Cleveland State University Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FOUNDATION EXISTS PRIMARILY TO RAISE, RECEIVE, AND MANAGE PRIVATE GIFTS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT AND BENEFIT OF CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY AND ITS STUDENTS AND FACULTY. OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE QUALITY OF THAT EDUCATION BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL AID AND GRANTS.
- Income
- $23.9 million
- Spending
- $16.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 37
- Highest pay
- $323,825, executive director
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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 32% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 29 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or 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 (2)
- $15.0 million spent. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED $14.9 MILLION IN NEW GIFTS AND PLEDGES, INCLUDING $7 MILLION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. GIFTS RECEIVED BY THE FOUNDATION FALL INTO TWO BASIC CATEGORIES; RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED. UNRESTRICTED GIFTS MAY BE USED FOR UNIVERSITY PRIORITIES, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES NOT SUPPORTED BY STATE FUNDS, ENDOWMENT INCOME, OR OTHER SOURCES. MOST GIFTS RECEIVED ARE RESTRICTED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AS DIRECTED BY THE DONORS, THE FOUNDATION, AND THE UNIVERSITY. FOR EXAMPLE, RESTRICTED GIFTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO A SPECIFIED ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT, SCHOLARSHIP, ETC. WHETHER RESTRICTED OR UNRESTRICTED, ANNUAL GIFTS ARE USUALLY SPENT WITHIN THE YEAR THEY ARE RECEIVED. ENDOWMENT FUNDS ARE POOLED WITH OTHER GIFTS AND INVESTED. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE FOUNDATION'S INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, ENDOWMENTS ARE INVESTED BY PROFESSIONAL FUND MANAGERS FOR MAXIMUM YIELD WITH MINIMUM RISK. ENDOWMENT FUNDS SUPPORT GENERAL UNIVERSITY OPERATIONS, ALL NINE ACADEMIC COLLEGES, THE SCHOOL OF NURSING, ATHLETICS, AND THE LIBRARY.AT CSU, 30% OF STUDENTS ARE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY POPULATIONS AND MORE THAN 40% OF UNDERGRADUATES ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES TO ATTEND COLLEGE. MORE THAN HALF OF UNDERGRADUATES RECEIVING FEDERAL AID QUALIFY FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT AND 88% OF FIRST-TIME, FULL-TIME FRESHMEN RELY ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.THE CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION (CSUF) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF OHIO AND TAX-EXEMPT UNDER SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. AN OUTRIGHT GIFT TO THE CSUF IS A FULLY TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CHARITABLEDONATION. THE CSUF DOES NOT RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDS, SUCH AS STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.STATE OF OHIO APPROPRIATIONS HELP FUND THE UNIVERSITY'S BASIC OPERATIONS. OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE, SUCH AS STUDENT FEES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES, HELP MEET BASIC OPERATING COSTS NOT COVERED BY STATE FUNDING. PRIVATE SUPPORT, GENERATED THROUGH GIFTS TO THE CSUF, PROVIDES THE UNIVERSITY A MARGIN OF EXCELLENCE BY CREATING STUDENTS AND FACULTY RESOURCE OPPORTUNITIES FROM PRIVATE FUNDRAISING THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE AVAILABLE. THE FOUNDATION FURTHER SERVES THE UNIVERSITY BY MAINTAINING PRIVATE FUND ACCOUNTS (ENDOWMENT AND CURRENT USE) FROM ONE FISCAL YEAR TO THE NEXT.THE CSUF IS GOVERNED BY AN INDEPENDENT VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS, CONSISTING OF NO MORE THAN 50 DIRECTORS, AND EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY. THE FOUNDATION'S FINANCIAL RECORDS ARE AUDITED ANNUALLY BY INDEPENDENT AUDITORS.
- THE CLEVELAND SCHOOLS BOOK FUND IS AN ENDOWMENT WITHIN THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND MANAGED BY THE CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION AS PART OF THE OVERALL INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO. OVERSIGHT IS PROVIDED BY A BOARD COMPRISED OF BOTH CSU AND NON-CSU MEMBERS.THE CLEVELAND SCHOOLS BOOK FUND HELPS STUDENTS DEVELOP READING SKILLS FOR ACADEMIC LIFE SUCCESS AND OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS HAS GROWN TO MORE THAN $6 MILLION. THE FUND HAS HELPED CHILDREN IN THE CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOLS BECOME BETTER READERS AND CITIZENS BY PROVIDING EACH PRE-K TO FOURTH GRADE CLASSROOM WITH A LIBRARY OF HIGH-QUALITY STORYBOOKS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN TO PRESENT MODELS OF GOOD BEHAVIOR AND CITIZENSHIP. THE BOOK FUND HAS DELIVERED OVER 200,000 BOOKS TO CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING CAMPUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, AND NEARLY 20,000 STUDENTS READ THOSE BOOKS EVERY YEAR. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 1,000 CLASSROOMS HAVE RECEIVED SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED BOOK CASES.
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 October 13, 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 July 1969.
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 October 21, 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.