Widener University
88% goes to programs $28 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Widener University is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Chester, Pennsylvania, registered in 1936, with $267,421,663 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 88% of spending to programs.
1 University Pl, Chester, PA, 19013 EIN 23-1386178 Since 1936
Revenue (FY2023)
$267.4M
▲ 9.8% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$280.0M
Net assets
$238.0M
Employees
2,697
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 rating88% to programs · $28 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 Widener University: 88% to programs · $28 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating10 mo reserves · -5% 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 Widener University: 10 mo reserves · -5% 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 Widener 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 Widener University: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Empowering our community of learners to discover and create better futures.
What they do
Auxiliary services - expenses incurred primarily for housing and feeding students
Student services - expenses incurred for programs that service widener's student body, such as athletics, student organizations, career placement, student health, and student counseling. in addition, this includes departments that support student admissions, financial aid, the bursar, and registrar.
Academic support - expenses incurred to support the library and academic administration, including provost, deans, and faculty development.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1 University Pl, Chester, PA, 19013
- City
- Chester
- State
- Pennsylvania
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $211.5M (FY2013) to $267.4M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $168.2MNet assets $238.0M
Operating margin
-4.7%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$406.2M
Total liabilities
$168.2M
Net assets
$238.0M
Salaries & benefits
$106.4M
38% of expenses
Board members
23
22 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $267,421,663▲9.8% | $280,027,890▲13.7% | $238,015,044▼4.5% | $406,165,961▼2.5% | 990 |
| 2022 | $243,550,358▼4.2% | $246,272,053▼4.4% | $249,301,712▲11.0% | $416,458,447▼3.7% | 990 |
| 2021 | $254,333,265▲9.0% | $257,477,666▲9.2% | $224,551,006▲2.3% | $432,418,017▲7.9% | 990 |
| 2020 | $233,365,365▼4.0% | $235,738,874▼3.8% | $219,578,583▲14.0% | $400,699,123▲7.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $243,095,055▼1.9% | $245,059,919▲2.6% | $192,570,973▼4.6% | $372,673,637▼2.0% | 990 |
| 2018 | $247,752,876▲7.9% | $238,755,870▲4.0% | $201,937,301▲6.0% | $380,332,156▲4.1% | 990 |
| 2017 | $229,582,670▲4.1% | $229,572,685▲2.7% | $190,505,828▲9.5% | $365,401,385▲2.4% | 990 |
| 2016 | $220,594,079▲3.6% | $223,589,781▼2.0% | $173,915,755▲7.1% | $356,806,071▲2.4% | 990 |
| 2015 | $212,902,972▲3.0% | $228,065,011▲7.9% | $162,413,052▼13.7% | $348,573,812▼3.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $206,792,145▼2.2% | $211,386,756▲1.8% | $188,218,150▼2.5% | $362,724,611▲0.2% | 990 |
| 2013 | $211,463,716 | $207,624,790▼1.9% | $193,052,231▲10.2% | $361,946,091▲6.7% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $211,738,450▲6.2% | $175,215,078▲5.1% | $339,224,947▲2.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $199,398,880▲4.9% | $166,684,445▼5.9% | $330,524,789▲0.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $190,136,837▲3.7% | $177,200,716▲12.7% | $330,188,503▲8.8% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $183,427,209 | $157,187,382 | $303,359,544 | 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: Stacey M Robertson Phd — $615,460 (0.22% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stacey M Robertson Phd | President | 60 | $615,460 |
| Andrew Workman | Provost | 60 | $390,707 |
| Linda Kiraly Gilbert | Vp For Administration & Finance | 60 | $368,007 |
| Joseph Howard | Vp For Enrollment | 60 | $313,581 |
| Theresa Travis | Vp Advancement | 60 | $312,756 |
| Kathryn Herschede | Vp For Strategic Initiatives | 60 | $301,731 |
| Fred Akl | Dean School of Engineering | 40 | $283,402 |
| Michelle Davis | Chief Diversity Officer | 60 | $269,398 |
| Eric Behrens | Vp For Library & Information Systems | 60 | $259,606 |
| Anne M Krouse | Dean School of Nursing | 40 | $247,443 |
| Anthony R Wheeler | Dean School of Business | 40 | $241,444 |
| Michael Hussey | Dean, Commonwealth Law | 60 | $231,654 |
| Alicia Kelly | Vice Dean, Delaware Law | 60 | $222,140 |
| Antoinette Leatherberry | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Catherine Pulos | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Christian Nascimento | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Cynthia H Sarnoski Phd | Vice Chair of the Board | 2 | — |
| Dexter Hamilton | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Domenic C Colasante | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Douglas M Wolfberg Esq | Trustee | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Aramark Services Inc | Food Services | $6,143,211 |
| Pj Dick | Construction Management | $3,597,868 |
| Hsc Builders Construction | Construction Management | $2,892,430 |
| Elite Building Services | Housekeeping Services | $1,973,222 |
| P Agnes | Construction Management | $1,941,666 |
Grants received · $3.8M total
81 grants to Widener University totaling $3.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pew Charitable Trusts | Civic life | 2024 | $200,000 |
| Pennsylvania Interest On Lawyer Trust Account Board | Legal assistance | 2024 | $177,800 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $30,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $26,910 |
| The Community Fdn of Middle Tn Inc | Engineering | 2024 | $15,000 |
| Lawschool Admissions Council Inc | Pipeline grant | 2024 | $14,000 |
| The New York Community Trust | For a scholarship award. | 2024 | $12,000 |
| The Community Fdn of Middle Tn Inc | Donation to the university fund as discussed. | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $7,239 |
| Pennsylvania Interest On Lawyer Trust Account Board | Legal assistance | 2023 | $177,800 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $56,625 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $25,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $24,117 |
| World Learning Inc | Participant exchanges | 2023 | $19,136 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Education/research | 2023 | $16,269 |
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Compare Widener University
Frequently asked questions
- Is Widener University a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Widener University is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 23-1386178, based in Chester, Pennsylvania. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Widener University's EIN?
- Widener University's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 23-1386178.
- How much revenue does Widener University report?
- Widener University reported $267,421,663 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Widener University's spending goes to programs?
- Widener University spends about 88% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Widener University have?
- CharityIndex grades Widener University A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Widener University's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Widener University's latest Form 990 is $615,460, paid to Stacey M Robertson Phd (President).
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Explore more
Data for Widener University (EIN 23-1386178) 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.