Common Application INC: Nonprofit Profile, Financials & Form 990 (EIN 91-2170737)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021	$44.6M
FY2023	$54.1M
FY2024	$61.3M
FY2025	$65.8M

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021	$35.3M
FY2023	$43.0M
FY2024	$47.9M
FY2025	$53.1M

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021	$31.6M
FY2023	$56.5M
FY2024	$71.3M
FY2025	$84.6M

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2002.

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

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

84%

16%

Program services 84% · $44.3M Management & general 16% · $8.4M Fundraising 1% · $315K

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

30 people listed on the 990; $4.9M 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

Jenny Rickard

CEO

$810,169Pt VII · Sec A

Marc Saitta

Treasurer (to 04/25) & President

$528,002Pt VII · Sec A

Ileana Rodriguez

Senior VP Constituent Engagement

$402,907Pt VII · Sec A

Bettina Donohue

Senior VP Product Strategy

$398,561Pt VII · Sec A

Swathi Gabbita

Senior VP Technology Services

$394,317Pt VII · Sec A

Kathleen King

SR VP Finance & Ops, Treasurer 04/25

$369,543Pt VII · Sec A

Stephanie Sample

Board Secretary and Senior VP Communications and M

$348,470Pt VII · Sec A

Mark Freeman

VP Data Analytics and Research

$312,048Pt VII · Sec A

Jenny Rickard’s $810K as CEO is at the 98th 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	FY2021
Jenny Rickard	$810,169	$708,306	$586,082	$476,435
Marc Saitta	$528,002	$502,037	$474,071	$345,390
Ileana Rodriguez	$402,907	$401,966	$252,571	—
Brandon Jackson	—	$329,881	$401,478	$284,605
Bettina Donohue	$398,561	$336,471	—	—
Swathi Gabbita	$394,317	—	—	—
Kathleen King	$369,543	$350,171	$295,922	—
Stephanie Sample	$348,470	$273,129	$193,702	—

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 Common Application INC 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

Simplifies college applications, making admission fair and accessible for all students.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $44.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024

01

See schedule ocommon app's mission to advance access, equity, and integrity in the college admissions process has never been more important than it is today. We have several initiatives underway to help more students access, afford, and attain postsecondary OPPORTUNITIES.WHILE 1.5 million students use common app each year to apply for…

$44.3Mprogram 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 · FY2023

Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationFY2023$493K

Carnegie Corporation of New YorkFY2023$189K

The Kresge FoundationFY2023$147K

Lumina Foundation for Education INCFY2023$10K

Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$838K

See all 4 funders →

Grants paid · 4 grants · $182K · 2020–2023

President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeMA · FY2023$34,697

President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeMA · FY2022$89,286

National College Advising Corps INCNC · FY2020$38,000

Scholarship America INCMN · FY2020$20,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$65.8M

Ln 12

Fees for servicesLn 2g$62.4M

Investment incomeLn 3$3.4M

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5K

Money outPt IX

$53.1M

Ln 25

Programscol B$44.3M

Managementcol C$8.4M

Fundraisingcol D$315K

Owns and owesPt X

$84.6M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$34.4M

Total assetsLn 16$99.2M

LiabilitiesLn 26$14.6M

PeoplePt VI, VII

30

listed · VII A

PaidVII A13

Voting boardVI 1a17

IndependentVI 1b17

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$62.4M

Investment incomeLn 3$3.4M

Gains on assetsLn 7$2.0M

Total revenueLn 12$65.8M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$22.4M

SavingsLn 2$12.0M

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$34.4M

InvestmentsLn 11–13$51.5M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.7M

