Franklin University
501(c)(3) Donations tax-deductible
85% goes to programs $13 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Franklin University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Columbus, Ohio, registered in 1966, with $94,699,869 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 85% of spending to programs.
201 S Grant Ave, Columbus, OH, 43215 EIN 31-0707369 Since 1966
Revenue (FY2023)
$94.7M
▲ 8.0% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2023)
$89.2M
Net assets
$117.0M
Employees
1,239
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 rating85% to programs · $13 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 Franklin University: 85% to programs · $13 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating16 mo reserves · +6% 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 Franklin University: 16 mo reserves · +6% margin earns a A 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 Franklin University: 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 Franklin University: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Franklin university is a student-centered, nonprofit, independent institution providing high quality, relevant education to enable the broadest possible community of learners to achieve their goals and enrich the world.
What they do
The franklin university mission includes providing high quality, relevant education to enable the broadest possible community of learners to achieve their goals and enrich the world. to further this goal, franklin offers program design and development services to higher education institutions seeking to expand and improve the quality of their own program offerings.
Contact & location
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $80.8M (FY2013) to $94.7M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $26.9MNet assets $117.0M
Operating margin
5.9%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$143.9M
Total liabilities
$26.9M
Net assets
$117.0M
Salaries & benefits
$54.4M
61% of expenses
Board members
24
24 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $94,699,869▲8.0% | $89,156,450▲0.8% | $116,984,316▲8.0% | $143,856,355▲7.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $87,653,191▼2.6% | $88,484,231▲0.5% | $108,349,446▼0.3% | $133,471,037▼3.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $89,948,897▲15.3% | $88,006,200▲21.2% | $108,641,694▼12.2% | $138,387,629▼5.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $78,032,450▼4.3% | $72,598,140▼15.9% | $123,687,274▲15.6% | $146,345,145▲9.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $81,557,070▲10.5% | $86,309,364▲10.9% | $106,977,852▼7.0% | $133,627,100▼7.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $73,806,482▼4.3% | $77,835,291▲6.5% | $114,991,362▼1.0% | $143,652,888▼1.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $77,153,579▲2.8% | $73,110,163▲0.8% | $116,129,047▲2.1% | $145,395,541▲1.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $75,039,708▼5.1% | $72,527,632▼14.2% | $113,740,540▲5.5% | $143,653,305▲3.4% | 990 |
| 2015 | $79,075,067▼11.8% | $84,518,956▼3.2% | $107,764,363▼2.1% | $138,932,940▲5.0% | 990 |
| 2014 | $89,634,781▲10.9% | $87,344,086▲25.2% | $110,084,775 | $132,376,197▲2.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $80,807,403 | $69,773,359▲1.8% | $110,085,160▲12.3% | $129,005,845▲7.7% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $68,513,443▲0.3% | $97,989,858▲13.1% | $119,803,221▲12.0% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $68,317,919▲1.7% | $86,611,584▲4.5% | $106,930,884▲0.2% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $67,183,813 | $82,918,836 | $106,716,172 | 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: Dr David R Decker — $1,378,789 (1.55% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr David R Decker | President | 55 | $1,378,789 |
| Dr Christopher Washington | Provost and Svp-academic Affairs | 50 | $369,620 |
| Christi Farley-cabungcal | Chief of Staff & Svp Administration | 40 | $368,944 |
| Dr Godfrey Mendes | Svp Global Programs & Strategic Initiatives | 40 | $364,133 |
| Dr Marv Briskey | Treasurer/svp-chief Financial Officer | 40 | $337,349 |
| Rick Sunderman | Svp and Chief Information Officer | 40 | $336,320 |
| Bill Chan | Vp-strategic Alliances | 40 | $301,198 |
| Dr Lynnette Rouzer | Vp-student Affairs | 40 | $300,403 |
| Carl Brown | Vp-campus Services | 40 | $266,148 |
| Dr Patrick Bennett | Vp Operations, Franklin Learning Solutions | 40 | $258,077 |
| Randolph Snyder | Vp-financial Services | 40 | $238,723 |
| Dr Alyncia Bowen | Dean, College of Business | 40 | $217,007 |
| Dr Wendell Seaborne | Dean Doctoral Studies and Academic Research | 40 | $196,881 |
| Dr Jonathan W Mccombs | Dean, College of Health | 40 | $194,703 |
| Anthony Gonsalves | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Bill Balderaz | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Bruce Hagen | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Carrie Harris-muller | Trustee | 2 | — |
| David White | Vice Chair | 2 | — |
| Denise Zabawski | Trustee | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Google Inc | Advertising | $4,999,005 |
| Mbs Direct LLC | Digital Textbooks and Course Materials | $1,588,409 |
| Leeds Management Services Fze | Student Services | $1,551,535 |
| Advantage Media & Digital LLC | Advertising | $1,489,205 |
| Robertson Construction Services Inc | Construction Services | $874,596 |
Grants received · $1.8M total
41 grants to Franklin University totaling $1.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2024 | $194,168 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2023 | $62,975 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2022 | $1,227,813 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2021 | $9,786 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2021 | $9,200 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2020 | $26,000 |
| Impactassets Inc | General support | 2020 | $10,000 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2020 | $6,700 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2019 | $10,000 |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association | Scholarships/grants | 2019 | $9,456 |
| Community Foundation of Sarasota County Inc | General support | 2019 | $5,000 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2018 | $10,000 |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association | Scholarships/grants | 2018 | $8,778 |
| Community Foundation of Sarasota County Inc | General support | 2018 | $5,000 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2017 | $10,000 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Franklin University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Franklin University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 31-0707369, based in Columbus, Ohio. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Franklin University's EIN?
- Franklin University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 31-0707369.
- How much revenue does Franklin University report?
- Franklin University reported $94,699,869 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Franklin University's spending goes to programs?
- Franklin University spends about 85% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Franklin University have?
- CharityIndex grades Franklin University A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Franklin University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Franklin University's latest Form 990 is $1,378,789, paid to Dr David R Decker (President).
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Data for Franklin University (EIN 31-0707369) 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.