West Chester University Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
233054174
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
West Chester, PA, USA
Phone
6104362868
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$13,749,189
Expenses
$10,752,254
Assets
$70,554,423
Liabilities
$2,637,298

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

Leadership & pay

26 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • COL DEBORAH J CHASE (PRESIDENT)
  • THOMAS E MILLS IV (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • DR JOAN M KAMINSKI (PRESIDENT (UNTIL 07/2024))
  • ROBERT PLUCIENIK (VICE PRESIDENT (UNTIL 07/2024))
  • DEBRA CORNELIUS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • DEBRA CORNELIUS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $277,781 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTINA GERENZA (CFO): $204,137 total reported compensation
  • MOLLY CLARK DAVIS (SR. DIR. ALUMNI ENG./ANNUAL FUND): $183,248 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 foundation was formed to promote the charitable, scientific, and educational interests of west chester university. It achieves this purpose by soliciting funds and other property in accordance with priorities established by the university.

What it reported doing in 2024

The foundation's program service accomplishments during the fiscal year ended june 30, 2025during the fiscal year ended june 30, 2025, the foundation raised more than $13 million in contributions in support of west chester university. This total included $5.9 million in outright gifts and $7.1 million in future commitments.of the $5.9 million in outright gifts, more than $2.1 million was designated for endowments to provide long-term support for student scholarships and university programs and activities. Over $3.7 million was designated for current-use purposes, supporting student scholarships and university programming.during the fiscal year, approximately $2 million in scholarships was awarded to nearly 1,200 students based on donor-established criteria. For many recipients, these scholarships made it possible to access and benefit from a high-quality education at west chester university, opportunities that would not have been attainable without this financial support.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 69% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 39
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 79
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 35.9%; rating input score 36
  • Program expense ratio: 53.8%; rating input score 54
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.8%; rating input score 100; 37th 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; 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: 21.8%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.56; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.4%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.9% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.4% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 35.9% of revenue deployed · 53.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $5.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $278K · 26 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $465K reported
  • Consistency: 42 of 42 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 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.
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 36/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 54/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 7/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 33/100.