Other assetsLn 15$4.6M

Total assetsLn 16$99.2M

LiabilitiesLn 26$14.6M

Net assetsLn 32$84.6M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 5122

VolunteersI 618

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

Line	Start FY25	End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$15.9M	$34.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$55.7M	$51.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$138K	$1.7M
Total assetsLn 16	$84.3M	$99.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$13.0M	$14.6M
Net assetsLn 32	$71.3M	$84.6M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$3.5M	$2.7M	$871K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$20.9M	$16.9M	$3.8M	$183K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$1.9M	$1.6M	$357K	$16K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$2.9M	$2.3M	$547K	$23K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$1.6M	$1.3M	$314K	$12K
Legal feesLn 11b	$523K	$419K	$100K	$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$92K		$92K
Investment management feesLn 11f	$94K		$94K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$5.1M	$4.1M	$983K	$39K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$338K	$336K	$1K	$43
Office expensesLn 13	$81K	$65K	$16K	$616
Information technologyLn 14	$1.3M	$1.0M	$250K	$10K
OccupancyLn 16	$631K	$505K	$122K	$5K
TravelLn 17	$1.3M	$1.1M	$254K	$10K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19	$1.0M	$1.0M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$476K	$381K	$91K	$4K
InsuranceLn 23	$261K	$209K	$50K	$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$10.5M	$10.3M	$161K	$5K
All other expensesLn 24e	$428K	$158K	$269K	$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$53.1M	$44.3M	$8.4M	$315K

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest Viewing	$65.8M	$53.1M	$12.8M	$84.6M	990 PDF
FY2024	$61.3M	$47.9M	$13.4M	$71.3M	990 PDF
FY2023	$54.1M	$43.0M	$11.1M	$56.5M	990 PDF
FY2022	Not on file
FY2021	$44.6M	$35.3M	$9.3M	$31.6M	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 $65,847,203 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $889,171$4,757

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $58,347,823$62,410,476

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,049,672$3,431,970

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $37,500$0

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $61,324,166$65,847,203

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $34,697$0

I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $27,540,860$30,909,701

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $20,319,993$22,150,261

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $47,895,550$53,059,962

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $13,428,616$12,787,241

Part VI · Governance 17 of 17 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17

VI-1b Independent voting members17

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 $65,847,203 across 6 lines filed

Lines not itemized here account for $378,608 of total revenue; see the IRS return.

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,757

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,757

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $62,031,868$62,031,868

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,385,903$1,385,903

VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $2,046,067$2,046,067

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $62,410,476 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $3,431,970$65,847,203

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $53,059,962 across 19 lines filed

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $2,672,152 · Management $871,347$3,543,499

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $16,857,607 · Management $3,843,940 · Fundraising $182,740$20,884,287

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,553,750 · Management $356,804 · Fundraising $16,342$1,926,896

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,347,671 · Management $547,256 · Fundraising $22,963$2,917,890

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,310,436 · Management $314,275 · Fundraising $12,418$1,637,129

IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $418,610 · Management $100,392 · Fundraising $3,966$522,968

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $92,439$92,439

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $93,559$93,559

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,098,529 · Management $982,924 · Fundraising $38,840$5,120,293

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $336,431 · Management $1,100 · Fundraising $43$337,574

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $65,020 · Management $15,593 · Fundraising $616$81,229

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,044,449 · Management $250,483 · Fundraising $9,897$1,304,829

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $504,660 · Management $121,699 · Fundraising $4,782$631,141

IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,057,432 · Management $253,597 · Fundraising $10,020$1,321,049

IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,007,323$1,007,323

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $380,921 · Management $91,356 · Fundraising $3,609$475,886

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $209,240 · Management $50,180 · Fundraising $1,982$261,402

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $10,306,627 · Management $161,005 · Fundraising $5,019$10,472,651

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $157,604 · Management $268,816 · Fundraising $1,498$427,918

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $44,328,462 · Management $8,416,765 · Fundraising $314,735$53,059,962

Part X · Balance sheet $99,213,303 assets, 17 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $7,956,045$22,401,733

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,987,988$12,017,380

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $5,176,309$4,330,223

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,826,873$1,969,227

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $138,400$1,748,659

X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $55,733,565$51,529,534

X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $631,146$625,471

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $4,823,628$4,591,076

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $84,273,954$99,213,303

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,879,326$6,833,271

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,823,101$2,451,255

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $5,252,262$5,349,906

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $12,954,689$14,634,432

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $70,491,028$84,356,178

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $828,237$222,693

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $71,319,265$84,578,871

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $84,273,954$99,213,303

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $84,578,871 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$65,847,203

XI-2 Total expenses$53,059,962

XI-3 Revenue less expenses$12,787,241

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$71,319,265

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$472,365

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$84,578,871

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

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