Western Oregon University Development Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
936033807
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Monmouth, OR, USA
Phone
5038388281
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
University or Technological Institute

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,154,050
Expenses
$3,203,825
Assets
$35,297,856
Liabilities
$220,447

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

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KATIE WOJKE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • JESSE PETERS (PRESIDENT, WOU)

Highest reported compensation

  • JESSE PETERS (PRESIDENT, WOU): $453,060 total reported compensation
  • KATIE WOJKE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $264,839 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 western Oregon university foundation exists to strengthen relationships and provide resources in order to serve and support the mission and vision of western Oregon university.

What it reported doing in 2024

951 wou students received a total of $1,299,112 in scholarships, student aid and student loans for the continuation of their education and advancement toward the completion of their degrees. Scholarships enable students to focus on their education by providing resources that make college more affordable. With nearly all wou students qualifying for and needing financial aid, raising funds for scholarships and student aid remains a top priority for the wou foundation board, wolves rising campaign leadership committee, advancement and university staff. Increasing scholarship resources makes up half of the $20 million wolves rising campaign $10 million goal. The wolves rising campaign timeline is 2020 - june 30, 2028. As of december 31, 2025, $12.9 million (or 129%) has been committed in support of current use, endowed or future (estate) scholarships.volunteers and staff work with new and existing donors to create new named current use or endowed scholarships or to direct their support to the existing general scholarship fund. We also work with existing donors to renew current use and add to existing endowed scholarships.in addition to scholarships, many students benefit from emergency student aid, with the average aid award being $580.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 72% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 74% 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 available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 86
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 74%; rating input score 74
  • Program expense ratio: 81.4%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 43rd 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 37.8%; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 11.02; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.1%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.6% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.3% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.7% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 74% of revenue deployed · 81.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $2.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $453K · 23 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2013 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 44/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: CEO compensation review process not reported.