To provide an exceptional undergraduate liberal arts education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 3,401 volunteers and 2,812 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $58.4M a year · 20% 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
$5.2M
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
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.46B in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.8 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $117K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$222.0M
11% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 11% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
33
of 34 voting members
Looks good: 33 of 34 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$315.1M
+13% vs prior year
Spent
$261.2M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$1.8B
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$315.1M
FY2025▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$240.3M
FY2021$320.8M
FY2022$281.0M
FY2023$296.5M
FY2024$279.0M
FY2025$315.1M
Expenses
$261.2M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$199.4M
FY2021$203.4M
FY2022$223.8M
FY2023$240.0M
FY2024$254.0M
FY2025$261.2M
Net assets
$1.8B
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2B
FY2021$1.6B
FY2022$1.5B
FY2023$1.6B
FY2024$1.7B
FY2025$1.8B

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

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1938.

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% · $232.1M Management & general 9% · $22.2M Fundraising 3% · $6.9M

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

48 people listed on the 990; $5.2M 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
Chief Investment Officer
$925,537Pt VII · Sec A
President
$736,099Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Investments
$508,373Pt VII · Sec A
VP and Treasurer
$368,659Pt VII · Sec A
Provost & VP of Academic Affairs
$326,550Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Development & Alumni Relations
$304,142Pt VII · Sec A
VP & Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid
$278,981Pt VII · Sec A
VP for Student Life & Dean of Students
$249,000Pt VII · Sec A

Kelsey Deshler’s $926K as Chief Investment Officer is at the 71st 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
Steven G Poskanzer$191,161$186,576$371,884$929,007$490,860$501,366
Kelsey Deshler$925,537$928,506$789,397$682,497$524,127$662,584
Alison Byerly$736,099$700,689$669,567$309,081——
Timothy Griffeth$508,373$597,384$514,098$446,348$362,832$342,367
Thomas Bonner—$437,791$365,733$412,431$343,358$348,313
Eric Runestad$368,659$333,913$315,339$288,080$137,094—
Frederick a Rogers————$345,305$352,662
Beverly Nagel——$335,585$337,224$320,902$324,466

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 Carleton College 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

Provides an exceptional undergraduate liberal arts education alongside residential student services, co-curricular activities, and recreational opportunities for over 2,000 students.

Questions for Carleton College

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $201.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Instruction

Carleton college exists to provide an exceptional liberal arts education for students, preparing them for leadership in their communities, countries and the world (2,086 students). A student - faculty ratio of 8:1 supports classroom, laboratory, off-campus study and research opportunities, average class size is 16, student financial aid…

$147.6Mprogram expense
02

Academic Support

Programs to enhance the carleton liberal arts experience with library and information technology resources (2,086 students).

$30.0Mprogram expense
03

Student Services Programs

Programs designed to support the residential carleton college student life experience including co-curricular and recreational opportunities (2,086 students).

