Calvin University

Tax-deductible

Grand Rapids, MI501(c)(3)Since 1991Colleges & UniversitiesEIN 38-3071514Revenue $193.0M in FY2025

On file with the IRScalvin.edu3201 Burton St Se, 49546-4301 · Grand Rapids, MITax-exempt since Jun 1993School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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The mission of Calvin University is to equip students to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as christ's agents of renewal in the world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
96¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 32 volunteers and 2,846 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.6M a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
96%
of spending
Looks good: 96% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.3M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 78% 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
Fine: 1.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
12
named funders · $116K
Looks good: 12 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$111.6M
18% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 18% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
30
of 31 voting members
Looks good: 30 of 31 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$193.0M
+4% vs prior year
Spent
$212.8M
To programs
96%
Net assets
$500.9M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$193.0M
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$167.0M
FY2022$190.4M
FY2023$190.9M
FY2024$184.9M
FY2025$193.0M
Expenses
$212.8M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$153.3M
FY2022$168.9M
FY2023$180.0M
FY2024$198.0M
FY2025$212.8M
Net assets
$500.9M
FY2025▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$451.0M
FY2022$451.4M
FY2023$477.5M
FY2024$495.3M
FY2025$500.9M

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 Jun 1993.

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

Where the money goes

96 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 96% · $203.5M Management & general 2% · $5.1M Fundraising 2% · $4.1M

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

46 people listed on the 990; $2.3M 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
Presdient
$378,103Pt VII · Sec A
President-Part Year
$300,290Pt VII · Sec A
Professor - Kinesiology
$234,343Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President for Student Life
$213,153Pt VII · Sec A
$206,487Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President of Finance and Administration
$194,548Pt VII · Sec A
Dean for the School of Business
$189,933Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Health Service
$182,532Pt VII · Sec A

Greg Elzinga’s $378K as Presdient is at the 22nd 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Dr Wiebe Boer$300,290$669,522$361,337——
Dr Michael Leroy——$426,978$351,202$377,627
Greg Elzinga$378,103$209,379$177,873——
Dr Amber Warner$234,343————
Dr Sarah Visser$213,153$230,937$170,615$154,422$145,976
Dr Noah Toly$206,487$230,393———
Dirk Pruis$194,548$216,543$75,469——
Tim Fennema—$144,800$204,200$55,234—

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

Provides a rigorous Christian liberal arts education, equipping students with academic support, diverse majors, and values to serve as agents of renewal in the world.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $189.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Calvin university is a comprehensive liberal arts university in the reformed tradition of historic christianity seeking to be agents of renewal in the academy, church, and society. The university offers 81 baccalaureate and 9 master's degree programs.

$166.2Mprogram expense
02

Calvin university's student services and activities are intended to enhance students' spiritual, social, emotional, and physical well-being. The university's student services and activities include areas such as regular worship and biblical learning opportunities, a health services clinic, emotional wellness support, student…

$20.6Mprogram expense
03

Calvin university provides academic support services for the primary missions of instruction, research, and public service. Academic support services include areas such as libraries, technology support, academic tutoring and coaching, writing assistance, on-campus MUSEUMS/GALLERIES, and other services that directly assist instructional…

