Avila University

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Avila University, a catholic University sponsored by saint joseph educational ministries, a ministerial public juridic person of the catholic church (sjem), is a values-based community of learning providing liberal arts, professional, undergraduate and graduate education to prepare students for responsible lifelong contributions to the global community.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 200 volunteers and 775 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $426K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.9M
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
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $6.5M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 0.2 months of spending in cash, plus $6.5M in investments.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $10K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$30.7M
55% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 55% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$75.9M
+21% vs prior year
Spent
$78.0M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$24.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$75.9M
FY2025▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$33.3M
FY2021$39.3M
FY2022$40.7M
FY2023$31.4M
FY2024$62.8M
FY2025$75.9M
Expenses
$78.0M
FY2025▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$34.3M
FY2021$33.7M
FY2022$37.9M
FY2023$38.3M
FY2024$63.7M
FY2025$78.0M
Net assets
$24.8M
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$29.8M
FY2021$34.3M
FY2022$33.5M
FY2023$27.7M
FY2024$27.1M
FY2025$24.8M

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 Sep 2019.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $68.3M Management & general 11% · $8.6M Fundraising 1% · $1.0M

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

32 people listed on the 990; $1.9M 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
$419,223Pt VII · Sec A
$196,788Pt VII · Sec A
$184,997Pt VII · Sec A
$178,091Pt VII · Sec A
$176,001Pt VII · Sec A
EVP of Ops
$174,013Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$153,637Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People Officer
$143,671Pt VII · Sec A

Dr James Burkee’s $419K as President is at the 82nd 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
Dr James Burkee$419,223—————
Dr Jim Burkee—$318,747————
Mr Ronald Slepitza——$310,160$289,227$275,503$290,553
Mr James Burkee——$258,080———
Dr Alexandra Adams$196,788$197,666————
Ms Sue King Willcox———$188,697$150,375$157,978
Mr Tim Klocko——$164,837$187,770$147,942$96,282
Dr Brian Depoy$184,997—————

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 Avila University 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Prepares students for lifelong contributions through values-based education.

Questions for Avila University

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Your first name shows with your question. Avila University answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $68.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Avila university, located in kansas city, mo, and serving students from across the world, believes in offering access to education without limits and inviting students to define what that means to them personally as individuals and collectively across campus. Founded in 1916 by the sisters of ST.

$68.3Mprogram 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 2 funders$10K
Grants paid · 8 grants · $101.9M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$32,932,869
Unitemized GrantFY2023$28,411,945
Unitemized GrantFY2022$8,744,737
Unitemized GrantFY2022$8,744,737
Unitemized GrantFY2021$7,837,524
Unitemized GrantFY2021$2,039,227
Unitemized GrantFY2020$6,769,520
Unitemized GrantFY2019$6,409,229

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Jun 2025 · $18.3M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$11.0M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$5.4M
Trio Upward BoundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.047 · Direct$678K
Higher Education Institutional AidDepartment of Education · ALN 84.031 · Direct$586K
Trio Student Support ServicesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.042 · Direct$256K

Plus 4 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 3 findings: a weakness in money controls.

Year ending Jun 2024 · $14.8M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$9.1M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$3.9M
Trio Upward BoundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.047 · Direct$661K
Higher Education Institutional AidDepartment of Education · ALN 84.031 · Direct$557K
Trio Student Support Services GrantDepartment of Education · ALN 84.042 · Direct$269K

Plus 4 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 2 findings: a material weakness in money controls.

Year ending Jun 2023 · $12.8M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$8.5M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$2.7M
Trio_upward BoundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.047 · Direct$608K
Higher Education_institutional AidDepartment of Education · ALN 84.031 · Direct$405K
Trio_student Support ServicesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.042 · Direct$241K

Plus 5 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 9 findings: a weakness in money controls.

Year ending Jun 2022 · $15.3M federal money spent
Federal Direct Student LoansDepartment of Education · ALN 84.268 · Direct$8.7M
Federal Pell Grant ProgramDepartment of Education · ALN 84.063 · Direct$2.7M
Covid-19 - Education Stabilization Fund/Student AidDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Direct$2.2M
Trio_upward BoundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.047 · Direct$695K
Higher Education_institutional AidDepartment of Education · ALN 84.031 · Direct$352K

Plus 7 smaller programs.

The auditor reported 4 findings: a weakness in money controls.

