The Endowment Fund of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 48% of its spending went to programs.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 56 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERS AND TO PROMOTE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS AND BY SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS FOR THEIR BENEFIT.
- Income
- $6.3 million
- Spending
- $4.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 48%
- Reserves
- 115.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 60%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 127
- Highest pay
- $231,257, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 115.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 90% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1548% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 56 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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)
- $2.0 million spent. THE ENDOWMENT FUND ADVANCES ITS MISSION OF FOSTERING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, LEADERSHIP, AND PERSONAL GROWTH BY INVESTING IN STUDENTS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS, MENTORING, HOUSING, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING DIRECTLY AS WELL AS THROUGH THE NELSON LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND EDUCATIONAL GRANTS TO THE PHI KAPPA PSI FRATERNITY. AT THE HEART OF THESE EFFORTS IS PHI PSI'S NINE DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS: INTELLECTUAL, OCCUPATIONAL, FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL. ORGANIZED THROUGH THE FRAMEWORK OF MIND, HEART, AND SOUL, THIS MODEL ENSURES THAT PROGRAMMING AND GRANTING EFFORTS SUPPORT THE WHOLE STUDENT, CULTIVATING RESILIENCE, BELONGING, AND PURPOSE. AS ONE UNDERGRADUATE DESCRIBED, "PHI PSI PROGRAMS DON'T JUST MAKE YOU A BETTER STUDENT THEY MAKE YOU A BETTER MAN. I'M WALKING AWAY WITH CLARITY ABOUT MY FUTURE." SCHOLARSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS IN 2024, THE FOUNDATION INVESTED NEARLY $492,641 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS TO SUPPORT THE ACADEMIC PURSUITS OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE BROTHERS. MORE THAN 560 STUDENTS APPLIED, RESULTING IN 50 NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS AND 5 NATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS, ALONGSIDE 368 AWARDS GRANTED THROUGH CHAPTER AND DISTRICT FUNDS. THESE AWARDS ARE MORE THAN FINANCIAL SUPPORT THEY ARE A TANGIBLE EXPRESSION OF BROTHERHOOD AND BELIEF IN THE POTENTIAL OF TODAY'S STUDENTS. RECIPIENTS CONSISTENTLY DESCRIBE THE IMPACT AS TRANSFORMATIVE. ONE STUDENT SHARED THAT THE RECOGNITION "REMINDED ME THAT ALUMNI I'VE NEVER MET BELIEVE IN MY POTENTIAL, AND THAT BELIEF MOTIVATES ME TO EXCEL AND TO ONE DAY PAY IT FORWARD." SCHOLARSHIPS THEREFORE EMBODY BOTH THE MIND PILLAR, BY REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE HEART PILLAR, BY REINFORCING THE BONDS OF TRUST, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND SHARED PURPOSE THAT SPAN GENERATIONS OF PHI PSIS. EACH AWARD NOT ONLY LESSENS FINANCIAL STRAIN BUT ALSO AFFIRMS TO STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE PART OF A LIVING LEGACY ONE THAT CALLS THEM TO PURSUE EXCELLENCE AND EXTEND THAT SAME SUPPORT TO OTHERS. EXPLORE - CAREER IMMERSION EXTERNSHIPS EXPLORE AN AWARD-WINNING CAREER IMMERSION EXTERNSHIP THAT UNITES UNDERGRADUATE PHI PSIS WITH ALUMNI WHO SHARE THEIR PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS EXPANDED IN 2024 WITH ADDITIONAL SESSIONS. SUPPORTED BY THE ENDOWMENT FUND, EXPLORE MOVES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCES BY IMMERSING STUDENTS IN REAL-TIME, REAL-WORLD LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THEY SHADOW ACCOMPLISHED ALUMNI AND OBSERVE INDUSTRIES FIRSTHAND. THE PROGRAM EMBODIES THE MIND PILLAR OF PHI PSI'S DEVELOPMENTAL FRAMEWORK BY ADVANCING INTELLECTUAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND FINANCIAL WELLNESS. OVER SEVERAL DAYS, STUDENTS GAIN EXPOSURE TO THE DAY-TO-DAY REALITIES