Ascendium Education Group Inc
Only 52% goes to programs Strong reserves Growing revenue
Ascendium Education Group Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Madison, Wisconsin, registered in 1967, with $94,918,940 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 52% of spending to programs.
38 Buttonwood Ct, Madison, WI, 53718 EIN 39-1090394 Since 1967
Revenue (FY2024)
$94.9M
▲ 21.1% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$14.3M
Net assets
$3.5B
Employees
121
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating52% to programs
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Ascendium Education Group Inc: 52% to programs earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating2980 mo reserves · +85% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Ascendium Education Group Inc: 2980 mo reserves · +85% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Ascendium Education Group Inc: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Ascendium Education Group Inc: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Ascendium education group, inc. operates for the support and benefit of ascendium education solutions, inc.
What they do
Ascendium education group, inc. operates for the support and benefit of ascendium education solutions, inc. (solutions). solutions supports increased access to and success in postseconday education as a national grantmaker, a federal student loan guaranty agency and a provider of student success services.
Contact & location
- Address
- 38 Buttonwood Ct, Madison, WI, 53718
- City
- Madison
- State
- Wisconsin
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $12.3M (FY2013) to $94.9M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $5.9MNet assets $3.5B
Operating margin
84.9%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$3.6B
Total liabilities
$5.9M
Net assets
$3.5B
Salaries & benefits
$18.0M
126% of expenses
Board members
12
11 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $94,918,940▲21.1% | $14,289,952▲14.0% | $3,549,170,219▲17.7% | $3,555,116,130▲17.6% | 990 |
| 2023 | $78,403,388▲210% | $12,531,647▼82.2% | $3,016,519,762▲16.3% | $3,022,286,011▲16.3% | 990 |
| 2022 | $25,305,849▼4.1% | $70,596,121▲1162% | $2,593,571,080▼6.6% | $2,599,459,075▼6.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $26,399,097▼12.9% | $5,594,270▲127% | $2,778,059,235▲21.1% | $2,781,800,074▲21.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $30,305,077▲1.5% | $2,468,782▲19.6% | $2,294,300,920▲7.6% | $2,297,580,826▲7.7% | 990 |
| 2019 | $29,867,739▼76.8% | $2,064,066▲108% | $2,132,840,807▲96.2% | $2,132,867,938▲95.7% | 990 |
| 2018 | $128,791,379▲1972% | $992,425▼29.4% | $1,087,086,895▲21.5% | $1,090,091,290▲21.8% | 990 |
| 2017 | $6,216,686▼63.0% | $1,405,311▲39.4% | $894,678,873▲5.2% | $894,746,030▲5.1% | 990 |
| 2016 | $16,797,979▲3.1% | $1,007,767▲149% | $850,795,360▲35.2% | $851,364,138▲35.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $16,297,764▲969% | $404,180▲678% | $629,304,742▲3.4% | $629,596,316▲3.4% | 990 |
| 2014 | $1,525,259▼87.6% | $51,971▲12.6% | $608,467,518▲3.0% | $608,926,662▲2.9% | 990 |
| 2013 | $12,266,355 | $46,171▲12.7% | $590,984,450▲3.0% | $591,662,561▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $40,958▼25.2% | $573,644,542▲3.4% | $574,242,929▲3.4% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $54,773▲34.0% | $554,917,547▲3.0% | $555,540,168▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $40,862 | $538,773,017 | $539,502,547 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Richard D George - 23 — $868,757 (6.08% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard D George - 23 | Chair/pres/cio/treas | 33 | $868,757 |
| Hope E Merry - 3 | Chief Financial Officer | 27 | $429,284 |
| Keith Witham - 3 | Vp - Education Philanthropy | 44 | $317,685 |
| Rebecca E Rapp - 3 | Gen Cnsl/chief Privacy Officer/asst Secretary | 31 | $309,412 |
| Brett G Lindquist - 3 | Vp - Comms and Cmnty Engmt | 6 | $297,922 |
| Eric C Maly - 3 | Vp - Info Security and Tech | 12 | $292,950 |
| Matthew R Harlowe - 3 | Director - Internal Audit | 43 | $260,968 |
| Maureen L Harrill - 3 | Vp - Human Resources | 12 | $245,757 |
| Alexander J Hammond | Senior Security Architect | 45 | $184,099 |
| Jessa L Valentine | Dpty Dir - Learning and Impact | 45 | $175,994 |
| Bethany M Miller - 3 | Director - Learning and Impact | 45 | $175,283 |
| Jennifer M Krueger - 3 | Deputy General Counsel | 45 | $169,546 |
| Carolynn E Lee | Dpty Dir - Educ Grantmaking | 45 | $167,394 |
| Roger Ervin - 1 | Director | 3 | $55,000 |
| Thomas Boldt - 1 | Director | 3 | $55,000 |
| Joan Prince - 1 | Director | 3 | $46,000 |
| Linda Hoeschler - 1 | Director | 3 | $46,000 |
| Scott Klug - 1 | Director | 2 | $27,500 |
| Darren King - 1 | Director | 2 | $23,000 |
| David J Hanson - 1 | Director | 2 | $23,000 |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley | Investment Fees | $1,587,570 |
| Applied Tech Solutions LLC | Information Services | $660,273 |
| Ernst & Young Us LLP | Audit/tax Service | $339,869 |
| Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren Sc | Legal Service | $296,920 |
| Wipfli LLP | Consulting | $143,208 |
Grants made · $61.1M in FY2022
1 grant totaling $61.1M in FY2022. All grants made by Ascendium Education Group Inc →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ascendium Education Solutions Inc | Fund ascendium education solution, inc. grant program | $61,144,777 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Ascendium Education Group Inc a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Ascendium Education Group Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 39-1090394, based in Madison, Wisconsin. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Ascendium Education Group Inc's EIN?
- Ascendium Education Group Inc's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 39-1090394.
- How much revenue does Ascendium Education Group Inc report?
- Ascendium Education Group Inc reported $94,918,940 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Ascendium Education Group Inc's spending goes to programs?
- Ascendium Education Group Inc spends about 52% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Ascendium Education Group Inc have?
- CharityIndex grades Ascendium Education Group Inc A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Ascendium Education Group Inc's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Ascendium Education Group Inc's latest Form 990 is $868,757, paid to Richard D George - 23 (Chair/pres/cio/treas).
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Explore more
Data for Ascendium Education Group Inc (EIN 39-1090394) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.