Warren Wilson College

Tax-deductible

Swannanoa, NC501(c)(3)Since 1962Colleges & UniversitiesEIN 56-0767736Revenue $68.3M in FY2025

On file with the IRSwarren-wilson.edu701 Warren Wilson Rd, 28778-2042 · Swannanoa, NCTax-exempt since Sep 1962School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Warren Wilson college's distinctive approach to education intentionally integrates academics, work, and community engagement to cultivate curiosity, empathy, and integrity. We empower graduates to pursue meaningful careers and lead purposeful lives dedicated to a just, equitable, and sustainable world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 27 volunteers and 587 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 surplus $2.6M a year · 5% 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
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 51% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $85K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$31.0M
23% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 23% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
26
of 29 voting members
Looks good: 26 of 29 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$68.3M
+31% vs prior year
Spent
$50.2M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$104.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$68.3M
FY2025▲ +31%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$40.6M
FY2021$40.9M
FY2022$50.9M
FY2023$44.5M
FY2024$52.2M
FY2025$68.3M
Expenses
$50.2M
FY2025▼ -0.5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$42.3M
FY2021$41.5M
FY2022$47.3M
FY2023$49.7M
FY2024$50.5M
FY2025$50.2M
Net assets
$104.8M
FY2025▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$81.0M
FY2021$90.0M
FY2022$86.3M
FY2023$82.2M
FY2024$84.8M
FY2025$104.8M

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 Sep 1962.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $43.5M Management & general 11% · $5.7M Fundraising 2% · $1.1M

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

35 people listed on the 990; $1.1M 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
$239,786Pt VII · Sec A
Provost & Dean of Faculty
$171,390Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Advancement
$168,776Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Enrollment
$133,290Pt VII · Sec A
Director Mfa Program
$112,029Pt VII · Sec A
Ex-Officio Trustee
$89,332Pt VII · Sec A
VP Stud Eng/Dean of Students
$71,610Pt VII · Sec A
Ex-Officio Trustee
$70,411Pt VII · Sec A

Dr Damian J Fernandez’s $240K as President is at the 49th 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 Damian J Fernandez$239,786$176,632————
Dr Lynn M Morton———$223,221$219,464$220,667
William H Christy Term 61523——$213,157———
Belinda Burke———$176,202$165,796$91,652
John Weddell Roberts——$174,059———
Jay Roberts$171,390$173,490————
Valerie Gliem$168,776$94,851————
Jay W Roberts———$156,304——

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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Integrates academics, work, and community to cultivate curiosity, empathy, and integrity for purposeful lives.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $43.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Educational Program

Most programs rendered are related to providing useful and productive work, and service to others beyond the campus community. The full-time equivalent enrollment at the college during the 2024-2025 academic year was approximately 714 undergraduate students.

$42.4Mprogram expense
02

Public Services Program

The swannanoa gathering is a series of weekly summer music workshops held on the warren wilson college campus each june and july the enrollment is limited, with an open format, which allows each student to select their own curriculum from a variety of courses with different experience levels and abilities.

$1.1Mprogram 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$85K
Grants paid · 3 grants · $1.9M · 2019–2021
Unitemized GrantFY2021$1,077,636
Unitemized GrantFY2020$388,858
Unitemized GrantFY2019$388,270

