Lyon College
82% goes to programs $46 to raise $100
Lyon College is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Batesville, Arkansas, registered in 1946, with $34,339,062 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it C, and it directs about 82% of spending to programs.
2300 Highland Rd, Batesville, AR, 72501 EIN 71-0246213 Since 1946
Revenue (FY2023)
$34.3M
▲ 30.2% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$62.2M
Net assets
$24.9M
Employees
515
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
C
★★★★
Rated on 4 of 4 criteria.
Held down by its weakest criterion — a strong score on one criterion can't hide a weak one.
How the rating works →BProgram efficiency40% of the rating82% to programs · $46 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 Lyon College: 82% to programs · $46 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
FFinancial health25% of the rating5 mo reserves · -81% 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 Lyon College: 5 mo reserves · -81% margin earns a F on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
BGovernance25% of the rating4 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 Lyon College: 4 of 6 checks met earns a B 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 Lyon College: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Lyon college offers a liberal arts education of superior quality in a personalized setting. a selective, independent, undergraduate, residential teaching and learning community affiliated with the presbyterian church (usa). lyon encourages the free intellectual inquiry essential to social, ethical and spiritual growth. with a rich scholarly and religious heritage, lyon develops, in a culture of honor, responsible citizens and leaders committed to continued personal growth and service.
What they do
Student aid and student loans - scholarships, work study programs, and loans are made available to enable students to continue their educations.
Auxilary enterprises - housing, food services, and bookstore activities are provided as a service to those on campus to enhance campus life.
Contact & location
- Address
- 2300 Highland Rd, Batesville, AR, 72501
- City
- Batesville
- State
- Arkansas
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $26.1M (FY2013) to $34.3M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $98.8MNet assets $24.9M
Operating margin
-81.0%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$123.7M
Total liabilities
$98.8M
Net assets
$24.9M
Salaries & benefits
$14.5M
23% of expenses
Board members
15
15 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $34,339,062▲30.2% | $62,152,246▲48.2% | $24,888,489▼57.5% | $123,712,110▲15.2% | 990 |
| 2022 | $26,364,334▼22.3% | $41,936,415▲11.6% | $58,620,087▼19.1% | $107,411,723▼6.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $33,951,461▼0.9% | $37,580,960▼1.4% | $72,435,736▼21.8% | $114,547,057▼14.7% | 990 |
| 2020 | $34,275,899▼60.2% | $38,131,695▼1.5% | $92,638,534▲7.7% | $134,360,694▲8.7% | 990 |
| 2019 | $86,085,291▲199% | $38,694,967▼1.4% | $85,990,294▲100.0% | $123,601,138▲44.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $28,785,427▲1.3% | $39,253,234▲8.5% | $43,005,169▼18.7% | $85,834,856▼1.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $28,406,665▲2.8% | $36,192,371▲7.9% | $52,927,253▼12.5% | $87,213,938▼1.8% | 990 |
| 2016 | $27,640,540▼39.4% | $33,529,153▲4.6% | $60,461,094▼5.1% | $88,798,205▼4.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $45,607,888▲44.8% | $32,045,462▲6.7% | $63,710,039▲25.6% | $92,576,942▲11.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $31,500,738▲20.9% | $30,033,133▲15.8% | $50,744,586▲0.9% | $83,145,488▲16.9% | 990 |
| 2013 | $26,050,800 | $25,933,761▲1.5% | $50,313,430▲4.1% | $71,145,035▲1.4% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $25,538,198▲6.0% | $48,337,701▼7.1% | $70,187,350▼4.5% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $24,082,940▲0.2% | $52,044,373▲7.8% | $73,456,954▲6.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $24,040,505▲5.9% | $48,289,608▲0.7% | $69,246,874▲5.5% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $22,703,427 | $47,941,200 | $65,647,721 | 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: Melissa Taverner — $238,948 (0.38% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melissa Taverner | President | 40 | $238,948 |
| Burke Soffe | Dean of Dental Medicine School | 40 | $227,450 |
| Joseph D Botana II | Vp of Business and Finance | 40 | $140,521 |
| Anthony K Grafton | Provost | 40 | $127,127 |
| David Hutchinson | Vice President For Advance | 40 | $116,664 |
| Branndii Peterson | Ex. Director of Trio | 40 | $104,322 |
| A Danell Hetirck | Vice President For Student Life | 40 | $103,317 |
| Ben Brainard | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Camryn Long | Young Alumni Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| David Jones | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Enid Olvey | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Gary Paxon | Secretary/treasurer | 0.5 | — |
| James L Rutherford III | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Jason Earley | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| John Beller | Vice Chairman | 0.5 | — |
| Jonathon Thompson | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Marvin Mccalman | Alumni Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Suzanne Blair | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Taylor Fitterling | Young Alumni Trustee | 0.5 | — |
| Terrell King | Trustee | 0.5 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Dining Services | Food Services | $2,637,301 |
| National Management Resources | Maintenance Management | $1,402,512 |
| Apogee Telecom | Information Technology | $1,275,863 |
| Jenzabar | Information Technology | $517,706 |
| Baldwin & Shell | Architects/engineers | $459,078 |
Grants received · $441K total
22 grants to Lyon College totaling $441K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | To support the center for teaching and learning education fund | 2024 | $100,000 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | For capacity building | 2024 | $15,000 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | For first year students dental association fees | 2024 | $7,920 |
| White River Health System Inc | Athletic trainer salary | 2023 | $31,109 |
| White River Health System Inc | Athletic trainer salary | 2022 | $36,092 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | Match for robert young challenge | 2022 | $10,000 |
| The Blackbaud Giving Fund | General support | 2022 | $7,844 |
| White River Health System Inc | Athletic trainer salary | 2021 | $27,475 |
| White River Health System Inc | Athletic trainer salary | 2020 | $29,458 |
| White River Health System Inc | Athletic trainer salary | 2019 | $32,724 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | General operating support | 2019 | $25,000 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | Lyon annual fund | 2019 | $1,000 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | Covid-19 minigrant in accordance with proposal submitted online | 2019 | $1,000 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | To support the scholarship program | 2019 | $584 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc | Scholarship and brown chapel | 2016 | $25,000 |
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Compare Lyon College
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lyon College a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Lyon College is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 71-0246213, based in Batesville, Arkansas. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Lyon College's EIN?
- Lyon College's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 71-0246213.
- How much revenue does Lyon College report?
- Lyon College reported $34,339,062 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Lyon College's spending goes to programs?
- Lyon College spends about 82% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Lyon College have?
- CharityIndex grades Lyon College C, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Lyon College's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Lyon College's latest Form 990 is $238,948, paid to Melissa Taverner (President).
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Data for Lyon College (EIN 71-0246213) 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.