104.3M$106.2M−$1.9M$228.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $108.9M$106.7M$2.2M$224.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $82.4M$65.4M$16.9M$231.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $68.3M$69.6M−$1.2M$194.0M 990 PDF

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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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $82,356,479 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,565,628$25,234,401
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $57,837,517$52,326,283
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,779,836$4,744,000
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $128,999$51,795
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $68,311,980$82,356,479
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $3,624,652$3,993,405
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $39,793,368$39,647,605
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $26,132,183$21,767,523
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $69,550,203$65,408,533
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,238,223$16,947,946
Part VI · Governance 24 of 25 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body25
VI-1b Independent voting members24
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 $82,356,479 across 14 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$3,309,234
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$21,925,167
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$3,327,877
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$25,234,401
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $52,326,283 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$52,326,283
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $183,446 · Excluded from tax $3,022,276$3,205,722
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $51,795$51,795
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,538,278$1,538,278
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $52,326,283 · Unrelated business $183,446 · Excluded from tax $4,612,349$82,356,479
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $65,408,533 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $3,993,405$3,993,405
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $0 · Management $1,662,239 · Fundraising $409,918$2,072,157
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $24,614,905 · Management $2,366,052 · Fundraising $999,748$27,980,705
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,869,532 · Management $284,912 · Fundraising $110,149$2,264,593
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,310,255 · Management $656,873 · Fundraising $253,950$5,221,078
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,741,142 · Management $265,346 · Fundraising $102,584$2,109,072
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $71,821 · Management $33,706 · Fundraising $0$105,527
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $145,450 · Fundraising $0$145,450
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $125,000 · Fundraising $0$125,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,163,331 · Management $395,897 · Fundraising $229,578$7,788,806
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $92,053 · Management $5,104 · Fundraising $120$97,277
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,560,868 · Management $80,747 · Fundraising $63,292$1,704,907
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,885,619 · Management $283,970 · Fundraising $95,177$2,264,766
IX-17 TravelPrograms $33,932 · Management $5,889 · Fundraising $551$40,372
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $32,701 · Management $10,537 · Fundraising $6,840$50,078
IX-20 InterestPrograms $508,750 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$508,750
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $3,642,022 · Management $548,480 · Fundraising $183,833$4,374,335
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $375,322 · Fundraising $285$375,607
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,410,207 · Management $378,094 · Fundraising $116,870$3,905,171
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $191,206 · Management $90,251 · Fundraising $20$281,477
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $55,121,749 · Management $7,713,869 · Fundraising $2,572,915$65,408,533
Part X · Balance sheet $281,450,228 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $0$0
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $22,283,937$35,716,760
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,855,443$2,250,402
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,430,068$1,583,923
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,953,184$1,635,980
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $88,680,341$114,114,668
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $95,702,627$77,047,766
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $28,931,663$49,090,341
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $10,388$10,388
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $242,847,651$281,450,228
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,912,525$4,513,396
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,094,565$1,772,431
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $39,572,935$39,485,337
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $3,177,008$3,786,383
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $48,884,630$49,643,910
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $90,100,148$93,076,432
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $103,862,873$138,729,886
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $193,963,021$231,806,318
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $242,847,651$281,450,228
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $231,806,318 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$82,356,479
XI-2 Total expenses$65,408,533
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$16,947,946
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$193,963,021
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$20,157,658
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$737,693
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$231,806,318

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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