Franklin Pierce University

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
020263136
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Rindge, NH, USA
Phone
6038994000
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Undergraduate College (4-year)

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$127,747,799
Expenses
$131,253,640
Assets
$87,057,409
Liabilities
$45,308,667

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

Leadership & pay

26 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Dr Kim Mooney (Past President)
  • Peter Eden (President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Dr Kim Mooney (Past President): $487,147 total reported compensation
  • Peter Eden (President): $285,491 total reported compensation
  • Catherine Paden (Provost & VP Acad Affairs): $222,934 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Franklin Pierce University delivers programs and educational experiences that develop essential intellectual and professional skills; promotes close community connections; and empowers our students to realize their potential through the intersection of highly personalized liberal learning, innovative engagement, and professional programming.

What it reported doing in 2024

Franklin Pierce University serves traditional and nontraditional students at the undergraduate and graduate level. Awards are offered from the certificate level through the doctoral level. Credit and non-credit bearing courses are available, and many programs are available online. Degree completion programs are available and the university welcomes transfer students at all instructional locations.Undergraduate Fall Enrollment total Headcount = 997Traditional Undergraduate = 910Nontraditional/Online = 87Graduate Fall Enrollment Total Headcount = 658 Student Faculty Ratio = 13:1Average class size = 16Undergraduate Awards: Undergraduate Certificate (multiple legal and human services concentrations)Associate of Arts (multiple business, legal and human services concentrations)Bachelor of Arts (multiple liberal arts/humanities concentrations)Bachelor of Science (multiple biological, health, and environmental science concentrations; business concentrations)Graduate Awards: M.B.A. in LeadershipM.B.A. in Energy & Sustainability StudiesM.B.A. in Human Resource ManagementM.B.A. in Health AdministrationM.B.A in AccountingM.B.A. in Sports ManagementMaster of Science in AccountingMaster of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing - Dual DegreeMaster of Education & Teacher CertificationM.Ed Elementary (K-6 or K-8)M.Ed Social Sciences (5-8 or 5-12)M.Ed Life Sciences (7-12)M.Ed English Language Arts (5-8 or 5-12)M.Ed General Special Education (K-12)M.Ed LeadershipMaster of Physician Assistant StudiesM.S. in Nursing EducationM.S. in Nursing LeadershipDoctor of Physical TherapyGraduate Certificate (multiple business, nursing & education)Student: faculty Ratio: 12:1Average Class Size: 16Undergraduate Areas of Study: Accounting/Finance, Biology, Communication, Criminal Justice, Digital Media Design, Education, Emergency Medical Services, English, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Healthcare Administration, Health Sciences, History, Integrated Studies, Management, Marketing, Music, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, Sports and Recreation Management, Sports Media, Education Studies, Human Services.Graduate Areas of Study: Business Administration in Energy and Sustainability Studies, Business Administration in Human Resource Management, Business Administration in Leadership, Business Administration in Sports Management, Business in Health Administration, Education, Health Administration, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Mental Health Counseling, Nursing Administration, Nursing Education, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies,.MBA tracks are available as an accelerated program through the College of Business and several programs are available online.Accreditation: Franklin Pierce University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). In November 2018, Franklin Pierce was accorded full re-accreditation by NECHE with the next comprehensive evaluation scheduled for Fall 2028.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 99% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 60% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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: 87
  • Transparency & Controls: 87
  • Accountability: 96
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 98.3%; rating input score 98
  • Program expense ratio: 94.7%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: $1.83 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 5; 5th 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: 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: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 44th 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 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.66; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.52; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.5%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 98.3% of revenue deployed · 94.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 16 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $124.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $487K · 26 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $5.8M reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 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: 9 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

Grant-readiness screening is separate from the live rating, not a measure of program quality. Review the source records before making a grant decision.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 5/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 17/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 26/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.
  • High — Grant Readiness: Federal audit findings: this organization reported findings in its latest federal Single Audit.