Mars Hill University
81% goes to programs $18 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Mars Hill University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Mars Hill, North Carolina, registered in 1946, with $61,867,647 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 81% of spending to programs.
Po Box 370, Mars Hill, NC, 28754 EIN 56-0554207 Since 1946
Revenue (FY2024)
$61.9M
▲ 19.9% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$62.5M
Net assets
$110.0M
Employees
617
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating81% to programs · $18 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 Mars Hill University: 81% to programs · $18 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating21 mo reserves · -1% 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 Mars Hill University: 21 mo reserves · -1% 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 Mars Hill 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 Mars Hill University: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The organization is a private liberal arts univesrity offering programs leading to five degrees: bachelor of arts, science, music, social work and fine arts.
What they do
Academic support - services that are an integral part of the university's primary mission of education.
Public service - activities established primarily to provide non-instructional services to groups external to the university.
Contact & location
- Address
- Po Box 370, Mars Hill, NC, 28754
- City
- Mars Hill
- State
- North Carolina
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $57.1M (FY2013) to $61.9M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $50.6MNet assets $110.0M
Operating margin
-1.0%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$160.6M
Total liabilities
$50.6M
Net assets
$110.0M
Salaries & benefits
$16.2M
26% of expenses
Board members
32
32 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $61,867,647▲19.9% | $62,498,458▲8.4% | $110,031,050▼3.4% | $160,633,382▼0.7% | 990 |
| 2023 | $51,610,623▼0.8% | $57,669,419▲5.3% | $113,860,211▼1.9% | $161,689,351▼1.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $52,018,098▼17.8% | $54,744,823▲1.8% | $116,110,492▼4.0% | $163,995,515▼4.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $63,249,130▲16.2% | $53,773,460▼0.3% | $121,005,736▲4.1% | $171,154,546▲1.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $54,418,250▼12.1% | $53,958,339▲4.2% | $116,280,782▲13.7% | $168,863,107▲6.0% | 990 |
| 2019 | $61,921,343▲8.6% | $51,775,880▼2.3% | $102,282,508▲9.9% | $159,252,141▲8.1% | 990 |
| 2018 | $57,004,836▲13.7% | $53,017,599▼3.7% | $93,034,289▲2.3% | $147,318,547▲0.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $50,143,112▼3.7% | $55,069,342▲1.6% | $90,905,370▼0.4% | $146,031,197▼0.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $52,069,792▼14.1% | $54,189,617▲4.0% | $91,251,192▲1.7% | $146,376,182▲4.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $60,614,069▲15.0% | $52,086,977▲1.9% | $89,693,650▼1.4% | $140,536,693▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $52,713,279▼7.6% | $51,096,752▲5.5% | $90,968,863▲3.3% | $131,517,721▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2013 | $57,053,931 | $48,428,779▲19.1% | $88,037,973▲29.9% | $126,119,362▲20.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $40,656,990▲8.1% | $67,781,340▼2.5% | $104,275,968▼0.9% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $37,618,480▲5.5% | $69,511,827▲13.6% | $105,211,599▲6.7% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $35,654,586 | $61,193,872 | $98,604,602 | 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: Tony Floyd — $280,000 (0.45% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Floyd | President | 43 | $280,000 |
| Tracy Parkinson | Provost & Vp For Enrollment Management | 43 | $178,000 |
| Daniel Wright | Vp-finance | 43 | $169,583 |
| Greta Byrd | Vp-institutional Advancemement | 43 | $127,625 |
| Grainger Caudle | Senior Director of Planning and Strategy | 43 | $124,377 |
| Dave Rozeboom | Vp-student Life | 43 | $123,439 |
| Ac Honeycutt | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Amanda Beatty | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Anna Renfro | Vice-chair | 1 | — |
| Austin Lee | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Brent Townsend | Chair | 1 | — |
| Brian Danforth | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carole Martin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carolyn Ferguson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Charles Trammell | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cheryl Pappas | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cornell Sweeney Jr | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Don Icenhower | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Doug Echols | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Eric Mann | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| James R Vannoy & Sons Construction | Building Contractor | $18,145,619 |
| Chartwells | Food Service Contractor | $2,777,846 |
| National Management Resources Corporatio | Facilities Contractor | $1,440,756 |
| Alpha Mechanical Service Inc | Facilities Reparis | $237,809 |
| Strada Collaborative LLC | Coaching & Capacity Building Program | $206,337 |
Grants received · $2.8M total
55 grants to Mars Hill University totaling $2.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc | For general and nursing scholarships. | 2024 | $250,000 |
| North Carolina Community Foundation Inc | To support the organization's stated mission | 2024 | $39,580 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $20,000 |
| Foundation For the Carolinas | Charitable gift | 2024 | $10,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $9,152 |
| Ascendium Education Solutions Inc | Travel grant - university innovation alliance summit | 2024 | $6,700 |
| Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc | For general scholarship support. | 2023 | $250,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $51,000 |
| North Carolina Community Foundation Inc | Private colleges & universities - scholarships | 2023 | $38,290 |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association | Grants | 2023 | $20,641 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $17,450 |
| The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina Inc | Improving educational opportunities | 2023 | $6,597 |
| Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc | For general scholarship support. | 2022 | $220,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2022 | $51,000 |
| North Carolina Community Foundation Inc | Education | 2022 | $38,080 |
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Compare Mars Hill University
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mars Hill University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Mars Hill University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 56-0554207, based in Mars Hill, North Carolina. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Mars Hill University's EIN?
- Mars Hill University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 56-0554207.
- How much revenue does Mars Hill University report?
- Mars Hill University reported $61,867,647 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Mars Hill University's spending goes to programs?
- Mars Hill University spends about 81% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Mars Hill University have?
- CharityIndex grades Mars Hill University A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Mars Hill University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Mars Hill University's latest Form 990 is $280,000, paid to Tony Floyd (President).
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Data for Mars Hill University (EIN 56-0554207) 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.