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University of Wisconsin Foundation

EIN 39-0743975 · Madison, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF AND ADVANCE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON BY ENCOURAGING THE INTEREST, ENGAGEMENT, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF ALUMNI, DONORS, AND FRIENDS IN THE LIFE OF THE UNIVERSITY AND WITH EACH OTHER.

Income
$680.9 million
Spending
$658.4 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
4.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 49%
Employees
458
Volunteers
1,500
Highest pay
$2.0 million, cio

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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    36 of 37 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

    10 of 10

    Reports 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

Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.

Results it reports

  • The number of endowed funds supporting faculty totaled 765, with an additional 339 funds designated for research and research equipment.Work delivered
  • Over 4,900 gift funds supporting students were managed.Work delivered
  • The quarterly alumni magazine was mailed to approximately 400,000 alumni, faculty, donors, members, and stakeholders.Work delivered
  • The annual Awards publication was mailed to approximately 90,000 recipients.Work delivered
  • The weekly UW Now email was sent to approximately 130,000 alumni and donors.Work delivered

Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.

Programs described in its return (7)
  1. $196.9 million spent. CAPITAL ADDITIONS AND FACILITIES - THE UW FOUNDATION PROVIDED $197 MILLION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN IN SUPPORT OF NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, MAINTENANCE, AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS. STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES HELP THE UNIVERSITY ATTRACT HIGH-CALIBER FACULTY AND STUDENTS. THESE FACILITIES AND GROUNDS PROVIDE SPACE, ENVIRONMENTS, AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT PROMOTE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF TEACHING, LEARNING, AND RESEARCH.
  2. $125.0 million spent. DISCRETIONARY SUPPORT - THE UW FOUNDATION PROVIDES CRITICAL FUNDING TO SENIOR UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS GRANTING THEM THE NEEDED FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO BOTH EXISTING AND UNFORESEEN OPPORTUNITIES. THIS DISCRETIONARY SUPPORT HELPS FURTHER THE MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY BY FULFILLING THE GREATEST NEEDS AND TOP PRIORITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY.
  3. $94.9 million spent. FACULTY SUPPORT AND RESEARCH - WITH $95 MILLION FROM THE UW FOUNDATION, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FACULTY AND STAFF RECEIVED CRITICAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT ALLOWING FOR INCREASED RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVED CLASSROOM EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS. PRIVATE GIFT SUPPORT HELPS THE UNIVERSITY ATTRACT AND RETAIN WORLD-CLASS FACULTY, WHICH ULTIMATELY ATTRACTS THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST STUDENTS, AND IMPROVES THE UNIVERSITY'S REPUTATION AS A LEADING UNIVERSITY. AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE NUMBER OF ENDOWED FUNDS SUPPORTING FACULTY TOTALED 765 WITH AN ADDITIONAL 339 FUNDS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR RESEARCH AND RESEARCH EQUIPMENT.
  4. $73.1 million spent. ACADEMIC, PATIENT, AND STUDENT PROGRAM SUPPORT - THE UW FOUNDATION PROVIDED $73 MILLION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN TO SUPPORT ITS ACADEMIC, PATIENT, AND STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS. THESE FUNDS ENABLE STUDENTS TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR GROWTH AND SUCCESS BY OFFERING HIGH-QUALITY AND RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS BY EMPLOYING BEST PRACTICES IN TEACHING, LEARNING, AND PATIENT CARE, INFLUENCING PEOPLE'S LIVES BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CLASSROOM.
  5. $58.9 million spent. STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL AID SUPPORT - UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS RECEIVED $59 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS FROM PRIVATE GIFT SUPPORT. STUDENTS ACROSS ALL SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, CENTERS, AND PROGRAMS OF THE UNIVERSITY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE SUPPORT. PRIVATE GIFT SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO ENSURING ALL STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO EXPLORE THEIR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, EXPERIENCE COLLEGE LIFE, AND MANAGE TUITION COSTS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, UW FOUNDATION MANAGED OVER 4,900 GIFT FUNDS THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDENTS.
  6. $35.9 million spent. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT - THE UW FOUNDATION INVESTMENTS TEAM WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH AN APPOINTED INVESTMENT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHILE HELPING TO BOTH CREATE AND MANAGE TO A COMPREHENSIVE INVESTMENT POLICY STATEMENT, TO BUILD POOLED PORTFOLIOS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE STATED OBJECTIVES, AND TO HELP POSITION BOARD-DRIVEN POLICIES THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE FOUNDATION'S OPERATIONAL BUSINESS MODEL.
  7. PUBLICATIONS - "ON WISCONSIN" IS A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION, MAILED TO APPROXIMATELY 400,000 ALUMNI, FACULTY, DONORS, WAA MEMBERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, SERVING AS THE OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ALUMNI MAGAZINE. "AWARDS" IS AN ANNUAL PUBLICATION, MAILED TO APPROXIMATELY 90,000 ALUMNI, WAA MEMBERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. "BADGER INSIDER" IS SENT TO WAA MEMBERS ONLY (APPROXIMATELY 25,000 HOUSEHOLDS) SEMIANNUALLY, SERVING AS THE MEMBER FORUM. "DIGITAL BADGER INSIDER", AN EMAIL COMPANION TO THE BADGER INSIDER MAGAZINE IS SENT MONTHLY TO APPROXIMATELY 16,000 WAA MEMBERS VIA EMAIL. "FLAMINGLE" IS A WEEKLY EMAIL, SENT TO APPROXIMATELY 80,000 ALUMNI, CONTAINING VARIOUS ARTICLES OF INTEREST. "BADGER VIBES" IS A MONTHLY EMAIL SENT TO APPROXIMATELY 48,000 WAA MEMBERS AND ALUMNI OF COLOR. "THE UW NOW WEEKLY" IS A WEEKLY EMAIL, SENT TO APPROXIMATELY 130,000 ALUMNI AND DONORS.

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 1943.

    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.