Otterbein University
88% goes to programs $23 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Otterbein University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Westerville, Ohio, registered in 1945, with $103,702,093 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 88% of spending to programs.
1 S Grove St, Westerville, OH, 43081 EIN 31-4379532 Since 1945
Revenue (FY2023)
$103.7M
▼ 2.6% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$107.2M
Net assets
$207.2M
Employees
1,536
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 rating88% to programs · $23 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 Otterbein University: 88% to programs · $23 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating23 mo reserves · -3% 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 Otterbein University: 23 mo reserves · -3% margin earns a B+ 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 Otterbein University: 6 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 Otterbein University: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
Otterbein university is a private, church-related, coeducational university that sponsors traditional and continuing education programs of liberal arts and professional education.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1 S Grove St, Westerville, OH, 43081
- City
- Westerville
- State
- Ohio
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $111.3M (FY2013) to $103.7M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $47.3MNet assets $207.2M
Operating margin
-3.3%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$254.6M
Total liabilities
$47.3M
Net assets
$207.2M
Salaries & benefits
$38.7M
36% of expenses
Board members
24
19 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $103,702,093▼2.6% | $107,152,223▲1.5% | $207,249,932▲3.0% | $254,551,982▲2.3% | 990 |
| 2022 | $106,461,271▼2.0% | $105,596,876▼0.6% | $201,135,949▼0.2% | $248,932,642▼2.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $108,595,829▲5.5% | $106,183,917▲7.6% | $201,444,815▼4.0% | $254,796,464▼2.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $102,893,802▼3.4% | $98,672,906▼7.9% | $209,733,037▲16.6% | $261,024,350▲10.1% | 990 |
| 2019 | $106,500,900▲4.6% | $107,115,634▲2.9% | $179,918,031▼1.6% | $236,973,881▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $101,854,659▼3.8% | $104,059,601▲0.2% | $182,800,833▲1.7% | $230,084,436 | 990 |
| 2017 | $105,861,769▼3.6% | $103,897,401▲0.1% | $179,794,993▲3.8% | $230,130,770▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2016 | $109,811,229▲18.6% | $103,833,270▲6.0% | $173,284,020▲5.1% | $223,329,804▲3.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $92,589,948▼2.5% | $97,990,390▲0.4% | $164,933,511▼4.8% | $216,706,512▼2.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $94,932,890▼14.7% | $97,581,761▲2.2% | $173,277,346▼1.5% | $221,787,450▼1.8% | 990 |
| 2013 | $111,262,848 | $95,494,380▲4.0% | $175,905,602▲7.5% | $225,879,043▲5.2% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $91,807,568▲1.9% | $163,596,460▲8.4% | $214,733,883▲5.5% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $90,111,167▲3.6% | $150,953,711▼0.8% | $203,551,813▼1.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $87,013,366 | $152,183,206 | $205,631,736 | 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: Comerford John — $385,164 (0.36% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comerford John | President of the University | 50 | $385,164 |
| Sherman-heckler Wendy | Provost | 50 | $196,336 |
| Mcgreevey Michael | Vp of Institutional Advancement | 50 | $177,641 |
| Bolt Susan | Vp of Business Affairs (retired April 2024) | 50 | $175,393 |
| Blackburn-smith Jefferson | Executive Vp For Strategic Initiatives | 50 | $174,305 |
| Fox William | Vp of Student Affairs | 50 | $135,564 |
| Bender Erin | Executive Director - the Point | 50 | $125,871 |
| Bonte Kathleen | Executive Director of Development | 50 | $123,657 |
| Tansey Dr John | Trustee and Professor | 50 | $94,254 |
| Milsap Dr Susan | Trustee and Professor | 50 | $92,341 |
| Yusuf Mahad | Trustee and Student | 2 | $5,198 |
| Khafagy Yasmeen | Trustee and Student | 2 | $2,711 |
| Bible Peter R | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Buys Du Plessis Mechelle | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Dixon Dr Talisa | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Fisher David W | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Francis Jim | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Fritsche-nevil Nevalyn | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Gifford Daniel | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Harrell Jr William E | Vice Chair | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Eat' N Park Hospitality Group | Campus Dining Service | $3,179,974 |
| Ellucian LLC | I.t Service Provider | $2,631,077 |
| Hes Intermediate Holdings LLC | Campus Janitorial Service | $816,136 |
| Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP | Consulting | $568,971 |
| Mid City Electric | Construction Services | $413,601 |
Grants received · $3.7M total
185 grants to Otterbein University totaling $3.7M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2024 | $370,145 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $49,166 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $11,099 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2023 | $240,269 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2023 | $55,917 |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association | Grants | 2023 | $33,000 |
| Dayton Foundation | Various projects | 2023 | $27,614 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $18,200 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation | Scholarships | 2023 | $7,500 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Inclusive excellence 3 learning community | 2022 | $377,800 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education & health | 2022 | $136,869 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2022 | $49,292 |
| Dayton Foundation | General support and scholarships | 2022 | $37,336 |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association | Grants | 2022 | $26,660 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2022 | $17,000 |
Similar organizations in Education
Education
Coalition For the Common Good
Yellow Spgs, OH
$85.8M
Aannual revenue
Education
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH
$122.6M
Aannual revenue
Education
Capital University
Columbus, OH
$122.6M
Aannual revenue
Education
Tiffin University
Tiffin, OH
$83.9M
Aannual revenue
Education
Walsh University
N Canton, OH
$83.1M
Aannual revenue
Education
Wittenberg College Board of Directors
Springfield, OH
$81.3M
Bannual revenue
Education
Ashland University
Ashland, OH
$136.6M
Aannual revenue
Education
Ohio University Foundation
Athens, OH
$69.7M
B+annual revenue
Education
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH
$69.2M
Aannual revenue
Education
Muskingum University
New Concord, OH
$68.3M
Aannual revenue
Compare Otterbein University
Frequently asked questions
- Is Otterbein University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Otterbein University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 31-4379532, based in Westerville, Ohio. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Otterbein University's EIN?
- Otterbein University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 31-4379532.
- How much revenue does Otterbein University report?
- Otterbein University reported $103,702,093 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Otterbein University's spending goes to programs?
- Otterbein University spends about 88% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Otterbein University have?
- CharityIndex grades Otterbein University A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Otterbein University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Otterbein University's latest Form 990 is $385,164, paid to Comerford John (President of the University).
More nonprofits in Westerville
Explore more
Data for Otterbein University (EIN 31-4379532) 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.