The mission of Signum University is to establish an open and globally accessible online academic campus that reduces student costs, provides a vibrant online academic community that fosters exceptional teaching, opportunities for intellectual engagement, and ensures a fair and generous treatment of our employees and students alike.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 12 volunteers and 35 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 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $19K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$119K
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.4 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $17K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$122K
315% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 315% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$754K
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$846K
To programs
74%
Net assets
−$84K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$754K
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$229K
FY2021$373K
FY2022$437K
FY2023$928K
FY2024$919K
FY2025$754K
Expenses
$846K
FY2025▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$188K
FY2021$360K
FY2022$502K
FY2023$983K
FY2024$877K
FY2025$846K
Net assets
−$84K
FY2025▼ -1122%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$72K
FY2021$86K
FY2022$21K
FY2023−$34K
FY2024$8K
FY2025−$84K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending July 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 Sep 2014.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $627K Management & general 25% · $213K Fundraising 1% · $6K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $119K 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
Academic Director
$46,478Pt VII · Sec A
Staff Governor
$34,390Pt VII · Sec A
Dean of People
$21,171Pt VII · Sec A
Faculty Governor
$8,290Pt VII · Sec A
Dean of Stewardship
$6,203Pt VII · Sec A
President
$2,520Pt VII · Sec A
At Large Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
At Large Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Faith Acker’s $46K as Academic Director is at the 37th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M 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
Faith Acker$46,478—————
Laurie Alden——$35,241———
Sparrow Alden$34,390$32,662————
Sara Brown———$32,676——
Corey Olsen$2,520$18,449$27,993—$15,976$6,000
Sharon Hoff$21,171—————
Larry Swain$8,290$10,562$17,573—$5,000—
Corey Olson———$16,500——

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 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Offers online courses, degrees, professional development, and free public education programs.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $627K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Signum educational services, enhancement of scholarship, including classroom teaching and the direct provision of learning resources to students through signum's online library.

$455Kprogram expense
02

Conferences program

$126Kprogram expense
03

Educational development software program

$45Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$17K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$754K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$520K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$234K
Money outPt IX
$846K
Ln 25
Programscol B$627K
Managementcol C$213K
Fundraisingcol D$6K
Owns and owesPt X
−$84K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$27K
Total assetsLn 16$39K
LiabilitiesLn 26$122K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$234K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$520K
Total revenueLn 12$754K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$27K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$27K
Total assetsLn 16$39K
LiabilitiesLn 26$122K
Net assetsLn 32−$84K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 535
VolunteersI 612
Fiscal year endsHeaderJuly
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$34K$27K
Total assetsLn 16$84K$39K
LiabilitiesLn 26$76K$122K
Net assetsLn 32$8K−$84K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$119K$2K$117K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$457K$457K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$41K$12K$29K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$465$465
RoyaltiesLn 15$5K$5K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$103K$75K$28K$349
InsuranceLn 23$7K$2K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$107K$72K$30K$6K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$2K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$846K$627K$213K$6K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $754K$846K−$92K−$84K 990 PDF
FY2024 $919K$877K$43K$8K 990 PDF
FY2023 $928K$983K−$55K−$34K 990 PDF
FY2022 $437K$502K−$65K$21K 990 PDF
FY2021 $373K$360K$13K$86K 990 PDF
FY2020 $229K$188K$41K$72K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $754,292 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $300,465$234,352
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $618,888$519,940
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $919,353$754,292
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $711,804$576,357
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $165,029$269,726
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $876,833$846,083
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $42,520−$91,791
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
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 $754,292 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$234,352
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$234,352
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $519,940$519,940
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $519,940 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$754,292
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $846,083 across 9 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,986 · Management $117,066$119,052
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $457,305$457,305
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $12,220 · Management $28,832$41,052
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $465$465
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $5,177$5,177
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $74,740 · Management $28,402 · Fundraising $349$103,491
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,590 · Management $5,265$6,855
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $71,732 · Management $29,849 · Fundraising $5,590$107,171
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,795 · Management $3,720$5,515
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $626,545 · Management $213,134 · Fundraising $6,404$846,083
Part X · Balance sheet $38,813 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $34,251$26,654
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $49,824$12,159
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $84,075$38,813
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $30,498$30,977
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $28,395$27,445
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $75,893$122,422
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,182−$83,609
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,182−$83,609
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $84,075$38,813
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$83,609 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$754,292
XI-2 Total expenses$846,083
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$91,791
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,182
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$83,609

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

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