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Bridgewater College

EIN 54-0506306 · Bridgewater, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak25 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE EDUCATES THE WHOLE PERSON BY PROVIDING A CHALLENGING AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY THAT FOSTERS THE GROWTH OF ITS STUDENTS AND EMPOWERS AND MOTIVATES THEM TO LIVE EDUCATED, INTELLIGENT, HEALTHY, PURPOSEFUL AND ETHICAL LIVES IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY. THE COLLEGE EMBRACES THE CORE VALUES OF INTEGRITY, EQUALITY, SERVICE AND COMMUNITY, WHICH HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY ITS HISTORY WITH THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN. THE COLLEGE IS A WELCOMING, DIVERSE AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY, COMMITTED TO UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECTING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND ACTIVELY ENGAGING ALL OF ITS MEMBERS.

Income
$52.2 million
Spending
$60.1 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
-11 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 77%
Employees
853
Volunteers
41
Highest pay
$385,916, president

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

Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 30% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 42% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 31 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 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 26 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

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $24.9 million spent. LOCATED ONLY TWO HOURS SOUTHWEST OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C., METRO AREA, BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE HAS A TOTAL ENROLLMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 1,400 STUDENTS AND OFFERS BACHELOR OF ARTS AND BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREES IN MORE THAN 60 MAJORS AND MINORS, ALONG WITH PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS MEDICINE AND LAW AND TEACHER LICENSURE. THE COLLEGE ALSO OFFERS MASTERS DEGREE PROGRAMS IN ATHLETIC TRAINING, DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGY, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT. GROUNDED IN LIBERAL ARTS, STUDENTS AT BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE LEARN ABOUT A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES, ENABLING THEM TO BECOME ARTICULATE, ANALYTICAL AND ASSERTIVE. THEY ARE CHALLENGED BY RIGOROUS ACADEMICS IN A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATE WITH FACULTY TO CREATE PERSONALIZED AND UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
  2. $9.6 million spent. THE RESIDENTIAL CAMPUS IS LOCATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA. ON-CAMPUS HOUSING FEATURES SEVEN DORMITORIES, SHARED HOUSES KNOWN AS THE COTTAGES, APARTMENT-STYLE LIVING IN THE WAMPLER TOWERS, AND THE STONE VILLAGE HOUSING COMMUNITY. DINING OPTIONS INCLUDE THE MAIN DINING HALL IN THE KLINE CAMPUS CENTER AND SMITTY'S CAF IN THE FORRER LEARNING COMMONS.
  3. $12.3 million spent. WITH MORE THAN 60 SOCIAL, CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ACADEMIC CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING HAPPENING ON CAMPUS. NEARLY A THIRD OF THE STUDENT BODY PARTICIPATES IN ONE OF THE 23 INTERCOLLEGIATE SPORTS BRIDGEWATER OFFERS AT THE NCAA DIVISION III LEVEL. BRIDGEWATER STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM FITNESS OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE FUNKHOUSER CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS; AN ARRAY OF INTRAMURAL SPORTS AND AN OUTDOOR PROGRAM; MUSICAL ENSEMBLES SUCH AS THE CONCERT CHOIR, CHORALE, SYMPHONIC BAND AND JAZZ ENSEMBLE; AND A RENOWNED ENDOWED LECTURE, LYCEUM AND CONVOCATION SERIES, WHICH BRINGS SPEAKERS AND ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO THE COLLEGE.
  4. $6.1 million spent. ACADEMIC SUPPORT AREAS AT BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE INCLUDE THE ACADEMIC ADVISING CENTER, THE FORROR LEARNING COMMONS, THE WRITING CENTER, THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CENTER, THE OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES AND THE ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER. REVENUES OF $2,448 ARE FOR BOOK COMMISIONS WITH THE ONLINE BOOK STORE, WHOSE OPERATIONS ARE OTHERWISE DIVORCED FROM BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

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 April 1939.

    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.