Warren Wilson College
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE'S DISTINCTIVE APPROACH TO EDUCATION INTENTIONALLY INTEGRATES ACADEMICS, WORK, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO CULTIVATE CURIOSITY, EMPATHY, AND INTEGRITY. WE EMPOWER GRADUATES TO PURSUE MEANINGFUL CAREERS AND LEAD PURPOSEFUL LIVES DEDICATED TO A JUST, EQUITABLE, AND SUSTAINABLE WORLD.
- Income
- $68.3 million
- Spending
- $50.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- -0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 58%
- Employees
- 587
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $252,881, 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
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2526 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (2)
- $42.4 million spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: MOST PROGRAMS RENDERED ARE RELATED TO PROVIDING USEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE WORK, AND SERVICE TO OTHERS BEYOND THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY. THE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT ENROLLMENT AT THE COLLEGE DURING THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 714 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. A TOTAL OF 200 STUDENTS (BOTH GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE) GRADUATED FROM THE COLLEGE DURING THE YEAR. A LOW-RESIDENCY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CREATIVE WRITING LEADING TO A MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE IS ALSO OFFERED, AND AVERAGES AROUND 68 ENROLLEES. THE COLLEGE PREPARED STUDENTS REPRESENTING A BROADLY DIVERSE WORLD FOR SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND MEANINGFUL LIFELONG WORK AND STUDY BY OFFERING AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM THAT ENABLES STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY, OBTAIN AND EVALUATE INFORMATION EFFECTIVELY, AND COMMUNICATE CLEARLY, INTRODUCING THEM TO A VARIETY OF WAYS BY WHICH HUMANS ACQUIRE AND USE KNOWLEDGE, AND THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP A BREADTH OF UNDERSTANDING AND TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AMONG AREAS CONSIDERED CRITICAL TO A LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM, AND REQUIRING THAT THEY DEMONSTRATE A DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING THROUGH COMPETENCE IN ONE OR MORE ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES. ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES IS THE MAJOR WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS, IN KEEPING WITH ANOTHER INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVE, THAT OF PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH EDUCATION, CAMPUS OPERATIONS POLICY, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THE COLLEGE ALSO FURNISHES STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE A VARIETY OF CULTURES, ASSISTING THEM IN DEVELOPING AWARENESS OF THE COMMONALITY OF HUMAN PROBLEMS AND THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD. THE COLLEGE SPONSORED THREE STUDY AWAY COURSES LED BY THE COLLEGE'S FACULTY AND STAFF IN 2024-2025. THESE COURSES TRAVELED TO FRANCE, INDONESIA, AND THE NETHERLANDS. IN ADDITION, WE SENT 18 STUDENTS ON OUR SEMESTER-LONG STUDY ABROAD EXCHANGE PROGRAMS TO COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. WARREN WILSON COLLEGE'S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING MODEL LEADS STUDENTS INTO CONSIDERED REFLECTION ON THE MEANING AND VALUE OF WORK AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, GUIDING STUDENTS IN EXAMINING THEIR LIVES AND ARTICULATING THEIR BELIEFS AND VALUES, AND PROVIDES THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONAL, PHYSICAL, MORAL, AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. THE COLLEGE ALSO PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF ITS MISSION, WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS BEING MADE TO SCHOOLS AND NONPROFITS IN OUR IMMEDIATE AREA AND AROUND THE WORLD. FROM 2024-2025 STUDENTS COMPLETED 33,009 VOLUNTEER HOURS AT 131 LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES DURING THE YEAR. FOR THE COLLEGE'S ANNUAL SERVICE DAY OVER 250 STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE PARTICIPATED AT 29 SITES CONTRIBUTING OVER 1150 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
- $1.1 million spent. PUBLIC SERVICES PROGRAM: THE SWANNANOA GATHERING IS A SERIES OF WEEKLY SUMMER MUSIC WORKSHOPS HELD ON THE WARREN WILSON COLLEGE CAMPUS EACH JUNE AND JULY THE ENROLLMENT IS LIMITED, WITH AN OPEN FORMAT, WHICH ALLOWS EACH STUDENT TO SELECT THEIR OWN CURRICULUM FROM A VARIETY OF COURSES WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE LEVELS AND ABILITIES. HOUSING AND MEALS FOR PARTICIPANTS IS AN OPTION. THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION HAS ALLOWED 3 HOURS OF TEACHING CERTIFICATE RENEWAL CREDITS, WITH PRIOR APPROVAL, FOR EACH WEEK OF THE SERIES. TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE SUMMER OF 2025 WERE 1,236, RANGING BETWEEN 141 AND 340 PARTICIPANTS FOR EACH OF THE FIVE WEEKS.
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 September 1962.
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.
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