Desales University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, registered in 1946, with $142,543,031 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 94% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2023)
$142.5M
▲ 10.0% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$140.1M
Net assets
$186.8M
Employees
1,797
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 Desales University: 94% to programs · $15 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Desales University: 16 mo reserves · +2% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Desales University: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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 Desales University: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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The mission of desales university is to provide men and women with quality higher education according to the philosophy of christian humanism as developed by saint francis de sales and his spiritual heirs. the university imparts knowledge about and develops talents for personal, familial, and societal living. desales university enriches the human community and enchances the dignity of the individual through its educational endeavors. in its work, the university fosters a vital and respectful dialogue between roman catholic faith and human culture.
Revenue grew from $96.8M (FY2013) to $142.5M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
1.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$252.5M
Total liabilities
$65.7M
Net assets
$186.8M
Salaries & benefits
$51.1M
36% of expenses
Board members
23
22 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $142,543,031▲10.0% | $140,096,460▲5.1% | $186,779,028▲3.4% | $252,500,253▲2.5% | 990 |
| 2022 | $129,548,696▼6.5% | $133,300,687▲1.1% | $180,709,088▲1.8% | $246,330,370▼1.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $138,627,369▲8.6% | $131,880,339▲10.7% | $177,490,921▼9.5% | $248,865,139▼7.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $127,653,675▲6.6% | $119,109,415▲3.2% | $196,135,820▲14.2% | $267,808,643▲6.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $119,802,962▼1.2% | $115,400,955▲2.0% | $171,697,377▲2.3% | $251,211,815▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2018 | $121,267,896▲8.6% | $113,138,262▲5.9% | $167,873,903▲8.3% | $240,874,851▲3.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $111,689,089▲2.5% | $106,793,404▲2.0% | $154,945,278▲5.2% | $232,453,478▲5.4% | 990 |
| 2016 | $108,944,905▲10.8% | $104,735,046▲4.8% | $147,314,231▲8.4% | $220,645,376▲5.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $98,315,940▼0.6% | $99,956,064▲7.2% | $135,914,964▼1.8% | $209,722,809▲3.2% | 990 |
| 2014 | $98,908,676▲2.1% | $93,273,404▲4.9% | $138,427,111▲2.0% | $203,237,204▲2.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $96,827,111 | $88,880,223▲5.5% | $135,732,065▲9.1% | $199,057,287▲9.5% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $84,218,890▲5.6% | $124,419,675▲12.0% | $181,734,932▲9.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $79,732,237▲6.1% | $111,117,643▲5.0% | $165,872,778▲6.8% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $75,134,617▲3.0% | $105,874,694▲12.6% | $155,282,911▲6.1% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $72,962,215 | $94,012,504 | $146,417,050 | 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.
Highest-paid: Robert Snyder — $241,728 (0.17% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Snyder | Vp Finance & Administration | 53 | $241,728 |
| Dr Gerard Joyce | Executive Vice President | 50 | $220,188 |
| Dr Robert Blumenstein | Associate Provost of Transition | 50 | $205,632 |
| Dr Christopher Cocozza | Chair For Division of Business | 45 | $199,704 |
| Dr Mary Elizabeth Tadduni | Chair For Division of Nursing | 45 | $189,409 |
| Michael Sweetana | Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer | 55 | $174,051 |
| Linda Zerbe | Vp For Student Life | 45 | $172,524 |
| Dr Carol Gullo Mest | Chair of Graduate Nursing | 45 | $170,961 |
| Marc Albanese | Vp For Campus Environment | 50 | $166,474 |
| Mark Albert | Chief Information Officer | 50 | $160,534 |
| Kathleen Ehrhardt | Program Director PA Program | 45 | $157,150 |
| Melanie Malek | Program Director Dpt Program | 45 | $152,602 |
| Peter Rautzhan | Assoc Vp Admin/secretary | 40 | $143,126 |
| Cheryl Murphy | Gift Officer | 40 | $117,733 |
| Terese Wignot | Provost | 50 | $84,243 |
| Fr James J Greenfield | President | 50 | $1,069 |
| Fr Kevin M Nadolski | Vp For Mission | 45 | $391 |
| Brian E Kearney | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Francis J Ford Jr | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Frank J Dalicandro | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Builders LLC | Construction | $2,757,340 |
| Media Works Ltd | Advertising & Marketing | $1,974,115 |
| Godshall's Landscape & Hydroseed | Lawn, Landscaping, Snow Services | $892,057 |
| Oblates of St Francis Desales | Management & Instr. | $730,517 |
| Servicemaster By Round the Clock | Cleaning Services | $624,592 |
52 grants to Desales University totaling $3.0M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $42,205 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $35,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $12,250 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2023 | $928,760 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2023 | $285,000 |
| St Lukes Hospital | Program support | 2023 | $103,493 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $67,500 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $45,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $21,411 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2023 | $20,174 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $10,000 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation | Scholarships | 2023 | $6,250 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2022 | $119,200 |
| St Lukes Hospital | Program support | 2022 | $101,500 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2022 | $75,000 |
5 grants totaling $44K in FY2023. All grants made by Desales University →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oblates of St Francis De Sales | Donation | $12,910 |
| Nativity Preparatory School | Donation | $10,000 |
| Mustard Seed Communities Inc | Donation | $9,500 |
| St Lukes Hospital | Donation | $6,300 |
| Lehigh Valley Hospital | Donation | $5,500 |
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Data for Desales University (EIN 23-1653718) 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.