La Roche University

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
251125048
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2019
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Phone
412-536-1000
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
University or Technological Institute
Affiliation
Christianity

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$41,766,763
Expenses
$44,198,120
Assets
$38,517,042
Liabilities
$24,086,314

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

Leadership & pay

37 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHRISTINA CLARK (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • HOWARD J ISHIYAMA PHD (PROVOST): $212,801 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTINE WITTEBORT (DNAP PROGRAM ASST DIRECTOR): $181,747 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTINA CLARK (PRESIDENT): $170,908 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

La Roche University, a Catholic institution of higher learning, founded and sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence, fosters global citizenship and creates a community of scholars from the region, the nation and around the world. The University integrates liberal arts and professional education in creative ways, empowering all members of our community to become lifelong learners, achieve success in their chosen careers and promote justice and peace.

What it reported doing in 2024

Primary exempt purpose: educational servicesla roche university provides accessible, high-quality higher education rooted in catholic intellectual tradition and the mission of the congregation of divine providence. The university delivers undergraduate and graduate programs that integrate liberal arts education with career preparation, emphasizing global perspectives, ethical leadership, and service-oriented values. Through academic programs, student support services, and community engagement initiatives, la roche prepares graduates for professional achievement and civic responsibility while serving a diverse student population from the pittsburgh region, across the united states, and internationally.core valuesla roche's educational mission is guided by six foundational values rooted in its catholic identity and relationship with the sisters of divine providence: inclusiveness: fostering an academic community that seeks to understand, respect, and include all members integrity: promoting honesty, ethical behavior, and principled decision-making determination: exemplifying the steadfast commitment of the founding congregation to thrive despite challenges compassion: providing personal attention to students and extending kindness throughout the community inspiration: challenging students to achieve their highest potential and contribute meaningfully to society justice and peace: promoting equity and peace, with particular attention to those most in needkey program areasacademic programs: the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs combining liberal arts curriculum with professional preparation. Faculty possess academic and professional credentials supporting teaching excellence and student outcomes.student success initiatives: institutional support structures address students' academic, personal, and professional development through faculty engagement, campus resources, and outcome-based assessment practices.mission and identity: opportunities for engagement with catholic intellectual tradition are available within an academic context. Global focus initiatives provide students and faculty opportunities for intercultural engagement.stewardship: the university maintains responsible operational practices ensuring efficient use of institutional resources to support its educational mission.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 89% 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 65% for direct work, and 35% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - 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: 70
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 93
  • Sustainability: 26
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 78.6%; rating input score 79
  • Program expense ratio: 75.2%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.41 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • 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: 96.4%; rating input score 96; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: -5.8%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.87; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.63; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.5%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.7% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.8% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 3 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 78.6% of revenue deployed · 75.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 27 of 28 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $33.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $213K · 37 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $5.8M reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 11 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: 10 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 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.

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 13/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 31/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 21/100.
  • High — Grant Readiness: Federal audit findings: this organization reported findings in its latest federal Single Audit.