Thomas M Cooley Law School
84% goes to programs $17 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Thomas M Cooley Law School is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Lansing, Michigan, registered in 1974, with $33,130,098 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 84% of spending to programs.
300 S Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI, 48933 EIN 38-1988915 Since 1974
Revenue (FY2023)
$33.1M
▲ 40.4% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$32.7M
Net assets
$44.1M
Employees
331
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 rating84% to programs · $17 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 Thomas M Cooley Law School: 84% to programs · $17 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating16 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 Thomas M Cooley Law School: 16 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 Thomas M Cooley Law School: 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 Thomas M Cooley Law School: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Prepare graduates for the legal profession with practical legal education as its guiding principle and focus.
Contact & location
- Address
- 300 S Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI, 48933
- City
- Lansing
- State
- Michigan
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Graduate & Professional Schools
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $83.0M (FY2013) to $33.1M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $28.6MNet assets $44.1M
Operating margin
1.2%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$72.7M
Total liabilities
$28.6M
Net assets
$44.1M
Salaries & benefits
$15.3M
47% of expenses
Board members
13
12 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $33,130,098▲40.4% | $32,728,889▼8.5% | $44,051,461▼5.6% | $72,684,052▼35.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $23,596,124▼11.2% | $35,773,155▼9.7% | $46,649,761▼20.0% | $112,497,648▼10.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $26,580,127▼25.8% | $39,621,889▼21.8% | $58,322,887▼27.0% | $124,949,343▼18.0% | 990 |
| 2020 | $35,841,498▼36.5% | $50,644,978▼15.0% | $79,900,242▼15.0% | $152,371,660▼11.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $56,444,862▼8.2% | $59,601,969 | $94,019,954▼8.4% | $171,775,668▼6.1% | 990 |
| 2018 | $61,498,536▲5.4% | $59,586,535▲1.7% | $102,691,487▼10.2% | $182,993,201▼5.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $58,325,317▲2.8% | $58,589,700▲7.2% | $114,356,717▲1.9% | $194,509,014▲0.9% | 990 |
| 2016 | $56,753,906▼1.3% | $54,654,314▼4.6% | $112,261,456▲3.3% | $192,833,015▼0.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $57,508,506▼12.4% | $57,262,964▼15.8% | $108,657,397▼0.8% | $193,014,058▼5.4% | 990 |
| 2014 | $65,641,571▼20.9% | $68,044,551▼32.8% | $109,555,617▼4.5% | $203,984,151▼9.2% | 990 |
| 2013 | $82,997,013 | $101,262,113▼0.9% | $114,716,786▼13.6% | $224,655,691▼10.0% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $102,167,099▼5.8% | $132,758,226▲12.0% | $249,558,548▼6.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $108,503,886▲3.4% | $118,569,271▲6.8% | $268,074,361▲2.8% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $104,978,097▲8.0% | $111,003,363▲22.7% | $260,803,466▲6.5% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $97,196,760 | $90,433,889 | $244,848,766 | 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: James Mcgrath — $385,294 (1.18% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Mcgrath | President & Dean | 60 | $385,294 |
| Paul Zelenski | Sr Vp & Assoc Dean of Enrollment | 50 | $181,890 |
| Tonya Krause-phelan | Associate Dean & Tenured Professor | 50 | $180,407 |
| Michael Molitor | Tenured Prof., Acting Legal Counsel | 40 | $178,190 |
| Dustin Foster | Tenured Professor | 50 | $175,699 |
| Amy Timmer | Associate Dean & Tenured Professor | 40 | $175,153 |
| Kathleen Conklin | Treasurer/sr Vp of Ops & Finance | 50 | $175,153 |
| Tracey Brame | Associate Dean & Tenured Professor | 50 | $175,153 |
| Monica Nuckolls | Tenured Professor | 55 | $172,540 |
| Tammy Asher | Tenured Professor | 50 | $171,290 |
| Michael Mcdaniel | Tenured Professor | 40 | $159,924 |
| Duane Strojny | Associate Dean & Tenured Professor | 40 | $159,923 |
| William Arnold | Sec./dir. of Advancement | 40 | $90,816 |
| Mustafa Ameen | Board Member/adjunct Professor | 6 | $11,000 |
| Aaron Burrell | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Christina Corl | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Hon Bart Stupak | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Hon Jane Markey | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Hon Louise Alderson | Chairman of the Board | 1 | — |
| Hon Michael Hatty | Board Member | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Jenzabar | Software Consulting | $545,322 |
| Inverve Marketing | Marketing Services | $309,302 |
| Dk Security | Access Control | $160,555 |
| Plante & Moran Pllc | Auditing & Consulting Services | $148,250 |
| Allied Universal Security Services | Access Control | $124,046 |
Grants received · $21K total
2 grants to Thomas M Cooley Law School totaling $21K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accesslex Institute | Program support/research | 2024 | $10,750 |
| Accesslex Institute | Program support/research | 2021 | $10,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Thomas M Cooley Law School a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Thomas M Cooley Law School is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 38-1988915, based in Lansing, Michigan. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Thomas M Cooley Law School's EIN?
- Thomas M Cooley Law School's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 38-1988915.
- How much revenue does Thomas M Cooley Law School report?
- Thomas M Cooley Law School reported $33,130,098 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Thomas M Cooley Law School's spending goes to programs?
- Thomas M Cooley Law School spends about 84% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Thomas M Cooley Law School have?
- CharityIndex grades Thomas M Cooley Law School A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Thomas M Cooley Law School's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Thomas M Cooley Law School's latest Form 990 is $385,294, paid to James Mcgrath (President & Dean).
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Data for Thomas M Cooley Law School (EIN 38-1988915) 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.