University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc.

Legal name: The University of Tennessee Foundation Inc

Overview

Mission

We support the University of Tennessee System through alumni engagement and private giving.

What it reported doing in 2024

To comply with donor stipulations, earnings from invested endowment funds were transferred to the university of Tennessee. The earnings will be used for scholarships, fellowships, libraries, research, and other academic related purposes. Also, amounts funded by restricted gifts from donors were paid to the university to cover the costs of construction, renovations and various other projects.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 81% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 76% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
621844686
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Knoxville, TN, US
Phone
865-974-2115
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$344,836,967
Expenses
$228,700,925
Assets
$1,256,434,835
Liabilities
$142,037,870

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 68
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 84
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 55.9%; rating input score 56
  • Program expense ratio: 77.3%; rating input score 77
  • Fundraising efficiency: $119,299.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 33.7%; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.49; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.1%; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.8% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.5% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 4 programs and campaigns described on the official site
  • Where the money goes: 55.9% of revenue deployed · 77.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $176.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $552K · 34 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $380K reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 annual filings from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 15 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 56/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 53/100.

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • BRIAN BROYLES (DEVELOPMENT): $551,728 total reported compensation
  • KERRY W WITCHER (PRESIDENT &): $482,814 total reported compensation
  • WOODROW M HENDERSON (DEVELOPMENT): $424,748 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024.