Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design reported $239.9 million in revenue and $229.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $78.47 went to program services, $17.95 to management and general costs and $3.58 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 82.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $714,484 (PRESIDENT). 168 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 11% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $229MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $240MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.5% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.9% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.6% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.49 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 7.0% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 82.5% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $714,484 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.31% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 168 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 29.4 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 27 of 27 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEducation - Rhode Island School of Design was founded in 1877, making it one of the first art and design schools in the US. Approximately 2,500 students from around the world are engaged in liberal art studies and rigorous, studio-based learning at risd, where they choose from 21 studio majors and earn bachelor's or master's degrees in the fine arts, architecture or art education. Each year, approximately 4,600 children and adults also access our specialized studio facilities through risd continuing education courses
Museum - the risd museum was founded on the belief that art, artists, and the institutions that support them play pivotal roles in promoting broad civic engagement and creating more open societies. The risd museum educates and inspires students and the public through exhibitions, lectures, tours, workshops and publications and provides free access to digital images of public domain materials in the collection for any purpose. We want our collection, scholarship, and interpretive content to be accessed, distributed, and reused by everyone
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $642,342 | $0 | $72,142 | $714,484 |
| SVP FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $365,905 | $0 | $67,254 | $433,159 |
| PROVOST Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $319,775 | $0 | $62,460 | $382,235 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, INST. ADVANCEMENT Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $312,567 | $0 | $56,088 | $368,655 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $302,279 | $0 | $59,841 | $362,120 |
| VP STRATEGY/PLANNING (UNTIL 6/25) Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $290,758 | $0 | $48,294 | $339,052 |
| VP ENROLLMENT Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $277,458 | $0 | $49,058 | $326,516 |
| DIRECTOR, MUSEUM OF ART Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $294,298 | $0 | $30,060 | $324,358 |
168 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Rhode Island School of Design (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $5.1M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b27 · 27 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 53,135
- Volunteers Part I, line 6623
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GLOBAL ENDOWMENT MANAGEMENTLP Investment mgmt | $2,354,375 |
| SHAWMUT WOODWORKING AND SUPPLY INC Construction svcs | $1,951,438 |
| ALL SOURCE PPS INC Temp agency svcs | $1,429,745 |
| SHI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Computer svc | $716,295 |
| ARDEN ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTORS LLC Construction svcs | $706,010 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 38 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
40 private foundations reported grants to Rhode Island School of Design totaling $1.1M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Rhode Island School of Design's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Rhode Island School of Design, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Rhode Island School of Design spent in FY2025, $78.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Phillips Exeter AcademyExeter, NH · revenue $240M · programs 86.3% · FY2025
- Bradley UniversityPeoria, IL · revenue $241M · programs 93.7% · FY2025
- A T Still University of Health SciencesKirksville, MO · revenue $239M · programs 86.4% · FY2025
- Cedarville UniversityCedarville, OH · revenue $241M · programs 89.4% · FY2025
- Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne, FL · revenue $238M · programs 61.6% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Rhode Island School of Design's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Rhode Island School of Design reported that 78.5% of its $229.1 million in expenses went to program services, 17.9% to management and general and 3.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Rhode Island School of Design pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Rhode Island School of Design reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $714,484, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Rhode Island School of Design get its money?
Of $239.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 7.0% came from contributions and grants (including 0.2% from government grants) and 82.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Rhode Island School of Design a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 05-0258956 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202611349349307871 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521359349307007 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349315055 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321359349309487 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231329349305138 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101309349302520 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 05-0258956: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.