Liberty University Inc.

86%

Three-Star Charity

Impact & Measurement

Accountability & Finance

Culture & Community

Leadership & Adaptability

Liberty University Inc.

Is this your nonprofit?

501(c)(3) organization

Donations are tax-deductible

WWW.LIBERTY.EDU

1971 UNIVERSITY BLVD

Lynchburg VA 24515-0002

434-592-4800

Lynchburg VA | IRS ruling year: 1974 | EIN: 54-0946734

An EIN is a unique nine-digit number that identifies a business for tax purposes.

Organization Mission

SEE SCHEDULE O

Rating Information

Good

This charity's score is 86%, earning it a Three-Star rating.

This overall score is calculated entirely from a single beacon score, weighted as follows: 100% Accountability & Finance. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.

Historical Ratings

Proceed with Caution - Reported OtherMaterialLawsuit

On November 12, 2021, The Denver Gazette reported on the operations of Liberty University Inc. in an article titled, "Jerry Falwell Jr. resurrects lawsuit against Liberty University." For more information, please see The Denver Gazette article.

On September 15, 2019, The Guardian published an article titled "Jerry Falwell's Liberty University dogged by growing claims of corruption." For more information, please see The Guardian article
On August 25, 2020, The Associated Press published an article titled "Falwell says he’s resigned from Liberty University." For more information, please see The Associated Press article
On August 31, 2020, The Martinsville Bulletin published an article titled "Liberty announces investigation into Falwell's tenure." For more information, please see The Martinsville Bulletin article
On October 31, 2020, My Journal Courier published an article titled "Falwell sues Liberty, saying school damaged his reputation." For more information, please see My Journal Courier article
On December 10, 2020, The Washington Post published an article titled "Jerry Falwell Jr. drops lawsuit against Liberty University." For more information, please see The Washington Post article
On September 21, 2023, ABC 13 News published an article titled "Jerry Falwell Jr. accuses Liberty University officials of sexual misconduct, questionable financial dealings amid trademark lawsuit." For more information, please see ABC 13 News article
On April 16, 2021, NPR published an article titled "Liberty University Sues Ex-President Jerry Falwell, Jr., Seeking Millions In Damages." For more information, please see NPR article
On November 12, 2021, The Denver Gazette published an article titled "Jerry Falwell Jr. resurrects lawsuit against Liberty University." For more information, please see The Denver Gazette article

On May 12, 2022, U.S. News and World Report reported on a settlement entered into by Liberty University Inc. in an article titled, “Women Settle Suit Alleging Liberty Mishandled Assault Cases.” For more information regarding this matter, please see U.S. News and World Report article.

On July 20, 2021, The Associated Press published an article titled "Lawsuit against Liberty alleges mishandling of sex assaults." For more information, please see The Associated Press article

On March 5, 2024, The Associated Press reported on a settlement entered into by Liberty University Inc. in an article titled, “Liberty University will pay $14 million, the largest fine ever levied under the federal Clery Act.” For more information regarding this matter, please see The Associated Press article.

On October 3, 2023, The Associated Press published an article titled "Liberty University failed to disclose crime data and warn of threats for years, report says." For more information, please see The Associated Press article

For more information about our alerts methodology, see here.

Accountability & Finance

Score

86

Most Recent Fiscal Year:
FY 2021

This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.

Learn more

Key Accountability Metrics

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Majority Independent Board Members - 70% independent members

8 out of 8 points

Independent Board Size - 21 independent members

7 out of 7 points

Financial Statements - Audit and Oversight Committee

15 out of 15 points

Total Revenue Amount	Expectation to Receive Credit
$2 million or higher and 40% or higher donor support	Expected to complete an audit and have an audit oversight committee
$1 million or higher	Expected to complete an audit
$500,000 - $1 million	Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation
Less than $500,000	No expectation (removed from scoring methodology)

Material Diversion of Assets - Yes

0 out of 10 points

Tax Form Disclosures and Policies

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Website Listed on Tax Form - Listed

2 out of 2 points

Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed

4 out of 4 points

Whistleblower Policy - Listed

4 out of 4 points

Document Retention and Destruction - Listed

4 out of 4 points

Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes

2 out of 2 points

Website Disclosures

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Tax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website - Missing

0 out of 4 points

Financial Metrics

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Liabilities to Assets: Ratio - 11.95%

15 out of 15 points

Program Expense: Ratio - 88.34%

25 out of 25 points

Additional Information

Total Revenue and Expenses - Data Available

Salary of Key Persons - Data Available

IRS Published Data (Business Master File) - Data Available

Data Sources (IRS Forms 990) - Data Available