Wayne State University Foundation

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Wayne State University Foundation was established to be a centralized means of encouraging and managing financial support to Wayne State University. This support allows Wayne State University to provide its students, faculty, and scientists with opportunities for learning and discovery that otherwise would not have been financially possible.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 38-3555142) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 13 volunteers.
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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $18.4M a year · 44% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
78% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Named funders
1
named funder · $200K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$177K
0.03% of total assets
Liabilities are 0.03% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 14 voting members
11 of 14 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$27.9M
+28% vs prior year
Spent
$26.7M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$657.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$27.9M
FY2025▲ +28%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$23.1M
FY2021$23.4M
FY2022$143.3M
FY2023$9.3M
FY2024$21.7M
FY2025$27.9M
Expenses
$26.7M
FY2025▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$18.8M
FY2021$19.3M
FY2022$23.1M
FY2023$24.2M
FY2024$26.4M
FY2025$26.7M
Net assets
$657.5M
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$420.6M
FY2021$514.1M
FY2022$452.7M
FY2023$503.9M
FY2024$596.1M
FY2025$657.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 1961.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $20.8M Management & general 3% · $717K Fundraising 19% · $5.2M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

21 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Director/Foundation President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director/University President (part Year)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Interim President/John W. Reed Professor of Law
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Wayne State University Foundation executive salaries →

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Manages donations to fund university learning and discovery opportunities.

Questions for Wayne State University Foundation

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1 program · $20.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

To provide financial support for the operations and objectives of wayne state university.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 38-3555142) · Dispute this line
$20.8Mprogram 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$200K
Grants paid · 6 grants · $108.1M · 2019–2024
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2024$20,790,663
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2023$19,912,528
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2022$18,747,036
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2021$17,487,905
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2020$16,005,257
Wayne State UniversityMI · FY2019$15,191,168

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$27.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$9.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.8M
Money outPt IX
$26.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$20.8M
Managementcol C$717K
Fundraisingcol D$5.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$657.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Total assetsLn 16$657.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$177K
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.8M
Other incomeLn 4–11$9.7M
Gains on assetsLn 7$9.7M
Total revenueLn 12$27.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Accounts receivableLn 4$146K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$657.6M
Total assetsLn 16$657.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$177K
Net assetsLn 32$657.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 613
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Investment feesPt IX, Sch D
Investment fees, as reportedPt IX 11f$717K
Share of the $657.5M endowmentSch D 1g0.11%
Typical, median of 2,202 orgs0.44%
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$657.5M$596.1M$503.9M$452.7M$514.1M
AddedLn 1b$16.3M$14.0M$18.7M$28.8M$13.3M
SpentLn 1d–1f$26.7M$26.4M$24.2M$23.1M$19.3M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$0$0
InvestmentsLn 11–13$595.8M$657.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$596.3M$657.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$151K$177K
Net assetsLn 32$596.1M$657.5M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$20.8M$20.8M
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$717K$717K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5.2M$5.2M
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$26.7M$20.8M$717K$5.2M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Aug 4, 2026 $27.9M$26.7M$1.2M$657.5M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Aug 8, 2025 $21.7M$26.4M−$4.7M$596.1M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Aug 13, 2024 $9.3M$24.2M−$14.8M$503.9M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 4, 2023 $143.3M$23.1M$120.2M$452.7M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Aug 8, 2022 $23.4M$19.3M$4.1M$514.1M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 5, 2021 $23.1M$18.8M$4.3M$420.6M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors D · Assets and endowments F · Foreign I · Grants J · Pay O · Explanations R · Related orgs
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $27,859,948 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $14,002,863$16,271,385
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $7,708,506$11,588,563
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $21,711,369$27,859,948
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $19,912,528$20,790,663
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $6,472,473$5,897,775
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $26,385,001$26,688,438
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$4,673,632$1,171,510
Part VI · Governance 11 of 14 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $27,859,948 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1d Related organizations$16,271,385
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$16,271,385
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$649,792 · Excluded from tax $2,495,691$1,845,899
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $9,742,664$9,742,664
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business −$649,792 · Excluded from tax $12,238,355$27,859,948
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $26,688,438 across 6 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $20,790,663$20,790,663
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $717,202$717,202
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Fundraising $5,180,573$5,180,573
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $20,790,663 · Management $717,202 · Fundraising $5,180,573$26,688,438
Part X · Balance sheet $657,703,718 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $447,118$146,011
X-5 Loans to officers and key peopleStart of year $0$0
X-6 Loans to other insidersStart of year $0$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $420,671,131$445,166,568
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $175,173,023$212,391,139
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $596,291,272$657,703,718
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $150,988$176,825
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $150,988$176,825
X-29 Capital stock or trust principalStart of year $0$0
X-30 Paid-in or capital surplusStart of year $0$0
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year $596,140,284$657,526,893
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $596,140,284$657,526,893
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $596,291,272$657,703,718
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $657,526,893 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$27,859,948
XI-2 Total expenses$26,688,438
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,171,510
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$596,140,284
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$60,215,099
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$657,526,893

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

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