Gardner-Webb University
Gardner-Webb University reported $107.7 million in revenue and $103.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $88.78 went to program services, $10.37 to management and general costs and $0.85 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 84.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $564,328 (PRESIDENT (THRU 2/2025)). 39 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 18% 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 $103MFor 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 $108MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.8% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.4% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 6.7% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 84.5% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $564,328 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.55% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 39 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 15.9 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 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 expenseThe primary goal of gardner-Webb University is to provide education to students. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. The university enrolled approximately 3,000 students during 2024-2025 and awarded approximately $32m in scholarships and tuition assistance
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 (THRU 2/2025) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $492,372 | $0 | $71,956 | $564,328 |
| VP FOR ATHLETICS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $198,264 | $0 | $28,466 | $226,730 |
| FOOTBALL COACH Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $187,242 | $0 | $35,954 | $223,196 |
| PROVOST Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $201,570 | $0 | $12,157 | $213,727 |
| VP FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $174,562 | $0 | $37,840 | $212,402 |
| PROFESSOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,276 | $0 | $9,582 | $203,858 |
| VP, ADVANCEMENT/INTERIM PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,223 | $0 | $23,341 | $184,564 |
| VP FOR ENROLLMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $158,227 | $0 | $19,484 | $177,711 |
39 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Gardner-Webb University (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $720K (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–1b16 · 16 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 51,241
- Volunteers Part I, line 621
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ARAMARK Cafeteria services | $6,770,601 |
| K12 TEACHERS ALLIANCE Recruiting services | $1,418,250 |
| PALMETTO ROOFING SPECIALTIES General contractor | $830,316 |
| EAB Consulting services | $441,449 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 15 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
23 private foundations reported grants to Gardner-Webb University totaling $649K 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 Gardner-Webb University's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Gardner-Webb University, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Gardner-Webb University spent in FY2025, $88.78 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Otterbein UniversityWesterville, OH · revenue $107M · programs 87.6% · FY2025
- Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical CenterWest Des Moines, IA · revenue $108M · programs 68.8% · FY2025
- Bethune-Cookman UniversityDaytona Beach, FL · revenue $107M · programs 83.2% · FY2025
- Elizabethtown CollegeElizabethtown, PA · revenue $109M · programs 88.7% · FY2025
- Palmer College FoundationDavenport, IA · revenue $107M · programs 73.7% · FY2025
All education charities · Largest charities in North Carolina
Questions people ask
How much of Gardner-Webb University's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Gardner-Webb University reported that 88.8% of its $103.4 million in expenses went to program services, 10.4% to management and general and 0.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Gardner-Webb University pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Gardner-Webb University reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $564,328, for the role of PRESIDENT (THRU 2/2025) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Gardner-Webb University get its money?
Of $107.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 6.7% came from contributions and grants (including 1.2% from government grants) and 84.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Gardner-Webb University a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 56-0529972 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 202611349349306161 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521359349302727 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431349349301998 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341319349304209 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202103149349301520 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202023039349301512 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 56-0529972: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.