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Trustees of Boston University

EIN 04-2103547 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$3.5 billion
Spending
$3.4 billion
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
2.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 71%
Employees
29,156
Volunteers
204
Highest pay
$1.7 million, president (as of 7/1/24)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 65 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    32 of 34 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $2.0 billion spent. INSTRUCTION - BOSTON UNIVERSITY TODAY IS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC, FORWARD-LOOKING PRIVATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD, WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY WHO ARE IMMERSED IN INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE FRONTIERS OF SCHOLARSHIP, RESEARCH, AND PUBLIC SERVICE, ALL IN A 21ST-CENTURY ATMOSPHERE OF URBAN AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT. WITH 17 SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AND THE FACULTY OF COMPUTING & DATA SCIENCES AND THREE CAMPUSES BOSTON UNIVERSITY OFFERS ITS STUDENTS MORE THAN 300 PROGRAMS OF STUDY IN THE LIBERAL ARTS, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, HEALTH SCIENCE, THE ARTS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINES. STUDENTS COME FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE AND STUDY AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH MORE THAN 170 STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES IN MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES. BOSTON UNIVERSITY FACULTY ARE COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND IN PATH-BREAKING RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP. THEY ARE EXPANDING THE BOUNDARIES OF KNOWLEDGE ACROSS DISCIPLINES, FROM MOLECULAR MEDICINE, BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION, AND HIGH-ENERGY PHYSICS TO BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, POETRY, AND THE PERFORMING ARTS. THE UNIVERSITY PLACES A STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE INTERDISCIPLINARY AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF BOTH FACULTY AND STUDENTS, WITH MAJOR INITIATIVES IN NEUROSCIENCE, SYSTEMS BIOLOGY, PHOTONICS, ENGINEERING BIOLOGY, DATA SCIENCES, URBAN HEALTH, GLOBAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES, ALONG WITH RESEARCH IN COMMUNICATIONS AND THE HUMANITIES.
  2. $455.0 million spent. RESEARCH - WHAT SETS BOSTON UNIVERSITY APART AS A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY IS THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF ITS RESEARCH AND THE UNIQUELY ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT OF ITS FACULTY. RESEARCHERS AT BU ARE NOT AFRAID TO CROSS DISCIPLINARY BOUNDARIES, AS CAN BE SEEN BY STRATEGIC EFFORTS TO SUPPORT INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN NEUROSCIENCE, RELIGION AND WORLD AFFAIRS, INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY, CLEAN ENERGY, SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH CARE DELIVERY, AND GLOBAL HEALTH, TO NAME A FEW. IN EACH CASE, THE EMPHASIS IS NOT ON INTERDISCIPLINARITY FOR ITS OWN SAKE, BUT ON USING A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO SOLVE THE IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX PROBLEMS FACING SOCIETY TODAY.
  3. $393.0 million spent. AUXILIARIES - AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES SUPPORT THE MISSION OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY. THEY ARE ENTERPRISES IN THAT THEY ARE GENERALLY SELF-SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES, RECOVERING THEIR COSTS THROUGH THE FEES OR PRICES THEY CHARGE FOR THEIR GOODS AND SERVICES. AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES ARE DESIGNED TO DELIVER SUPERIOR QUALITY SERVICES THAT ARE EXPECTED BY THE STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF AND ALUMNI.
  4. $228.2 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES CONSIST OF LIBRARIES, ACADEMIC SERVICES, STUDENT SERVICES, EXTERNAL PROGRAMS, AND OTHER DEDUCTIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1937.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.