OF A PROFESSION, FROM STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING TO ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. ONE PARTICIPANT REFLECTED, "EXPLORE DIDN'T JUST GIVE ME A GLIMPSE OF A CAREER IT GAVE ME A NETWORK OF PHI PSI ALUMNI WHO OPENED DOORS I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE." WHAT MAKES EXPLORE DISTINCTIVE IS ITS CUSTOMIZED LEARNING PATHWAYS. IN ADDITION TO BROAD EXPOSURE ACROSS AN INDUSTRY, EACH PARTICIPANT SELECTS A NICHE TRACK WHETHER FINANCE AND INVESTMENT, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, OR RENEWABLE ENERGY. THIS TAILORED APPROACH ALLOWS UNDERGRADUATES TO ASK TARGETED QUESTIONS, DEEPEN EXPERTISE IN THEIR AREA OF INTEREST, AND BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALUMNI MENTORS. THE OUTCOMES EXTEND BEYOND CAREER PREPARATION. EXPLORE FOSTERS EMOTIONAL WELLNESS BY INSTILLING CONFIDENCE IN STUDENTS' PROFESSIONAL IDENTITIES, SOCIAL WELLNESS BY STRENGTHENING NETWORKS OF BELONGING THROUGH ALUMNI CONNECTIONS, AND CULTURAL WELLNESS BY EXPOSING PARTICIPANTS TO DIVERSE WORKPLACES AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES. BY SITUATING CAREER EXPLORATION WITHIN PHI PSI'S VALUES-DRIVEN MODEL OF MIND, HEART, AND SOUL, EXPLORE TRANSFORMS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTO A HOLISTIC GROWTH EXPERIENCE PREPARING STUDENTS NOT JUST FOR THEIR FIRST JOB, BUT FOR A LIFETIME OF PURPOSEFUL IMPACT. LAUNCH - ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP PILOT IN 2024, PHI PSI PILOTED LAUNCH, A THREE-DAY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM HELD AT CAMP TECUMSEH IN INDIANA, DESIGNED TO PREPARE UNDERGRADUATES TO LEAD WITH COURAGE, ADAPTABILITY, AND INTEGRITY. MORE THAN 30 STUDENTS FROM MULTIPLE CHAPTERS PARTICIPATED IN THIS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE, WHICH CENTERED ON THE HEART PILLAR BY CULTIVATING EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL WELLNESS. THE PROGRAM COMBINED LOW- AND HIGH-CHALLENGE COURSES, TEAM PROBLEM-SOLVING ACTIVITIES, AND REFLECTIVE DEBRIEFS, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO PRACTICE LEADERSHIP UNDER PRESSURE IN BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SETTINGS. THE CURRICULUM EMPHASIZED ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP THE ABILITY TO NAVIGATE COMPLEXITY, DIAGNOSE PROBLEMS, AND CREATE VALUES-BASED SOLUTIONS. BY INTEGRATING LESSONS IN CONFLICT NAVIGATION, STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT, AND WELLNESS, LAUNCH GAVE PARTICIPANTS TOOLS TO LEAD IN ENVIRONMENTS OF UNCERTAINTY. AS ONE UNDERGRADUATE REFLECTED, "LAUNCH PUSHED ME TO SEE MYSELF DIFFERENTLY. I WALKED AWAY NOT ONLY WITH NEW SKILLS, BUT WITH A CLEARER SENSE OF WHO I WANT TO BE AS A LEADER." FACILITATORS OBSERVED SIMILAR TRANSFORMATIONS, NOTING THAT PARTICIPANTS LEFT WITH BOTH A PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP BLUEPRINT AND A STRONGER SENSE OF CONFIDENCE, BELONGING, AND RESPONSIBILITY TO THEIR CHAPTERS AND COMMUNITIES. LAUNCH REPRESENTS A POWERFUL EXTENSION OF PHI PSI'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CONTINUUM, WHERE THE NINE DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS ARE REINFORCED THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. STUDENTS LEAVE NOT ONLY WITH ENHANCED LEADERSHIP CAPACITY BUT ALSO WITH A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO LIVE OUT THE FRATERNITY'S VALUES IN MEANINGFUL AND TANGIBLE WAYS. MENTORING ADVANTAGE PROGRAM THE ENDOWMENT FUND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE WINEMAN MENTORING ADVANTAGE PROGRAM (MAP) AS IT BUILDS STRUCTURED, ANNUAL MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN UNDERGRADUATES AND ALUMNI. BY PAIRING STUDENTS WITH BROTHERS IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS, MAP ADVANCES MIND, BY SHARPENING CAREER READINESS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHILE ALSO CULTIVATING HEART, BY STRENGTHENING THE BONDS OF CONNECTION AND BELONGING AC
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1988.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.