Boise State University Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
826010706
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Boise, ID, USA
Phone
2084263822
Rating
74
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$84,418,733
Expenses
$49,561,384
Assets
$313,044,106
Liabilities
$15,906,073

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

Leadership & pay

43 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Argia Beristain From 1124 (Interim CEO; Chief Executive Officer)
  • Matthew Ewing Left 1024 (Chief Executive Officer)
  • Jennifer Neil (Executive Director, Development)
  • Melanie Bannister (Executive Director, Development)
  • Perrine Blakley (Executive Director, Development)

Highest reported compensation

  • Matthew Ewing Left 1024 (Chief Executive Officer): $384,339 total reported compensation
  • Argia Beristain From 1124 (Interim CEO; Chief Executive Officer): $263,989 total reported compensation
  • Paul Powell (Chief Financial Officer): $245,663 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To raise funds and support for Boise State University's programs, prudently manage all private funds donated to the University, and act as an envoy and link between the University and its constituencies.

What it reported doing in 2024

The Foundation provides general support for Boise State University through both endowment and current use funds. Some highlights for the fiscal year end June 30, 2025 include the continued support for all academic colleges, computer science and engineering, STEM, health sciences, research in public policy, education, arts and sciences, True Blue scholarships, endowed positions, athletics, and other various support programs at Boise State University. Effective July 1, 2024, the Boise State University division of University Advancement was merged into the Foundation, forming one unified philanthropic organization. (Continued on Schedule O)The expanded organization now is responsible for fundraising, engagement, information, and technology services, financial operations, and investment management to support activities under the Foundation's, mission to inspire, manage, and distribute private support for the benefit of the University.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 76% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 99% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 67
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 84
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 57.9%; rating input score 58
  • Program expense ratio: 85%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.48 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th 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: 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: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th 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: 41.3%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.32; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.3%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.4% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.9% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 57.9% of revenue deployed · 85% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 32 of 32 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $42.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $384K · 43 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $2.5M reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 40 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 5 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.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 58/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 50/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 23/100.