The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization based in Washington, DC, that advances the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. It supports higher education through programs, research, publications, public advocacy, campus-based projects, and grants.
Key facts about American Association of Colleges and Universities
In short: American Association of Colleges and Universities gave $437K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in Maryland. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 52-1945674
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $436,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- Average grant
- $27,281
- Median grant
- $8,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (3 of 16, 2025)
- Total assets
- $28,447,703
- Primary geography
- Maryland (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$28.4M
+23.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$437K
-31.7% YoY
Grant Count
16
-54.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
+49.3% YoY
Is American Association of Colleges and Universities open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 16 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $8K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
AAC&U’s mission is to advance the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Its 2024 filing describes grant-funded programs to study, research, and address common educational issues and targeted areas of concern. It also describes programs that research educational problems and meetings and communications with members about higher education issues.
The 2025 grants included support for knowledge exchange and meeting management, a democracy initiative planning grant, an immersive design experiences project, development of Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers, and a curriculum-to-careers initiative.
Among 2025 grantees, College Unbound describes its mission as reinventing higher education for underrepresented returning adult learners through an individualized, flexible, and affordable model. Agnes Scott College describes its mission as educating women to think deeply, live honorably, and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times. Loyola University Maryland describes its mission as a Jesuit Catholic education grounded in liberal education and the development of the whole person.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, AAC&U reported 16 grants totaling $436,500. Grant amounts ranged from $8,000 to $225,000, with a median of $8,000. The largest listed grants were $225,000 to GPRA Strategic Management Inc. for knowledge exchange and meeting management; $58,500 to Campus Compact for a democracy initiative planning grant; $25,000 to Ohio Northern University for an immersive design experiences project; and $20,000 each to College Unbound and Rock Valley College for development of TRHT Campus Centers.
Other listed awards included $8,000 each to Agnes Scott College, the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University, Clark University, Dallas College, Gallaudet University, Lorain County Community College, and Loyola University Maryland Inc., all for the Curriculum to Careers Initiative.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AAC&U’s website describes a membership network in the United States and internationally. Its 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states; the largest shares were reported for Maryland (53%), Massachusetts (15%), Ohio (8%), Rhode Island (5%), and Illinois (5%). These figures describe the locations of 2025 grant recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $304K (2023) to $1.5M (2019). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $437K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was GPRA Strategic Management Inc ($225K). Together the top 10 received $389K.
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 106 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GPRA Strategic Management Inc White Plains, MD | Knowledge Exchange and Meeting Management | $225,000 |
| Campus Compact Boston, MA | Democracy Initiative Planning Grant | $58,500 |
| Ohio Northern University Ada, OH | Immersive Design Experiences Project | $25,000 |
| College Unbound Providence, RI | Development of TRHT Campus Center | $20,000 |
| Rock Valley College Rockford, IL | Development of TRHT Campus Center | $20,000 |
| Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA | Curriculum to Careers Initiative | $8,000 |
| Board of Trustees of Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | Curriculum to Careers Initiative | $8,000 |
| Clark University Worcester, MA | Curriculum to Careers Initiative | $8,000 |
| Dallas College Dallas, TX | Curriculum to Careers Initiative | $8,000 |
| Gallaudet University Washington, DC | Curriculum to Careers Initiative | $8,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,447,703 | $19,166,512 | $18,266,961 | $436,500 (16 grants) |
| 2024 | $23,032,485 | $15,845,906 | $15,977,635 | $639,385 (35 grants) |
| 2023 | $21,674,851 | $15,054,199 | $14,849,607 | $304,190 (5 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $28,447,703 | $23,032,485 | $21,674,851 |
| Revenue | $19,166,512 | $15,845,906 | $15,054,199 |
| Expenses | $18,266,961 | $15,977,635 | $14,849,607 |
| Net Investment Income | $460,639 | $582,614 | $306,960 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 5, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Adam Bush, Andrea Chapdelaine, Andrew Rehfeld, Brandon Busteed, Charles M. Roesel, Christina Cutlip, Dara N. Bryne, Eduardo Ochoa, and Frederick Lawrence as directors. David Wilson is listed as treasurer.
