Hillel the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE AN INFORMED, CELEBRATORY AND SATISFYING JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, TO DEEPEN JEWISH IDENTITY THROUGH SOCIAL, INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL PARTICIPATION, TO OFFER DIVERSIFIED OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING TAILORED TO STUDENTS' SPECIAL INTERESTS AND NEEDS, TO SUPPORT JEWISH INTERESTS AND BUILD JEWISH COMMUNITY WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT, AND TO DEVELOP JEWS WHO WILL MAKE THETRANSITION FROM CAMPUS TO COMMUNITY AS POSITIVE, IDENTIFIED JEWS WITH ASTAKE IN THE JEWISH FUTURE.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 3.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 22
- Highest pay
- $182,338, executive dir.
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: 65 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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
Good: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 20 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $614,118 spent. HILLEL AT USC STRIVES TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT ALL JEWISH STUDENTS WHO ARE AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES. KNOWING THAT MORE THAN ONE OF TWO STUDENTS COME FROM AN INTERFAITH HOUSEHOLD, WE ALSO SUPPORT THE MANY UNAFFILIATED STUDENTS ALONG THEIR JEWISH JOURNEYS THROUGH AN EXPLORATION OF THEIR PASSIONS AND INTERESTS AS JEWS AND AS YOUNG ADULTS. THROUGH AN INTENSIVE EFFORT TO GET TO KNOW THE BROADER JEWISH STUDENT BODY, WE ARE BETTER ABLE TO FOSTER THE MEANINGFUL JEWISHEXPERIENCES OF OUR STUDENTS.
- $371,671 spent. HILLEL AT USC CREATES A SAFE SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THEIR JEWISH IDENTITIES, EMBARK IN JEWISH LEARNING EXPERIENCES, AND CELEBRATE OUR JEWISH HERITAGE. OUR RABBINIC TEAM WORKS WITH STUDENTS THROUGH THE CELEBRATION OF JEWISH HOLIDAYS, FESTIVALS AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
- $312,560 spent. HILLEL AT USC VIEWS ISRAEL AS A CORE ELEMENT OF JEWISH LIFE AND A GATEWAY TO JEWISH IDENTIFICATION FOR STUDENTS. WE PROVIDE EVERY JEWISH STUDENT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE AND BUILD AN ENDURING RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL THROUGH OUR ISRAEL FELLOWSHIP, SUPPORT OF PRO-ISRAEL STUDENT GROUPS, AND TAGLIT-BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.