University of Virginia Alumni Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
540485595
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Charlottesville, VA, USA
Phone
4342439000
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alumni Associations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$24,213,385
Expenses
$102,113,000
Assets
$673,580,601
Liabilities
$303,128,740

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

Leadership & pay

55 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LILY E WEST (PRESIDENT AND CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • LILY E WEST (PRESIDENT AND CEO): $497,868 total reported compensation
  • BRENT J PERCIVAL (ED JEFFERSON TRUST): $206,751 total reported compensation
  • ELIZABETH K TURRISI (CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER): $205,764 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The mission of the alumni association is to build the strongest bond among alumni and between alumni and the university by serving all alumni and students; being the center for engaging and connecting the global uva community; acting as a conduit to keep alumni informed and providing vehicles to share their voices; and being an invaluable partner to the university.

What it reported doing in 2024

Homecomings & reunions - through a series of in-person and digital events held throughout the year, the association welcomes thousands of alumni back to uva in meaningful, social, and educational ways that strengthen the bond between alumni and their alma mater. Annual reunions weekends brings alumni back based on class year, while other reunions geared for specific demographic and/or affinity groups provide unique opportunities to reconnect with the university throughout a lifetime. Additional programming includes social and educational events surrounding football games and more than 150 student events designed to build community and class identity.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 63% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 90% 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. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 95.9%; rating input score 96
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.84 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • 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: -321.7%; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.6; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.45; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.4%; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 95.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 43 of 43 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $98M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $498K · 55 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $5.4M reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 43/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 33/100.