$2.4Mprogram 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 12 funders →
Grants paid · 529 grants · $320.4M · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$73,730,515
Fuller Theological SeminaryCA · FY2024$74,538
Samford UniversityAL · FY2024$61,858
Wheaton CollegeIL · FY2024$60,756
Abilene Christian UniversityTX · FY2024$50,375
Duke UniversityNC · FY2024$46,500
Emory UniversityGA · FY2024$37,500
Baylor UniversityTX · FY2024$37,495
Village Baptist ChurchOR · FY2024$25,000
University of ArkansasFY2024$25,000
The Howard UniversityDC · FY2024$25,000
Banquet Network INCMD · FY2024$25,000
Story DwellingFY2024$25,000
St Lydia'sFY2024$25,000
See all 529 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$193.0M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$155.1M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$28.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$9.2M
Money outPt IX
$212.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$203.5M
Managementcol C$5.1M
Fundraisingcol D$4.1M
Owns and owesPt X
$500.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$22.0M
Total assetsLn 16$612.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$111.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
46
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a31
IndependentVI 1b30
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$28.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$4.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2.4M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$80K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$155.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$9.2M
Gains on assetsLn 7$113K
Total revenueLn 12$193.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$22.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$22.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$327.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$244.5M
Other assetsLn 15$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$612.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$111.6M
Net assetsLn 32$500.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52,846
VolunteersI 632
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$19.4M$22.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$347.1M$327.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$233.7M$244.5M
Total assetsLn 16$620.9M$612.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$125.7M$111.6M
Net assetsLn 32$495.3M$500.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.1M$3.1M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$73.7M$73.7M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$1.5M$1.5M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.0M$264K$766K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$57.9M$54.1M$1.2M$2.5M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$3.6M$3.3M$148K$129K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$8.8M$8.1M$360K$313K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3.9M$3.6M$160K$139K
Legal feesLn 11b$582K$582K
Accounting feesLn 11c$126K$126K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$76K$76K
Investment management feesLn 11f$383K$383K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6.4M$6.2M$71K$59K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1.1M$963K$135K$20K
Office expensesLn 13$5.4M$4.6M$355K$394K
Information technologyLn 14$3.8M$3.5M$155K$135K
OccupancyLn 16$11.0M$10.9M$10K$72K
TravelLn 17$4.4M$4.1M$110K$156K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1.3M$1.2M$67K$29K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10.8M$10.8M
InsuranceLn 23$683K$213K$470K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$12.9M$12.9M$27K$44K
All other expensesLn 24e$358K$339K$5K$14K
Total functional expensesLn 25$212.8M$203.5M$5.1M$4.1M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $193.0M$212.8M−$19.8M$500.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $184.9M$198.0M−$13.2M$495.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $190.9M$180.0M$10.8M$477.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $190.4M$168.9M$21.5M$451.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $167.0M$153.3M$13.7M$451.0M 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 $193,018,897 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $34,241,070$28,750,648
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $140,930,861$155,103,188
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $9,707,926$9,181,595
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$18,345−$16,534
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $184,861,512$193,018,897
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $68,109,216$78,321,982
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $69,766,404$75,211,186
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $127,740$76,125
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $60,030,290$59,196,995
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $198,033,650$212,806,288
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$13,172,138−$19,787,391
Part VI · Governance 30 of 31 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body31
VI-1b Independent voting members30
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 $193,018,897 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$79,935
VIII-1e Government grants$4,056,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$24,614,713
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,401,597
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$28,750,648
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $153,826,373 · Unrelated business $1,276,815$155,103,188
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $341,992 · Excluded from tax $8,726,644$9,068,636
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $112,959$112,959
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$16,534−$16,534
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $153,826,373 · Unrelated business $1,618,807 · Excluded from tax $8,823,069$193,018,897
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $212,806,288 across 23 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,130,993$3,130,993
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $73,730,515$73,730,515
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $1,460,474$1,460,474
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $263,838 · Management $766,464$1,030,302
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $54,143,948 · Management $1,204,494 · Fundraising $2,546,452$57,894,894
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $3,332,443 · Management $148,111 · Fundraising $128,578$3,609,132
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $8,103,945 · Management $360,181 · Fundraising $312,679$8,776,805
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,601,061 · Management $160,050 · Fundraising $138,942$3,900,053
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $582,392$582,392
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $126,200$126,200
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $76,125$76,125
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $382,615$382,615
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,245,915 · Management $70,602 · Fundraising $58,788$6,375,305
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $962,961 · Management $135,304 · Fundraising $19,710$1,117,975
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,610,132 · Management $354,782 · Fundraising $393,515$5,358,429
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,491,375 · Management $155,175 · Fundraising $134,710$3,781,260
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $10,887,987 · Management $10,399 · Fundraising $71,590$10,969,976
IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,142,128 · Management $110,332 · Fundraising $155,850$4,408,310
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,227,819 · Management $67,333 · Fundraising $29,332$1,324,484
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $10,785,138$10,785,138
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $212,859 · Management $470,189$683,048
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $12,872,920 · Management $26,873 · Fundraising $44,245$12,944,038
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $338,820 · Management $5,005 · Fundraising $14,000$357,825
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $203,545,271 · Management $5,136,501 · Fundraising $4,124,516$212,806,288
Part X · Balance sheet $612,535,612 assets, 18 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $29,146; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $19,366,808$21,960,559
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $13,706,370$12,042,805
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $3,598,741$2,885,489
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,883,522$2,242,010
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $233,653,980$244,514,907
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $244,801,591$243,014,826
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $102,268,000$84,495,290
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,574,415$1,350,580
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $620,917,006$612,535,612
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $17,969,840$9,210,618
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $5,147,101$3,739,719
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $72,465,090$71,507,294
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $18,619,691$17,314,715
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $125,659,460$111,610,216
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $172,761,869$189,571,354
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $322,495,677$311,354,042
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $495,257,546$500,925,396
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $620,917,006$612,535,612
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $500,925,396 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$193,018,897
XI-2 Total expenses$212,806,288
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$19,787,391
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$495,257,546
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$24,246,502
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1,208,739
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$500,925,396

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

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