Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1949.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
33 people listed on the 990; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.
Dr Alderman Zachary Faison’s $406K as President is at the 81st 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
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Alderman Zachary Faison | $406,386 | $394,488 | $394,488 | $289,847 | $279,797 | $276,843 |
| Dr Genyne Boston | $178,500 | $177,500 | — | — | — | — |
| Dr Archie Bouie | — | $170,000 | — | — | — | — |
| Dr Sharron Taylor Burnett | — | $35,417 | $170,000 | $170,000 | — | — |
| Dr Donna Oliver | — | — | $170,000 | $140,000 | $140,000 | $140,000 |
| Erika Ancrum | $156,000 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mr Tourea Robinson | — | $65,000 | $130,000 | — | — | — |
| Mr Randolph Mitchell | — | — | $127,954 | $127,954 | $124,603 | $124,603 |
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 Edward Waters University INC 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
Educates students holistically for a global society with stimulating programs and strong values.
Questions for Edward Waters University INC
Your first name shows with your question. Edward Waters University INC answers here, for everyone.
To sustain a learning community in which students can prepare academically, socially, and spiritually for leadership in a complex, diverse and rapidly changing world.
Auxiliary enterprises support the Universitys mission of providing quality educational opportunities. These services include but are not limited to food service, campus housing, campus post office, vending, campus stores and athletics.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
Federal money
Plus 5 smaller programs.
The auditor reported no findings.
Plus 4 smaller programs.
The auditor reported 1 finding.
Plus 5 smaller programs.
The auditor reported 4 findings: questioned costs.
Plus 5 smaller programs.
The auditor reported no findings.
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | FY23 | FY22 | FY21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of yearLn 1g | $1.7M | $1.7M | $1.7M | $1.7M | $1.7M |
| SpentLn 1d–1f | $568K | $855K | $454K | −$695K | $396K |
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $3.6M | $3.9M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $5.3M | $5.9M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $38.5M | $44.5M |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $56.0M | $62.4M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $9.7M | $13.6M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $46.3M | $48.8M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $0 | |||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $2.9M | $2.9M | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | |||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | |||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $1.3M | $1.3M | ||
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | |||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $0 | |||
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $0 | |||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $0 | |||
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $0 | |||
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | |||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $0 | |||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $0 | |||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | |||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | |||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $0 | |||
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $0 | |||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $0 | |||
| Information technologyLn 14 | $0 | |||
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $0 | |||
| TravelLn 17 | $0 | |||
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | |||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $0 | |||
| InterestLn 20 | $0 | |||
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | |||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $0 | |||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $0 | |||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $28.4M | $20.2M | $7.8M | $414K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $4.9M | $4.9M | ||
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $37.6M | $28.1M | $9.1M | $414K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 13, 2026 | $37.8M | $37.6M | $196K | $48.8M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 | $35.2M | $34.2M | $976K | $46.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS May 13, 2024 | $36.8M | $35.4M | $1.4M | $44.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 | $46.0M | $42.8M | $3.2M | $42.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS May 11, 2022 | $39.0M | $29.1M | $9.9M | $40.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS May 17, 2021 | $28.9M | $25.1M | $3.8M | $29.8M | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $37,833,715 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 20 of 21 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $37,833,715 across 7 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $37,637,756 across 30 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $62,399,436 assets, 18 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $48,776,817 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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