National University Foundation

Overview

Mission

To cultivate partnerships, secure resources, and productively engage donors, alumni, and other supporters to advance nu and affiliates in the achievement of their vital work.

What it reported doing in 2024

In its first year of full operations, nuf launched its fundraising activities to support national university students. Initial costs for the first year included infrastructure, technology, registrations and other start-up costs. Nuf hosted its inaugural signature event, engaging donors, alumni, and community stakeholders to raise awareness and funds for student scholarships. Proceeds from the event are designated to help reduce financial barriers and expand educational opportunities for eligible nu students.additionally, nuf established key operational and governance practices to support effective stewardship of donor funds and compliance with nonprofit requirements. These foundational efforts position nuf to grow its fundraising capacity and increase nu student support in future years.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 80% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
201269904
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
San Diego, CA, USA
Phone
8586428100
Rating
57
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 36
  • Transparency & Controls: 65
  • Accountability: 76
  • Sustainability: 58
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 31.7%; rating input score 32
  • Program expense ratio: 48.4%; rating input score 48
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.56 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 75%; rating input score 75; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 34.5%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.73; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.45; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 108.4%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.9% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 31.7% of revenue deployed · 48.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 4 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $127K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $1.1M · 9 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: 4 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MARK MILLIRON (PRESIDENT/CEO): $1,053,175 total reported compensation
  • KAREN WHITNEY (CFO): $510,378 total reported compensation
  • DAVE LAWRENCE (FORMER CFO THRU 4/24): $467,655 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.