American Association of Colleges and Universities is led by Lynn Pasquerella, President on every filing since 2019; 7 of 36 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynn Pasquerella
President
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$507K (2019) → $761K (2025)
Johnathan Alger
Vice Chair & Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Vice Chair & Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Eatman
Chair & Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Chair & Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Dana Hinton
Director
Chair → Past Chair, 2023
Past Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Busteed
Director
Director → Past Director, 2024
Past Director → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Chapdelaine
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christina Cutlip
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eduardo Ochoa
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frederick Lawrence
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lanisa Kitchiner
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Eddinger
Director & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Santa Ono
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yves Salomon-Fernandez
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Bush
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles M. Roessel
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Riddell
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Flores
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rana Sobh
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Randy Williams
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne M. Rivera
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Rehfeld
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dara N. Bryne
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marco Barker
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia A. Marshall
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roslyn Clark Artis
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Johnson
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julius Sokenu
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
L. Song Richardson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas P. Foley
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dawn Whitehead
Vice President & Global Citizen for Campus
Interim Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs → Vice President & Global Citizen for Campus, 2023
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$137K (2019) → $190K (2025)
Kathryne McConell
Vice President, Curricular & Pedagogical Innov
Senior Director, Research & Assessment → Vice President, Curricular & Pedagogical Innovation, 2023
Vice President, Curricular & Pedagogical Innovation → Vice President, Curricular & Pedagogical Innov, 2024
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$113K (2019) → $179K (2025)
Kelly Mack
Vice President & Undergrad Stem Education
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$169K (2019) → $235K (2025)
Ashley Finley
Vice President, Research & Senior Advisor
Senior Advisor to the President & Vice President for Strateg → Vice President, Research & Senior Advisor to the President, 2023
Vice President, Research & Senior Advisor to the President → Vice President, Research & Senior Advisor, 2024
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$157K (2020) → $192K (2025)
Melvina Norried-Thomas
Vice President, Administration & Finance
Vice President, Human Resources, Administration & Facilities → Vice President, Human Resources & Administration, 2024
Vice President, Human Resources & Administration → Vice President, Administration & Finance, 2025
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$132K (2020) → $236K (2025)
David Tritelli
Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$195K (2025)
David Wilson
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (39)
- Former: Mary Ann Villarreal (2019–2024) — Past Chair
- Former: Tia McNair (2019–2024) — Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Student Su
- Former: Nancy Cable (2020–2024) — Past Director
- Former: Elizabeth Howe Bradley (2022–2024) — Past Director
- Former: Lenore Rodicio (2019–2023) — Past Chair
- Former: Brooke Barnett (2019–2022) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Charles Edward Watson (2019–2022) — CIO, Associate Vice President for Quality & Peda
- Former: David Theo Goldberg (2019–2022) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Kathleen Woodward (2019–2022) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Paul G. Lannon (2019–2022) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Ralph Wilcox (2019–2022) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Tim Eatman (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Chiffon Haggins (2020–2022) — Director, Finance & Administration
- Former: Alex Johnson (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Amy E. Ferrer (2019–2020) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Carol Leary (2019–2020) — Past Chair
- Former: Judith R. Shapiro (2019–2020) — Outgoing Director
- Former: Katherine Bergeron (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Laura Behling (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Laurie Leshin (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Marjorie Hass (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Mary A. Papazian (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Richard Guarasci (2019–2020) — Outgoing Past Chair
- Former: Robert L. Pura (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Ronald A. Crutcher (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Royce Engstrom (2019–2020) — Outgoing Treasurer
- Former: Terrel Rhodes (2019–2020) — Vice President, Quality, Cuirriculum & Assessment
- Former: Thomas Bailey (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Tuajuanda C. Jordan (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: William J. Craft (2019–2020) — Chair
- Former: Andrew Flagel (2020) — Vice President, Advancement & Member Engagement
- Former: David Scobey (2020) — Executive Director & Btp
- Former: Karthik Devarajan (2020) — Senior Director
- Former: Shelley Carey (2020) — Senior Editor
- Former: Amy Jessen-Marshall (2019) — Vice President, Integrative Learning & Global Commons
- Former: Dennis Renner (2019) — Director & Membership
- Former: Janet McLaughlin (2019) — Senior Director, Finance & Administration
- Former: Lisa Wills (2019) — Senior Director & Undergraduate Stem Education
- Former: Suzanne Hyers (2019) — Senior Director & Annual Meeting
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $761K, to Lynn Pasquerella (President). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1818 R Street Nw, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 387-3760
Website: https://aacu.org
Frequently asked questions about American Association of Colleges and Universities
How much does American Association of Colleges and Universities give each year?
American Association of Colleges and Universities gave $437K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $639K across 35 grants.
What is American Association of Colleges and Universities's typical grant size?
American Association of Colleges and Universities's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $27,281, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from American Association of Colleges and Universities that year got $35K on average.
Where does American Association of Colleges and Universities give grants?
American Association of Colleges and Universities gives mostly in Maryland: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (15%) and Ohio (8%).
Does American Association of Colleges and Universities give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on American Association of Colleges and Universities's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Curriculum to Careers Initiative" (10 grants).
Who are American Association of Colleges and Universities's largest grantees?
American Association of Colleges and Universities's largest 2025 grantees include GPRA Strategic Management Inc ($225,000), Campus Compact ($58,500) and Ohio Northern University ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is American Association of Colleges and Universities?
American Association of Colleges and Universities reported $28.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $19.2M.
What does American Association of Colleges and Universities fund?
AAC&U’s mission is to advance the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Its 2024 filing describes grant-funded programs to study, research, and address common educational issues and targeted areas of concern. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from American Association of Colleges and Universities?
American Association of Colleges and Universities has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check aacu.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is American Association of Colleges and Universities's EIN?
American Association of Colleges and Universities's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1945674. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
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