University of Rhode Island Foundation & Alumni Engagement

Overview

Mission

The uri foundation unites passion and purpose by engaging alumni, donors, and friends to strengthen the university of Rhode Island's growth through generosity, impact, and enduring connections.

What it reported doing in 2024

Scholarships, awards and fellowships, the university of Rhode Island foundation and alumni engagement receives gifts on behalf of donors that are restricted to the support of financial aid for university students. To ensure compliance with all university, federal and state financial aid requirements, the university selects the student recipient and makes the awards directly to students. The foundation provides funds to the university for the financial aid expenditures.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 87% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
056014351
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Headquarters
Kingston, RI, USA
Phone
4018747900
Rating
64
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - 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 a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 36
  • Transparency & Controls: 68
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 85
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 23.9%; rating input score 24
  • Program expense ratio: 55.4%; rating input score 55
  • Fundraising efficiency: $10.14 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • 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: 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: 69.8%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 12.24; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.4%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.5% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 23.9% of revenue deployed · 55.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 31 of 31 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $18.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $520K · 43 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $351K reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 38 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 11 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 9 filed money-flow records
  • 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

43 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ELIZABETH O'ROURKE (PRESIDENT (TO 12/24)): $519,988 total reported compensation
  • SARAH LOBDELL (VP FOR DEVELOPMENT): $314,561 total reported compensation
  • ADAM QUINLAN (CFO AND VP OF ERM): $310,109 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.