LIMESTONE UNIVERSITY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

LIMESTONE UNIVERSITY

EIN 57-0314402 · Education (B42Z)

What they do

ESTABLISHED IN 1845, LIMESTONE UNIVERSITY WAS A FOUR-YEAR LIBERAL ARTS INSTITUTION IN GAFFNEY, SC. DUE to SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, THE BOARD of TRUSTEES VOTED ON APRIL 29, 2025 to CLOSE THE COLLEGE, LETTING GO ALL EMPLOYEE AS of MAY 31, 2025.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $75.60 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders32 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

93.63%of revenue went to mission work75.6% of expenses · Program services

1.02%of revenue went to fundraising0.8% of expenses

$123.78spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

29.13%of revenue went to management and office costs23.5% of expenses

$0.86in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

3.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $11,062,669 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $257,222 for NATHAN COPELAND (PRESIDENT). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$46,519,696

Mission workProgram services$43,556,29593.63% of revenue75.6% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$13,549,64329.13% of revenue23.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$476,4271.02% of revenue0.8% of expenses

Total expenses$57,582,365123.78% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 75.6% mission · 23.5% management · 0.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 123.78% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 82.5% mission · 16.6% management · 0.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.64% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 79.4% mission · 19.6% management · 1.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 127.67% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 80.9% mission · 17.9% management · 1.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.28% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 80.6% mission · 18.2% management · 1.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.12% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 80.2% mission · 18.9% management · 1.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.04% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 85.4% mission · 11.9% management · 2.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.14% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 91.8% mission · 6.9% management · 1.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.57% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$46,519,696

Expenses$57,582,365

Annual shortfall $11,062,669 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$43,556,295 · 75.6% of expenses

Management and office costs$13,549,643 · 23.5% of expenses

Fundraising$476,427 · 0.8% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$46,519,696

Expenses$57,582,365

Assets$49,593,089

Income$46,519,696

Contributions$1,487,417

Mission work (program services)$43,556,295

Fundraising$476,427

Management and general$13,549,643

Stocks and bonds$1,681,569

Accounting fees$107,858

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

NATHAN COPELANDPRESIDENT · 40 hrs/week $257,222Base $245,469 · Other $11,753

JEREMY WHITAKERCFO · 40 hrs/week $243,971Base $235,596 · Other $8,375

STACY ALDRICHVP FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT · 40 hrs/week $230,857Base $222,773 · Other $8,084

BRIAN AMELINGINTERIM PROVOST · 40 hrs/week $155,878Base $150,000 · Other $5,878

DAVID SCOTT BELLAMYDEAN · 40 hrs/week $150,820Base $146,000 · Other $4,820

JERICHO COTCHERYFOOTBALL COACH · 40 hrs/week $131,667

ANDREW ENGLISHDIRECTOR INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS · 40 hrs/week $129,175Base $125,000 · Other $4,175

TRAVIS MCDOWELLVP OF ENROLLMENT · 40 hrs/week $125,798Base $121,193 · Other $4,605

BRANDAN HARTMANCHIEF OF STAFF · 40 hrs/week $111,448Base $107,027 · Other $4,421

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (32)

NATHAN COPELANDPRESIDENT

JEREMY WHITAKERCFO

STACY ALDRICHVP FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

BRIAN AMELINGINTERIM PROVOST

DAVID SCOTT BELLAMYDEAN

JERICHO COTCHERYFOOTBALL COACH

ANDREW ENGLISHDIRECTOR INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

TRAVIS MCDOWELLVP OF ENROLLMENT

BRANDAN HARTMANCHIEF OF STAFF

SUSAN HINESBOARD MEMBER

RICK JIRANBOARD MEMBER (THRU 5/22/25)

REED BROWNBOARD MEMBER

TIERNEY ROLLINSBOARD MEMBER (THRU 5/12/25)

TONY FISHERBOARD MEMBER (THRU 5/12/25)

RANDALL RICHARDSONCHAIR

RAHUL MEHRABOARD MEMBER (THRU 5/11/25)

PHIL ORRBOARD MEMBER (THRU 6/30/25)

TREY STILLBOARD MEMBER

MIKE DANIELBOARD MEMBER (THRU 4/1/25)

LEE SOWELLVICE CHAIR

KRIS BONOCOREBOARD MEMBER

JULIE LOWRYBOARD MEMBER

JULIA BASSBOARD MEMBER

JOE SULLIVANBOARD MEMBER

HARMONY NODABOARD MEMBER (THRU 4/2/25)

GIGI HAMRICKBOARD MEMBER (THRU 4/30/25)

GENE MOORHEADBOARD MEMBER (THRU 5/29/25)

DON PULLUMBOARD MEMBER

CROSSIE COXBOARD MEMBER

CHELSEA MCCOYBOARD MEMBER (THRU 5/12/25)

BRIAN RUSSELLBOARD MEMBER (THRU 11/12/24)

BRIAN BAUERBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1946
Location: 1115 COLLEGE DR, GAFFNEY, SC 29340-3778
County: Cherokee
In care of: LEE SOWELL
Primary officer: LEE SOWELL, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(800) 795-7151

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CHERRY BEKAERT ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Education (B42Z)

LIMESTONE UNIVERSITY

LIMESTONE UNIVERSITY

What they do

Should I give to this charity?

Basic facts we verified

Money made simple

Ask these three easy questions

Financial picture

How each $100 of revenue was used

Has the pattern changed?

Money in and money out

Reported spending amounts

Leadership and board

People reported as paid

About this charity

How to reach them

Filing and classification

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