$23.9Mprogram 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 9 funders →
Grants paid · 39 grants · $337.3M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$68,060,091
Northfield Public SchoolsFY2024$1,000,000
University of ConnecticutFY2024$227,555
University of Wisconsin - MadisonFY2024$159,981
BiodiversityME · FY2024$110,594
University of California - DavisFY2024$90,117
City of NorthfieldFY2024$85,000
University of WashingtonFY2024$41,251
University of San DiegoCA · FY2024$35,547
Unitemized GrantFY2023$61,540,680
University of ConnecticutFY2023$200,180
University of Wisconsin - MadisonFY2023$127,156
City of NorthfieldFY2023$80,000
University of WashingtonFY2023$27,119
University of California - DavisFY2023$24,206
BiodiversityME · FY2023$23,613
Unitemized GrantFY2022$56,677,887
City of NorthfieldFY2022$80,000
See all 39 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$315.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$176.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$94.5M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$41.3M
Money outPt IX
$261.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$232.1M
Managementcol C$22.2M
Fundraisingcol D$6.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$1.8B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$60.9M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0B
LiabilitiesLn 26$222.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
48
listed · VII A
PaidVII A15
Voting boardVI 1a34
IndependentVI 1b33
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$41.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$8.0M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$176.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$94.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.9M
Gains on assetsLn 7$68.5M
Total revenueLn 12$315.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$60.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$60.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.46B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$418.3M
Other assetsLn 15$30.1M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0B
LiabilitiesLn 26$222.0M
Net assetsLn 32$1.8B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52,812
VolunteersI 63,401
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$37.1M$60.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.38B$1.46B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$392.9M$418.3M
Total assetsLn 16$1.88B$1.99B
LiabilitiesLn 26$230.5M$222.0M
Net assetsLn 32$1.65B$1.77B
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.8M$1.8M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$68.1M$68.1M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$3.1M$212K$2.4M$446K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$377K$75K$220K$81K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$80.4M$71.3M$6.2M$2.8M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$7.2M$5.6M$1.3M$328K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$10.8M$9.4M$869K$445K
Payroll taxesLn 10$5.6M$4.7M$632K$247K
Legal feesLn 11b$500K$500K
Accounting feesLn 11c$101K$101K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5.2M$5.2M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$8.7M$5.7M$1.9M$1.2M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$82K$13K$52K$17K
Office expensesLn 13$4.8M$4.3M$521K
Information technologyLn 14$3.8M$3.5M$271K$57K
OccupancyLn 16$9.5M$9.5M
TravelLn 17$9.0M$8.3M$245K$459K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1.4M$970K$183K$198K
InterestLn 20$4.2M$4.2M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$16.1M$16.0M$104K$11K
InsuranceLn 23$1.4M$586K$786K$575
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$19.2M$17.9M$1.2M$103K
Total functional expensesLn 25$261.2M$232.1M$22.2M$6.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $315.1M$261.2M$53.8M$1.8B 990 PDF
FY2024 $279.0M$254.0M$25.0M$1.7B 990 PDF
FY2023 $296.5M$240.0M$56.5M$1.6B 990 PDF
FY2022 $281.0M$223.8M$57.1M$1.5B 990 PDF
FY2021 $320.8M$203.4M$117.4M$1.6B 990 PDF
FY2020 $240.3M$199.4M$40.8M$1.2B 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $315,082,412 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $44,938,663$41,295,400
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $162,175,452$176,373,737
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $69,326,331$94,470,570
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,514,248$2,942,705
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $278,954,694$315,082,412
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $62,022,954$69,812,098
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $105,153,850$107,438,913
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $86,815,637$83,987,779
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $253,992,441$261,238,790
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $24,962,253$53,843,622
Part VI · Governance 33 of 34 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body34
VI-1b Independent voting members33
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 $315,082,412 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$8,034,170
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$33,261,230
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,026,755
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$41,295,400
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $176,373,737$176,373,737
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $9,874,133 · Excluded from tax $16,076,848$25,950,981
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $1,717$1,717
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax −$49,505−$49,505
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $68,519,589$68,519,589
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $146,962 · Excluded from tax $2,843,531$2,990,493
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $176,373,737 · Unrelated business $10,021,095 · Excluded from tax $87,392,180$315,082,412
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $261,238,790 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,752,007$1,752,007
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $68,060,091$68,060,091
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $211,800 · Management $2,448,794 · Fundraising $446,175$3,106,769
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $75,380 · Management $220,060 · Fundraising $81,460$376,900
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $71,337,501 · Management $6,240,840 · Fundraising $2,831,817$80,410,158
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $5,602,997 · Management $1,260,570 · Fundraising $328,136$7,191,703
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $9,443,187 · Management $869,100 · Fundraising $444,727$10,757,014
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,717,190 · Management $631,690 · Fundraising $247,489$5,596,369
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $500,098$500,098
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $101,466$101,466
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $5,242,989$5,242,989
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $5,668,508 · Management $1,871,885 · Fundraising $1,183,183$8,723,576
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $12,569 · Management $52,307 · Fundraising $16,676$81,552
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,320,494 · Fundraising $521,254$4,841,748
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,475,634 · Management $270,889 · Fundraising $56,851$3,803,374
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,479,074$9,479,074
IX-17 TravelPrograms $8,276,561 · Management $245,324 · Fundraising $458,774$8,980,659
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $970,393 · Management $183,324 · Fundraising $197,687$1,351,404
IX-20 InterestPrograms $4,222,564$4,222,564
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $15,979,775 · Management $104,208 · Fundraising $11,356$16,095,339
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $586,074 · Management $786,455 · Fundraising $575$1,373,104
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $17,892,134 · Management $1,195,674 · Fundraising $103,024$19,190,832
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $232,083,933 · Management $22,225,673 · Fundraising $6,929,184$261,238,790
Part X · Balance sheet $1,992,369,854 assets, 20 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $37,077,747$60,942,231
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $13,137,894$12,117,066
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $3,574,767$2,787,646
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $453,469$489,685
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,466,716$2,710,188
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $392,921,373$418,274,669
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $610,908,268$662,416,976
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $765,240,811$801,384,121
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $1,455,914$1,192,669
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $56,757,835$30,054,603
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,883,994,794$1,992,369,854
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $30,134,094$25,821,538
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $5,299,903$7,968,012
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $173,867,603$167,233,431
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $20,765,355$20,792,743
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $230,515,234$222,014,718
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $734,262,157$761,813,614
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $919,217,403$1,008,541,522
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,653,479,560$1,770,355,136
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,883,994,794$1,992,369,854
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,770,355,136 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$315,082,412
XI-2 Total expenses$261,238,790
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$53,843,622
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,653,479,560
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$64,734,138
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1,702,184
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,770,355,136

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

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