Bethel University

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
620548913
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Jun 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
McKenzie, TN, United States
Phone
7313524001
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
University or Technological Institute
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$46,326,285
Expenses
$46,239,858
Assets
$91,636,316
Liabilities
$57,532,617

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CLIFTON MOULDS (PRESIDENT)
  • JOSEPH R HAMES (VICE PRESIDENT CHS)
  • CINDY A MALLARD (VICE PRESIDENT CAS/ACADEMI)
  • EDWARD SCOTT (EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • CLIFTON MOULDS (PRESIDENT): $238,225 total reported compensation
  • PHYLLIS K CAMPBELL (CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER/COM): $200,199 total reported compensation
  • CINDY A MALLARD (VICE PRESIDENT CAS/ACADEMI): $150,619 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Bethel University is an inclusive Christian community dedicated to equipping individuals for a life of service through academic, spiritual, social, and experiential learning. Bethel University collects personally identifiable information when users submit forms such as applications, financial transactions, or requests for information through this website. Personally identifiable information includes any information that could be used to identify the user, including but not limited to name, address, email address, Social Security number, birth date, bank account information, credit card information, or any combination of information that could be used for identification purposes. This information is utilized only to fulfill the users’ requests. The University only uses this information to support the administrative requirements of the University respective to each.

What it reported doing in 2024

Student and auxiliary services - including admissions, financialaid assistance and intercollegiate athletics.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 87% 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 69% for direct work, and 31% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 75
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 44
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 82.7%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 83.3%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $28.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd 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; 66th 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: 0.2%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.98; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.63; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.5%; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -5.5% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -3.1% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 82.7% of revenue deployed · 83.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 23 of 23 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $38.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $238K · 34 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $220K reported
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 21/100.