The Trustees of Grinnell College
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.
- Income
- $361.9 million
- Spending
- $259.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 79.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 54%
- Employees
- 2,530
- Volunteers
- 1,172
- Highest pay
- $1.1 million, chief investment officer
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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 79.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 37 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 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
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 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)
- $138.1 million spent. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE PRIVATE 4-YEAR RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE INCLUDE THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES. GRINNELL OFFERS A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN 28 MAJOR FIELDS WITH 17 CONCENTRATIONS AND A 1:9 FACULTY TO STUDENT RATIO. GRINNELL COLLEGE HAS APPROXIMATELY 1,625 STUDENTS GENERALLY FROM ALL STATES AND ABOUT 60 OTHER COUNTRIES. AT THE CENTER OF A GRINNELL EDUCATION IS THE COLLEGE'S INDIVIDUALLY ADVISED CURRICULUM. IT COMBINES INTENSE FACULTY MENTORING WITH AN UNCOMMON LEVEL OF STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHOOSING THEIR OWN UNIQUE SET OF COURSES.MENTORING BEGINS IN THE FIRST-YEAR TUTORIAL, THE ONLY REQUIRED COURSE AT GRINNELL COLLEGE. FACULTY MEMBERS FROM ALL ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS TEACH THE TUTORIAL AND THEIR TOPICS VARY WIDELY, BUT EVERY TUTORIAL EMPHASIZES WRITING, CRITICAL THINKING AND ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION SKILLS, AND INFORMATION LITERACY.EACH TUTOR ALSO SERVES AS ADVISER TO THE TUTORIAL STUDENTS UNTIL THEY DECLARE A MAJOR FIELD OF STUDY, OFFERING GUIDANCE FROM AN INSTRUCTOR WITH PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR ACADEMIC INTERESTS, APTITUDES, AND NEEDS.THE TUTORIAL IS USUALLY LIMITED TO 14 STUDENTS, MAKING IT SMALLER THAN THE AVERAGE CLASS, THOUGH SIMILAR IN INTENSITY TO THE REST OF THE CURRICULUM. IN FACT, GRINNELL CLASSES GENERALLY ARE SMALL, WITH AN AVERAGE ENROLLMENT OF 16 AND FEWER THAN 5 PERCENT OF CLASSES ABOVE 30 STUDENTS.MANY ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OFFER A MENTORED ADVANCED PROJECT (MAP), EITHER AS INDEPENDENT STUDY OR IN THE CONTEXT OF A SEMINAR. THE MAP, CLOSELY GUIDED BY A FACULTY DIRECTOR, GIVES UPPER-LEVEL STUDENTS OPPORTUNITY TO CULMINATE A SEQUENCE OF ACADEMIC WORK BY COMPLETING AN ADVANCED PROJECT IN RESEARCH OR CREATIVE ARTS.AT ALL LEVELS OF THE CURRICULUM, GRINNELL COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE AN EDUCATION ROOTED IN ACTIVE EXPERIENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, STUDENTS IN SCIENCE CLASSES ENGAGE IN DISCOVERY-BASED LEARNING, EVEN AT THE INTRODUCTORY LEVEL. EACH AREA OF THE FINE ARTS OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE PRACTICE ALONGSIDE THE STUDY OF HISTORY, THEORY, AND FORMAL ANALYSIS.OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, THE CENTER FOR CAREERS, LIFE, AND SERVICE HAS COORDINATED MORE THAN 500 COLLEGE-FUNDED SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR STUDENTS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. ABOUT A THIRD OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS THROUGH MEMBERSHIP ON VARSITY TEAMS.STUDENT-REGULATED RESIDENCE LIFE, ANOTHER IMPORTANT FEATURE OF A GRINNELL EDUCATION, TEACHES STUDENTS THE PRAGMATIC SOCIAL SKILLS OF SELF-GOVERNANCE AS THEY LIVE TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY.THE COLLEGE OFFERS A CALENDAR PACKED WITH CULTURAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CONCERTS, LECTURES, THEATRE, FILMS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEER AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT. GRINNELL HAS NEVER HAD FRATERNITIES OR SORORITIES; SOCIAL EVENTS ARE OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE.GRINNELL'S EMPHASIS ON ACTIVE LEARNING EXTENDS TO PARTICIPATION IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY. WITH INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MAKING UP NEARLY 20 PERCENT OF THE STUDENT BODY AND DOMESTIC STUDENTS REPRESENTING EVERY STATE, GRINNELL OFFERS A GEOGRAPHICALLY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT FOR LIVING AND LEARNING. A FLOURISHING INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT COORDINATES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE MANY COURSES AND PROGRAMS AT GRINNELL COLLEGE WITH A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE. EVEN WITHOUT A LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT, NEARLY ALL STUDENTS ELECT TO STUDY A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. MORE THAN HALF OF GRINNELL STUDENTS (A NUMBER MATCHED BY VERY FEW OTHER COLLEGES) SPEND A SEMESTER IN OFF-CAMPUS STUDY. NEARLY ALL OF THESE STUDENTS DECIDE TO LIVE AND STUDY OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.INTENSIVE TEACHING, ACTIVE LEARNING, RESIDENCE IN A COMMUNITY OF CULTURAL AND GLOBAL DIVERSITY, AND SELF-GOVERNANCE IN BOTH SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC LIFE--THESE ELEMENTS COME TOGETHER AT GRINNELL COLLEGE TO FORM A DISTINCTIVE EXPERIENCE OF LIBERAL EDUCATION.
- $34.9 million spent. ACADEMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT INCLUDES LIBRARY, FACULTY DEVELOPMENT, COMPUTER SERVICES, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PRINTING SERVICES, MAIL SERVICES, AND OTHER EXPENDITURES TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COLLEGE.
- $34.0 million spent. STUDENT SERVICES INCLUDES REGISTRATION, COUNSELING, ADMISSION AND FINANCIAL AID, HEALTH SERVICES, INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS, LECTURES, CONVOCATIONS AND OTHER STUDENT PROGRAMS.
- $27.1 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES SUCH AS HOUSING AND FOOD SERVICE.
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 January 1953.
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.