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$75.9M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67.3M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Money outPt IX
$78.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$68.3M
Managementcol C$8.6M
Fundraisingcol D$1.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$24.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$55.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$30.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
32
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.9M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$31K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$286K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$171K
Gains on assetsLn 7$960K
Total revenueLn 12$75.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$810K
SavingsLn 2$501K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.3M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$4.8M
Accounts receivableLn 4$1.3M
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$59K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$374K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$39.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$6.5M
Other assetsLn 15$2.0M
Total assetsLn 16$55.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$30.7M
Net assetsLn 32$24.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5775
VolunteersI 6200
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
BondsSch K, Pt X
Tax-exempt bond debt owedX 20$13.2M
Bond issues listedSch K Pt I1
Raised by those issuesSch K Pt I$13.4M
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$31K
Investment feesPt IX, Sch D
Investment fees, as reportedPt IX 11f$57K
Share of the $11.7M endowmentSch D 1g0.49%
Typical, median of 2,202 orgs0.44%
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$11.7M$11.7M$15.1M$16.3M$18.5M
Given inLn 1b$1.1M$1.3M$666K$309K$239K
SpentLn 1d–1f$2.3M$6.3M$91K$108K$86K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.4M$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$9.2M$6.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$34.8M$39.3M
Total assetsLn 16$57.2M$55.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$30.1M$30.7M
Net assetsLn 32$27.1M$24.8M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$32.9M$32.9M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$945K$945K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$16.4M$14.6M$1.2M$546K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$288K$243K$36K$9K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2.1M$1.5M$545K$91K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.2M$1.0M$155K$39K
Legal feesLn 11b$198K$198K
Accounting feesLn 11c$163K$163K
Investment management feesLn 11f$57K$57K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.9M$1.3M$2.4M$117K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$734K$6K$727K
Office expensesLn 13$1.6M$1.5M$136K$31K
OccupancyLn 16$1.2M$769K$339K$110K
TravelLn 17$1.0M$698K$316K$12K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$91K$48K$33K$10K
InterestLn 20$1.1M$821K$283K$19K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.6M$1.9M$656K$43K
InsuranceLn 23$869K$636K$219K$14K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$9.0M$8.9M$56K$0
All other expensesLn 24e$1.5M$1.4M$126K$359
Total functional expensesLn 25$78.0M$68.3M$8.6M$1.0M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 13, 2026 $75.9M$78.0M−$2.1M$24.8M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 $62.8M$63.7M−$947K$27.1M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Dec 1, 2025 $31.4M$38.3M−$7.0M$27.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $40.7M$37.9M$2.8M$33.5M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Apr 28, 2022 $39.3M$33.7M$5.7M$34.3M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 14, 2021 $33.3M$34.3M−$971K$29.8M 990 PDF

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 $75,876,063 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,603,945$6,992,344
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $50,826,457$67,258,669
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $995,531$1,453,645
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $329,079$171,405
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $62,755,012$75,876,063
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $28,411,945$32,932,869
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $18,727,407$20,963,967
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $16,562,863$24,064,305
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $63,702,215$77,961,141
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$947,203−$2,085,078
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
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 $75,876,063 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$1,649 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$286,172
VIII-1e Government grants$1,942,971
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,763,201
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$30,513
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,992,344
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $67,249,508 · Unrelated business $9,161$67,258,669
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $493,484$493,484
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $960,161$960,161
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$56,654−$56,654
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $229,708$229,708
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $67,249,508 · Unrelated business $9,161 · Excluded from tax $1,625,050$75,876,063
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $77,961,141 across 20 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $32,932,869$32,932,869
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $945,142$945,142
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $14,621,322 · Management $1,218,230 · Fundraising $545,972$16,385,524
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $243,324 · Management $36,002 · Fundraising $9,086$288,412
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,468,227 · Management $544,572 · Fundraising $91,280$2,104,079
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,046,831 · Management $154,889 · Fundraising $39,090$1,240,810
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $197,886$197,886
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $163,465$163,465
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $57,046$57,046
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,320,566 · Management $2,437,349 · Fundraising $116,668$3,874,583
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,395 · Management $727,269$733,664
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,479,061 · Management $135,658 · Fundraising $31,013$1,645,732
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $769,215 · Management $338,805 · Fundraising $109,691$1,217,711
IX-17 TravelPrograms $697,721 · Management $316,415 · Fundraising $11,570$1,025,706
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $47,882 · Management $32,700 · Fundraising $10,404$90,986
IX-20 InterestPrograms $820,865 · Management $282,816 · Fundraising $18,618$1,122,299
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,903,545 · Management $655,837 · Fundraising $43,174$2,602,556
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $635,894 · Management $219,088 · Fundraising $14,422$869,404
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $8,916,874 · Management $56,466 · Fundraising $0$8,973,340
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,363,698 · Management $125,870 · Fundraising $359$1,489,927
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $68,274,289 · Management $8,645,505 · Fundraising $1,041,347$77,961,141
Part X · Balance sheet $55,582,795 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,300,966$810,447
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,063,836$501,044
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,824,173$4,760,457
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,700,055$1,311,085
X-5 Loans to officers and key peopleStart of year $0$0
X-6 Loans to other insidersStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $83,907$58,697
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $435,647$374,067
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $34,780,636$39,340,551
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $9,225,217$6,476,059
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,812,804$1,950,388
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $57,227,241$55,582,795
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,206,414$3,734,698
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,432,694$1,989,581
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $13,232,987$13,246,853
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $0$0
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $5,821,757$7,938,219
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $1,060,373$1,060,373
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $3,353,583$2,771,734
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $30,107,808$30,741,458
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $10,188,454$11,559,343
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $16,930,979$13,281,994
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $27,119,433$24,841,337
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $57,227,241$55,582,795
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $24,841,337 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$75,876,063
XI-2 Total expenses$77,961,141
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,085,078
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$27,119,433
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$193,018
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$24,841,337

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

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