Cotter Schools
501(c)(3) Donations tax-deductible
60% goes to programs $0 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Cotter Schools is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Winona, Minnesota, registered in 1945, with $65,965,511 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 60% of spending to programs.
1115 W Broadway St, Winona, MN, 55987 EIN 41-1653997 Since 1945
Revenue (FY2023)
$66.0M
▲ 176.8% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2023)
$17.4M
Net assets
$146.6M
Employees
371
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
BProgram efficiency40% of the rating60% to programs · $0 to raise $100
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 Cotter Schools: 60% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating101 mo reserves · +74% 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 Cotter Schools: 101 mo reserves · +74% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AGovernance25% of the rating5 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 Cotter Schools: 5 of 6 checks met earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 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 Cotter Schools: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Provide secondary education for grades prek-12 by promoting excellence through prayer and learning.
Contact & location
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $6.0M (FY2013) to $66.0M (FY2023) across 10 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $1.9MNet assets $146.6M
Operating margin
73.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$148.6M
Total liabilities
$1.9M
Net assets
$146.6M
Salaries & benefits
$11.0M
63% of expenses
Board members
15
15 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $65,965,511▲177% | $17,352,042▲18.4% | $146,615,052▲50.7% | $148,557,501▲50.2% | 990 |
| 2022 | $23,832,417▼64.6% | $14,658,489▲27.0% | $97,259,940▲12.5% | $98,897,657▲10.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $67,304,233▲794% | $11,545,930▲79.1% | $86,431,376▲149% | $89,286,042▲144% | 990 |
| 2020 | $7,528,293▲32.2% | $6,446,709▲7.8% | $34,680,238▲21.2% | $36,562,866▲23.4% | 990 |
| 2018 | $5,692,817▼12.1% | $5,978,176▼1.9% | $28,619,762▼2.2% | $29,622,385▼1.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $6,474,292▲15.2% | $6,092,953▼3.3% | $29,251,233▲2.0% | $30,184,977▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $5,618,791▲3.9% | $6,302,212▼0.6% | $28,682,907▲3.2% | $29,812,100▲3.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $5,408,930▼23.6% | $6,342,678▲1.3% | $27,793,442▼5.0% | $28,787,148▼6.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $7,083,099▲18.8% | $6,263,709▼11.1% | $29,261,692▲1.5% | $30,660,268▲2.9% | 990 |
| 2013 | $5,961,066 | $7,041,860▲11.5% | $28,842,511▲2.5% | $29,793,138▲2.5% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $6,316,154▼4.4% | $28,146,779▲1.4% | $29,074,594▲0.3% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $6,606,160▲13.2% | $27,758,322▲225% | $28,998,967▲191% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $5,837,897 | $8,532,206 | $9,953,930 | 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 (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Mary Eileen Fitch — $166,933 (0.96% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Eileen Fitch | President | 50 | $166,933 |
| Michael Swenson | Vice President-advancement | 50 | $140,646 |
| Jeff Apse | Director of Finance and Human Resources | 50 | $108,983 |
| Amy Donnenwerth | Chair | 1 | — |
| Ann Renk | Director | 1 | — |
| Barry Mcraith | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Christina Uribe-nitti | Director | 1 | — |
| Dawn Guzzo | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Erica Jerowski | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Fr Mark Mcnea | Director | 1 | — |
| Fr Pat Arens | Director | 1 | — |
| Fr Russ Scepaniak | Director | 1 | — |
| Jennifer Miller | Director | 1 | — |
| Kevin Gorman | Director | 1 | — |
| Kurt Knuesel | Director | 1 | — |
| Mary Kirk | Director | 1 | — |
| Meg Krinke | Director | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2020)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Schwab Construction | Construction | $2,127,217 |
Grants received · $110K total
6 grants to Cotter Schools totaling $110K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2020 | $20,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2020 | $20,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2019 | $20,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2018 | $20,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2017 | $20,000 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cotter Schools a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Cotter Schools is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 41-1653997, based in Winona, Minnesota. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Cotter Schools's EIN?
- Cotter Schools's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 41-1653997.
- How much revenue does Cotter Schools report?
- Cotter Schools reported $65,965,511 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Cotter Schools's spending goes to programs?
- Cotter Schools spends about 60% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Cotter Schools have?
- CharityIndex grades Cotter Schools B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Cotter Schools's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Cotter Schools's latest Form 990 is $166,933, paid to Mary Eileen Fitch (President).
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Data for Cotter Schools (EIN 41-1653997) 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.