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Frontier Nursing University Inc

EIN 61-1124267 · Versailles, KY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong96 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION THAT PREPARES NURSES TO BECOME COMPETENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL, ETHICAL AND COMPASSIONATE NURSE-MIDWIVES AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS TO WORK WITH ALL PEOPLE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. WE TRANSFORM THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND POPULATIONS, AND TO PROMOTE HEALTHCARE EQUITY BY INCREASING ACCESS TO HIGHLY SKILLED NURSE-MIDWIVES AND ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES.

Income
$50.1 million
Spending
$47.7 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
17.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 94%
Employees
290
Volunteers
16
Highest pay
$578,052, chief executive officer (part-year)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 20% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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

    16 of 16 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 April 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 (3)
  1. $28.5 million spent. FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY (FNU) HAS BEEN PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION TO NURSES SEEKING ADVANCED DEGREES SINCE 1939. FNU OFFERS A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION THAT PREPARES NURSES TO BECOME COMPETENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL, ETHICAL AND COMPASSIONATE NURSE-MIDWIVES AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS WHO WILL PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES RESIDING IN ALL AREAS, WITH A FOCUS ON RURAL AND MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. FNU FULFILLS OUR MISSION BY OPERATING ACCREDITED DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WHICH ALLOW NURSES FROM ACROSS THE NATION TO ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION DREAMS WITHOUT LEAVING THEIR WORK OR HOME. THE PRIMARY TENET IS HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE EDUCATED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WILL REMAIN TO SERVE THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)FNU CURRENTLY OFFERS THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: - A POST-MASTERS DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE (DNP) DEGREE FOR NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND NURSE-MIDWIVES. - A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (MSN) + COMPANION DNP PROGRAM WITH FOUR TRACKS AS OPTIONS: NURSE-MIDWIFE, FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER, WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER, AND PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER.SINCE ACHIEVING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION IN 2004, TOTAL ENROLLMENT HAS GROWN FROM 200 STUDENTS TO MORE THAN 2,700 STUDENTS. FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADING SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES FOR NURSE- MIDWIFERY EDUCATION, GRADUATING OVER ONE-THIRD OF NEW NURSE-MIDWIVES ANNUALLY. OUR OTHER PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO GROW AND WE HAVE OVER 8,000 ALUMNI WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AS PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS DAILY IN THE LIVES OF COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. FNU GRADUATES ARE PROVIDING PRIMARY HEALTHCARE TO RURAL AND UNDERSERVED FAMILIES IN EVERY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS SEVERAL FOREIGN COUNTRIES. THE QUALITY AND ACADEMIC RIGOR OF A FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY EDUCATION ARE EVIDENT IN THE CERTIFICATION PASS RATES OF OUR GRADUATES. CERTIFICATION RESULTS FROM 2021 REVEALED THAT PASS RATES OF THE GRADUATES OF THE FRONTIER FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAM, NURSE-MIDWIFERY PROGRAM, WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAM, AND PSYCHIATRIC-MENTAL HEALTH NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAM ALL EXCEEDED NATIONAL AVERAGES.
  2. $4.1 million spent. ACADEMIC SUPPORT: FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY TAKES A MULTI-LAYERED, COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ACADEMIC ADVISING. IN ADDITION TO THE FACULTY WHO ARE WITH STUDENTS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY IN THE COURSEWORK, FNU ASSIGNS EACH STUDENT AN ACADEMIC ADVISOR AND A REGIONAL CLINICAL FACULTY MEMBER (RCF) TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND DIRECTION FROM THE POINT OF ADMISSION UNTIL THE STUDENT FINISHES THEIR DEGREE.FRONTIER HAS A WIDE NETWORK OF STUDENT SUPPORT, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, WHICH COORDINATES TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS.
  3. $5.3 million spent. STUDENT SERVICES AND RECRUITING EXPENSES: INCLUDES REGISTRAR, FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATION, AND ADMISSIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending April 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1988.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.