Trustees of Boston University

Overview

Mission

See schedule o

What it reported doing in 2024

Research - what sets boston university apart as a research university is the breadth and depth of its research and the uniquely entrepreneurial spirit of its faculty. Researchers at bu are not afraid to cross disciplinary boundaries, as can be seen by strategic efforts to support interdisciplinary research and education in neuroscience, religion and world affairs, integrative biology, clean energy, sustainability and the environment, health care delivery, and global health, to name a few. In each case, the emphasis is not on interdisciplinarity for its own sake, but on using a multifaceted approach to solve the important and complex problems facing society today.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 73% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 70% for direct work, and 30% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042103547
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024, Form 990-N 2024
Headquarters
Boston, MA, USA
Phone
6173532290
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 81
  • Accountability: 96
  • Sustainability: 59
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.8%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 90.9%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $18.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Pass
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 2.7%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.71; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.4%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.8% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.8% of revenue deployed · 90.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 32 of 34 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $3.1B in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $1.7M · 52 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $70.9M reported
  • Consistency: 48 of 48 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 14 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 285 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 304 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

52 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MELISSA L GILLIAM (PRESIDENT (AS OF 7/1/24)): $1,704,300 total reported compensation
  • PUSHKAR MEHRA (PROFESSOR & ORAL SURGEON): $1,591,755 total reported compensation
  • CLARISSA C HUNNEWELL (CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER): $1,584,339 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.