Bard College
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
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
BARD COLLEGE SEEKS TO PROVIDE A CHALLENGING ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS A COLLABORATIVE INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS AMBITION TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE.
- Income
- $930.3 million
- Spending
- $408.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 74%
- Employees
- 5,656
- Volunteers
- 23
- Highest pay
- $689,293, president/trustee
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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 38% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 56% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 180% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 25 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $373.3 million spent. BARD COLLEGE IS AN INDEPENDENT, COMPREHENSIVE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE LOCATED ON A PARK-LIKE CAMPUS THAT COVERS MORE THAN 1,500 ACRES BORDERING THE HUDSON RIVER. BARD HAS DEVELOPED A NEW VISION AND MODEL OF THE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE, AS A CENTRAL BODY SURROUNDED BY SIGNIFICANT INSTITUTES AND PROGRAMS - "SATELLITES" - THAT STRENGTHEN ITS' CURRICULUM. WHILE IT IS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO INCLUDE PROGRAMS FOR RESEARCH, GRADUATE STUDY, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND OTHER CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM REMAINS ITS FOCUS. EACH SATELLITE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE UNDERGRADUATE COURSE OF STUDY BY OFFERING STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERACTION WITH LEADING ARTISTS AND SCHOLARS. IN ADDITION TO THE UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE, BARD HAS UNDERTAKEN A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES THAT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING: DURING 1979, BARD ASSUMED CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF SIMON'S ROCK EARLY COLLEGE (NOW CALLED BARD COLLEGE AT SIMON'S ROCK) (SIMON'S ROCK) LOCATED IN GREAT BARRINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS. ALTHOUGH BARD AND SIMON'S ROCK REMAIN DISTINCT AND CARRY ON SEPARATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE CAMPUSES, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO INSTITUTIONS GIVES BARD AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY ITS EXPERIENCE AS A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRONG CURRICULUM FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS. IN MARCH 1986, BARD ESTABLISHED THE LEVY ECONOMICS INSTITUTE OF BARD COLLEGE, WHICH IS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE HUMAN CONDITION THROUGH THE STUDY OF ECONOMICS AND THE GENERATION OF EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY RESPONSES TO IMPORTANT PROBLEMS WORLDWIDE. DURING 1992, BARD ENTERED INTO AN OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH THE IRIS FOUNDATION TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE BARD GRADUATE CENTER FOR STUDIES IN THE DECORATIVE ARTS, DESIGN, AND CULTURE (BGC). SINCE 1993, THE BGC HAS PRESENTED A UNIQUE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY, AND BROADLY INTERNATIONAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF THE DECORATIVE ARTS. THE BGC OFFERS A MASTERS OF ARTS DEGREE IN THE HISTORY OF THE DECORATIVE ARTS AND A DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN THE HISTORY OF THE DECORATIVE ARTS, DESIGN, AND CULTURE. IT SPONSORS SEVERAL MAJOR EXHIBITIONS ANNUALLY AND PRESENTS DIVERSE PUBLIC PROGRAMS FOR AUDIENCES RANGING FROM DECORATIVE ARTS PROFESSIONALS AND COLLECTORS TO SCHOOLCHILDREN. THE BGC IS LOCATED IN NEW YORK CITY, IN TWO BEAUX ARTS TOWNHOUSES CLOSE TO THE CITY'S LEADING MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES, AND, IN BARD HALL. DURING 2003, THE RICHARD B. FISHER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AT BARD COLLEGE (FISHER CENTER) WAS OPENED OFFERING A WORLD-CLASS COMPLEX FOR INNOVATIVE ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION. THE FISHER CENTER IS HOME TO BARD COLLEGE'S THEATER AND DANCE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THE BARD MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND HOST TO PERFORMANCES BY THE AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. GENERALLY, THE FISHER CENTER PROVIDES AUDIENCES WITH A BOLD AND DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT INSPIRES RISK-TAKING PERFORMANCE AND PROVOCATIVE PROGRAMS IN ORCHESTRAL, CHAMBER, AND JAZZ MUSIC AND THEATER, DANCE AND OPERA BY AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS. DURING 2011, BARD ALSO ASSUMED CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF ECLA - EUROPEAN COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS GGMBH, NOW CALLED BARD COLLEGE BERLIN, GGMBH AND BARD REAL ESTATE GMBH, A GERMAN ENTITY HOLDING TITLE TO ALL BUT ONE OF BARD COLLEGE BERLIN, GGMBH'S LAND AND BUILDINGS. BARD COLLEGE BERLIN, GGMBH IS A LIBERAL ARTS UNIVERSITY OFFERING AN INNOVATIVE, INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM WITH A GLOBAL SENSIBILITY. STUDENTS COME TO BERLIN FROM 30 COUNTRIES IN ORDER TO STUDY WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FACULTY. BARD COLLEGE BERLIN, GGMBH IS A REGISTERED AS A SEPARATE 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION. BARD REAL ESTATE GBMH IS A FOR-PROFIT ENTITY SUBJECT TO GERMAN TAXATION. DURING 2012, BARD ASSUMED CONTROL AND OWNERSHIP OF LONGY SCHOOL OF MUSIC, NOW CALLED THE LONGY SCHOOL OF MUSIC OF BARD COLLEGE (LONGY), LOCATED IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. LONGY IS A LEADING DEGREE-GRANTING CONSERVATORY AND SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND PREPARATORY STUDIES AND OFFERS ELEVEN PROGRAMS LEADING TO A MASTER OF MUSIC DEGREE, AND INTRODUCED A NEW MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING PROGRAM IN 2013.
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
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 October 13, 2026.
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 November 6, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1950.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 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.