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$68.3M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$39.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$19.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$5.6M
Money outPt IX
$50.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$43.5M
Managementcol C$5.7M
Fundraisingcol D$1.1M
Owns and owesPt X
$104.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$18.9M
Total assetsLn 16$135.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$31.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
35
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a29
IndependentVI 1b26
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$19.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$757K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$39.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$3.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$5.6M
Gains on assetsLn 7$2.3M
Total revenueLn 12$68.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.6M
SavingsLn 2$14.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$18.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$66.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$33.1M
Other assetsLn 15$13.1M
Total assetsLn 16$135.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$31.0M
Net assetsLn 32$104.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5587
VolunteersI 627
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$7.8M$18.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$54.1M$66.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$31.0M$33.1M
Total assetsLn 16$106.6M$135.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$21.7M$31.0M
Net assetsLn 32$84.8M$104.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$19.4M$19.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.3M$183K$884K$184K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$11.9M$9.9M$1.4M$529K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$93K$76K$12K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.9M$1.1M$764K$70K
Payroll taxesLn 10$798K$592K$162K$44K
Legal feesLn 11b$103K$103K
Accounting feesLn 11c$103K$103K
Investment management feesLn 11f$581K$581K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$759K$585K$174K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$268K$125K$143K
Office expensesLn 13$1.2M$714K$450K$28K
Information technologyLn 14$264K$123K$100K$42K
OccupancyLn 16$3.9M$3.6M$336K
TravelLn 17$277K$253K$16K$8K
InterestLn 20$680K$623K$58K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.5M$2.4M$145K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.4M$2.4M$31K
All other expensesLn 24e$1.8M$1.5M$312K$13K
Total functional expensesLn 25$50.2M$43.5M$5.7M$1.1M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $68.3M$50.2M$18.1M$104.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $52.2M$50.5M$1.7M$84.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $44.5M$49.7M−$5.3M$82.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $50.9M$47.3M$3.6M$86.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $40.9M$41.5M−$547K$90.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $40.6M$42.3M−$1.8M$81.0M 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 $68,261,812 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,030,830$19,420,294
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $38,415,467$39,737,849
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,832,681$3,510,619
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,885,716$5,593,050
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $52,164,694$68,261,812
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $19,646,877$19,374,843
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $15,932,411$15,936,834
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $14,878,828$14,880,919
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $50,458,116$50,192,596
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,706,578$18,069,216
Part VI · Governance 26 of 29 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body29
VI-1b Independent voting members26
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $68,261,812 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $454,908 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$1,823,274
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$17,597,020
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$757,254
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$19,420,294
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $39,040,354$39,040,354
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $471,198 · Excluded from tax $788,437$1,259,635
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $130,418$130,418
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $2,250,984$2,250,984
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $5,705,219$5,705,219
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $39,579,972 · Unrelated business $386,488 · Excluded from tax $8,875,058$68,261,812
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $50,192,596 across 19 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $19,374,843$19,374,843
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $183,263 · Management $884,172 · Fundraising $183,807$1,251,242
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $9,904,264 · Management $1,445,061 · Fundraising $528,848$11,878,173
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $76,237 · Management $11,976 · Fundraising $4,793$93,006
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,082,875 · Management $763,607 · Fundraising $69,932$1,916,414
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $592,417 · Management $161,629 · Fundraising $43,953$797,999
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $103,050$103,050
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $103,224$103,224
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $581,426$581,426
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $584,848 · Management $174,389$759,237
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $124,652 · Fundraising $142,938$267,590
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $714,386 · Management $449,823 · Fundraising $28,289$1,192,498
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $122,738 · Management $99,912 · Fundraising $41,539$264,189
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $3,563,656 · Management $336,205$3,899,861
IX-17 TravelPrograms $252,705 · Management $15,688 · Fundraising $8,200$276,593
IX-20 InterestPrograms $622,501 · Management $57,828$680,329
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,365,425 · Management $145,244$2,510,669
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,409,171 · Management $30,502$2,439,673
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,477,232 · Management $311,996 · Fundraising $13,352$1,802,580
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $43,451,213 · Management $5,675,732 · Fundraising $1,065,651$50,192,596
Part X · Balance sheet $135,845,244 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,279,764$4,601,978
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,558,230$14,291,059
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,938,014$3,095,842
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $709,954$743,155
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $250,313$292,279
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $421,482$689,234
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $30,984,484$33,083,530
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $24,635,923$32,112,023
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $29,475,894$33,874,051
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $9,305,186$13,062,093
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $106,559,244$135,845,244
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,100,551$11,445,444
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,797,663$2,785,099
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $2,823,063$2,107,766
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $21,720,479$31,027,132
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $25,850,236$31,443,843
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $58,988,529$73,374,269
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $84,838,765$104,818,112
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $106,559,244$135,845,244
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $104,818,112 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$68,261,812
XI-2 Total expenses$50,192,596
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$18,069,216
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$84,838,765
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$1,597,868
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$312,263
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$104,818,112

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

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