Johnson C. Smith University
Legal name: Johnson C Smith University
Overview
Mission
At Johnson C. Smith University, we are rooted in legacy and tradition. We foster an inclusive environment of excellence. We educate and cultivate resilient learners. We graduate students who become global leaders. We are committed to the well-being of the whole student across the campus environment – providing academic, personal and professional support to drive students’ collective and individual growth and aspirations while respecting their interests, abilities and cultural identities. Service We provide the highest level of regard to all constituents, while remaining flexible and responsive as we deliver programs and support services. We provide an environment that promotes accountability, innovation, collaboration, shared resources, expertise and opinions for the good of the University and its stakeholders.
What it reported doing in 2024
Academic support: our academic support services includes information technology, library services, smart classrooms, and faculty training. Every fulltime student at johnson c. Smith university receives a laptop. Our library continues to update its book catalogs. In addition, students have access to a wide range of online catalogs. Johnson c. Smith university is in the process of transforming all its traditional classrooms into smart classrooms by placing technology at the student's finger tip.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Other-operating. 67% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 88% 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.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 250983069
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2009–2024
- Official website data refreshed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
- Headquarters
- Charlotte, NC, United States
- Phone
- 704-378-1000
- Rating
- 84
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Standard
- Sector
- University or Technological Institute
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 84
- Transparency & Controls: 83
- Accountability: 95
- Sustainability: 35
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 98.6%; rating input score 99
- Program expense ratio: 77.6%; rating input score 78
- Fundraising efficiency: $5.74 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
- Compensation committee: Missing
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
- Written employment contract: Pass
- Compensation survey or study: Missing
- Board or committee approval: Pass
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- 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: -27.2%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.09; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 4.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 1.9% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 2.7% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 98.6% of revenue deployed · 77.6% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
- Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $57.4M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $720K · 27 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
- Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $9M reported
- Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
- Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
- Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 18 filed money-flow records
- 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
27 people listed
Highest reported compensation
- VALERIE KINLOCH (PRESIDENT): $719,788 total reported compensation
- DR THIERNO THIAM (PROVOST UNTIL 01/31/25): $245,965 total reported compensation
- DR ALPHONSUS OGBUEHI (DEAN BUSINESS): $244,915 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.