Western Governors University
93% goes to programs $35 to raise $100 Growing revenue
Western Governors University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Salt Lake Cty, Utah, registered in 2016, with $1,462,468,978 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 93% of spending to programs.
4001 S 700 E Ste 700, Salt Lake Cty, UT, 84107 EIN 47-4365018 Since 2016
Revenue (FY2023)
$1.5B
▲ 123.5% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$1.3B
Net assets
$223.3M
Employees
8,312
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 rating93% to programs · $35 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 Western Governors University: 93% to programs · $35 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
BFinancial health25% of the rating2 mo reserves · +12% 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 Western Governors University: 2 mo reserves · +12% 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 Western Governors 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 Western Governors University: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To operate and administer an institution of higher learning.
What they do
Through december 31, 2022 the organization's investment arm (juvo) managed investments in education companies designed to increase access and quality and improve outcomes for students worldwide. assets under management increased by approximately $4 million during the fiscal year.
Prior to 2023, the organization performed an administrative function to support the operations of western governors university. however, on january 1, 2023 (halfway through its fiscal year), the organization began operating as western governors university (wgu) by assuming the university operations from the entity previously known as wgu. wgu is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university with more than 182,000 students nationwide and more than 323,000 graduates in all 50 states, as of march 2024. wgu was originally established in 1997 by 19 u.s. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education. wgu is accredited by the northwest commission on colleges and universities and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, information technology, healthcare/nursing and k-12 education.
Contact & location
- Address
- 4001 S 700 E Ste 700, Salt Lake Cty, UT, 84107
- City
- Salt Lake Cty
- State
- Utah
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Alliances, Advocacy & Professional Societies
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $3.0M (FY2015) to $1.5B (FY2023) across 9 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $435.0MNet assets $223.3M
Operating margin
12.4%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$658.3M
Total liabilities
$435.0M
Net assets
$223.3M
Salaries & benefits
$632.5M
49% of expenses
Board members
14
13 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1,462,468,978▲123% | $1,280,651,233▲107% | $223,305,138▲389% | $658,288,517▲67.2% | 990 |
| 2022 | $654,374,330▲724% | $619,062,159▲784% | $45,642,394▲341% | $393,807,673▲1203% | 990 |
| 2021 | $79,386,691▲564% | $70,012,401▲147% | $10,343,719▲967% | $30,227,281▲1134% | 990 |
| 2020 | $11,961,161▲15.8% | $28,338,732▲580% | $969,429▼94.4% | $2,449,192▼86.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $10,328,970▲3.2% | $4,168,618▲128% | $17,347,000▲55.1% | $18,294,694▲59.7% | 990 |
| 2018 | $10,011,771▲1154660% | $1,828,233▲585872% | $11,186,648▲273% | $11,457,692▲282% | 990 |
| 2017 | $867▼61.5% | $312▼68.6% | $3,002,116▲0.1% | $3,003,111▼1.4% | 990 |
| 2016 | $2,250▼99.9% | $995▲13.1% | $3,000,404 | $3,047,279▲1.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $3,000,029 | $880 | $2,999,149 | $3,000,029 | 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: Mitsu Frazier — $459,282 (0.04% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsu Frazier | Sr Vp, Business College | 40 | $459,282 |
| Deborah Fowler | Sr Vp, Student Success | 40 | $406,532 |
| Stacey Ludwig Johnson | Sr Vp, School of Education | 40 | $392,746 |
| David Perkinson | Sr Vp, Program Development | 40 | $388,551 |
| Gene Hayes | Sr Vp, Regional Operations | 40 | $388,078 |
| Keith Smith Thru 824 | Sr Vp, Leavitt School of Hlth | 40 | $369,473 |
| Ashutosh Tiwary | Sr Vp, School of Technology | 40 | $363,938 |
| Paul Bingham | Sr Vp, School of Technology | 40 | $361,104 |
| Scott Neuner | Sr Vp, Marketing | 40 | $355,699 |
| Sarah Demark | Vice Provost | 40 | $332,215 |
| Eric Weaver | Executive Director | 40 | $315,794 |
| Rebecca Watts | Regional Vice President | 40 | $312,997 |
| Joseph Dery | Vp, Dean-school of Technology | 40 | $306,122 |
| April Chou | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cole Clark | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Courtney Hills Mcbeth | Cao & Provost (as of 1/24) | 2 | — |
| David Grow | Chief Operating Officer | 2 | — |
| David Simmons | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Dr Charles Sorenson | Chair (thru 11/23) | 1 | — |
| Dr Samuel H Smith | Trustee (emeritus As of 11/23) | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Google Inc | Web Marketing | $101,069,617 |
| Amobee Inc | Media Management | $33,974,726 |
| Mntn Digital Inc | Marketing | $20,837,369 |
| Linkedin Corporation | Web Marketing | $9,529,734 |
| Comptia Learning LLC | Learning Resources | $7,771,993 |
Grants received · $10K total
1 grant to Western Governors University totaling $10K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2022 | $10,000 |
Grants made · $20.5M in FY2021
3 grants totaling $20.5M in FY2021. All grants made by Western Governors University →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wgu Academy | Capital contribution including loan forgiveness | $8,400,000 |
| Wgu Labs | Capital contribution including loan forgiveness | $7,885,000 |
| Wgu Advancement | Capital contribution | $4,250,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Western Governors University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Western Governors University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 47-4365018, based in Salt Lake Cty, Utah. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Western Governors University's EIN?
- Western Governors University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 47-4365018.
- How much revenue does Western Governors University report?
- Western Governors University reported $1,462,468,978 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Western Governors University's spending goes to programs?
- Western Governors University spends about 93% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Western Governors University have?
- CharityIndex grades Western Governors University A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Western Governors University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Western Governors University's latest Form 990 is $459,282, paid to Mitsu Frazier (Sr Vp, Business College).
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Data for Western Governors University (EIN 47-4365018) 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.