Ralston College
Ralston College reported $10.7 million in revenue and $10.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $60.01 went to program services, $34.00 to management and general costs and $5.99 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 80.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $352,968 (CEO). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 1551% 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 $11MFor 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 $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 60.0% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 34.0% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 80.2% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 15.1% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $352,968 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.24% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.6 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 10 | 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 expenseRALSTON COLLEGE INC. ("RALSTON") IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION LOCATED IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. RALSTON EXISTS TO SHARE THE RICHES OF HUMANISTIC INQUIRY WITH STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ITS DEGREE PROGRAMS AND MORE BROADLY WITH ALL THOSE WHO SEEK TRUTH WITH COURAGE. In fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Ralston College completed its third academic year offering a Master of Arts in the Humanities, an intensive program in the Greek language and in the ideas, ideals, and historic development of Western civilization. The College graduated 26 students in May of 2025, conducted a successful…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $352,968 | $0 | $0 | $352,968 |
| President Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $247,089 | $0 | $0 | $247,089 |
| Director of Greek Program Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $169,377 | $0 | $0 | $169,377 |
| Creative Director Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $144,819 | $0 | $0 | $144,819 |
| Director of MA Program Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $116,228 | $0 | $0 | $116,228 |
| Lecturer in Rhetoric Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $108,877 | $0 | $0 | $108,877 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Ralston College (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $543K (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–1b10 · 9 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 549
- Volunteers Part I, line 69
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ALITHEA TRAVEL Greek term travel and booking | $449,927 |
| Brooks Construction Group LLC Renovations on properties | $282,720 |
| Kessler Whitaker LLC Rent | $257,925 |
| MAULDIN & JENKINS LLC Monthly accounting and CFO services | $214,861 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 12 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to Ralston College totaling $202K 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 Ralston College's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Ralston College, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Ralston College spent in FY2025, $60.01 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Ralston College's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Ralston College reported that 60.0% of its $10.9 million in expenses went to program services, 34.0% to management and general and 6.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Ralston College pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Ralston College reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $352,968, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Ralston College get its money?
Of $10.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 80.2% came from contributions and grants and 15.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Ralston College a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 27-1823146 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 202641109349300519 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521359349314527 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431369349312758 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301359349315450 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211369349315351 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202140719349301654 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 27-1823146: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.