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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: February 2025 Expires: February 2027

Road Scholar

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
Accreditation seal
(800) 454-5768
Post Office Box 56033
Boston, MA, 02205
https://www.roadscholar.org/
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Road Scholar meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Complaints


Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 36 months: 7.

Trip Reimbursement

The organization addressed the complaint issues brought to its attention: 7.

(These complaints involve individuals seeking to have his or her planned trip reimbursed for various reasons).

Stated Purpose:
"to sponsor, arrange or conduct courses, seminars or other programs for the education primarily of persons aged 55 and older."

Year, State Incorporated:
1975, MA

Road Scholar reports that it is an educational travel organization, offering experiential learning adventures for older adults. The organization states that participants experience in-depth educational programming, with more than 4,300 programs in over 100 countries, seven continents, and across the United States. Road Scholar also offers "At Home" programs for online learners. The organization reports that its in-person programs range from four days to four months. In 2024, Road Scholar states that it offered 678 on-site programs worldwide with a total of 4,314 unique program dates, which were attended by nearly 90,000 participants.

For the year ended June 30, 2024, Road Scholar's program expenses were:

Adventures afloat programs: $28,605,111

Marketing: $25,895,263

Non-afloat international programs: $148,544,340

Non-afloat domestic programs: $87,667,431

Program development and administration: $13,725,078

Participant services: $11,795,706

Total Program Expenses: $316,232,929

Chief Executive
James Moses, President and Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$1,091,937

Chair of the Board
Ralph Fuccillo

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation

Board Size
13

Paid Staff Size
654

*2023 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Internet, Radio

Fundraising costs were 29% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $2,892,923, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Road Scholar's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024.

Source of Funds
Contributions $2,892,923
Program revenue $360,062,625
Investment income $19,405,124
Other income $967,482
Trip protection plan, net $12,149,717
Total Income $395,477,871

Programs: 92% Fundraising: 0% Administrative: 8%

Total Income $395,477,871
Total expenses: $343,834,115
  Program expenses $316,232,929
  Fundraising expenses $842,634
  Administrative expenses $26,441,388
  Other expenses $317,164
Income in Excess of Expenses $51,643,756
Beginning Net Assets $65,670,125
Other Changes In Net Assets $-2,414,518
Ending Net Assets $115,216,527
Total Liabilities $184,786,870
Total Assets $300,003,397

Note 1: As noted in the above financial section, "other expenses" refers to COVID-19 expenses.

Note 2: As noted in the above financial section, "other changes in net assets" refers to a change in actuarial liability of split-interest agreements (-$4,819), COVID-19 net income (-$132,596), and change in fair value of currency derivatives (-$2,277,103).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance