Dolphin Aquatics
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IT IS THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS' MISSION TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND COMBAT THE ALARMINGLY HIGH STATISTIC OF DROWNING DEATHS. THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS PROVIDE ADAPTIVE AQUATIC LESSONS RANGING FROM WATER SAFETY AND SURVIVAL THROUGH COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM PROGRAMMING AT NO COST TO THE PARTICIPANT. IN ADDITION, WE EMPOWER OUR SWIMMERS TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND PRIDE OF BEING A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS FAMILY. OUR PROGRAMS AIM TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY, HEALTH, AND SAFETY OF THE DAILY LIVES OF BOTH OUR PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, WITHIN A SAFE AND SOCIALLY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT.
- Income
- $598,181
- Spending
- $351,384
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 38.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 316
- Highest pay
- $107,521, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 38.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 36% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $105,724 spent. THE FUTURE DOLPHINS, OUR LARGEST PROGRAM, PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE LEARN-TO-SWIM LESSONS AND WATER SAFETY TO 227 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES EACH SEMESTER AT NO COST TO ANY PARTICIPANT. DROWNING IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. AUTISTIC PEOPLE ARE 160 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DROWN THAN THEIR NEURO-TYPICAL PEERS. THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS AIMS TO REDUCE THIS TRAGIC STATISTIC BY TEACHING WATER SAFETY AWARENESS SKILLS TO ALL ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS AT NO COST. ADDITIONALLY, HAVING WATER SAFETY AND SWIMMING SKILLS ALLOWS THE PARTICIPANTS TO ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF WATER RECREATION AND FITNESS WITHIN A SAFER ENVIRONMENT. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NEED INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION AND ATTENTION IN THE POOL WHICH WE PROVIDE, AND EACH LESSON IS CUSTOMIZED TO EACH SWIMMER'S NEEDS AND ABILITIES. ALL OUR LEAD INSTRUCTORS ARE CERTIFIED AS "SWIM WHISPERERS" WITH SWIM ANGELFISH, THE GLOBAL LEADER IN ADAPTIVE SWIM INSTRUCTION. EVERY INSTRUCTOR HAS NOW TAKEN THE 16+ HOUR ONLINE COURSE TO ADD TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF ADAPTIVE SWIMMING. OUR LEAD INSTRUCTORS ARE ALSO CERTIFIED IN STARFISH AQUATIC INSTITUTE WHICH IS A NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SWIM INSTRUCTION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.BEFORE EACH SESSION BEGINS, PARENTS OF CHILDREN NEW TO THE PROGRAM FILL OUT A DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT THEIR CHILD'S NEEDS, LIKES, ABILITIES, BEHAVIOR, ETC. SO THAT OUR INSTRUCTORS AND VOLUNTEERS CAN PLAN HOW TO WORK BEST WITH THEIR SWIMMER. SWIMMERS ARE EVALUATED AT THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND END OF EACH SESSION TO TRACK THE PROGRESSION OF SKILLS. WE ARE ALSO USING A DIGITAL SWIM LESSON MANAGEMENT APP THAT ALLOWS INSTRUCTORS TO TRACK PROGRESS WITH SWIM SKILL BENCHMARKS PRE-BUILT INTO THE APP. CHILDREN ARE PAIRED WITH THE SAME VOLUNTEERS AND INSTRUCTORS EACH WEEK WITHIN OUR FUTURE DOLPHIN PROGRAM. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF LESSONS A CHILD CAN RECEIVE IN THIS PROGRAM AS ALL OUR SWIMMERS LEARN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND SPEEDS. ALTHOUGH NOT ALL PARTICIPANTS CAN BECOME INDEPENDENT SWIMMERS DUE TO MORE SEVERE DISABILITIES, THEY ALL EXPERIENCE THE JOY IN THE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND THE INCREASED RANGE OF MOTION PROVIDED BY THE BUOYANCY OF WATER. IN ADDITION, THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS SOCIAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE VALUABLE SOCIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES. THE FAMILY MEMBERS ALSO BENEFIT FROM THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER FAMILIES EXPERIENCING SIMILAR CHALLENGES RELATED TO LIVING WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS.
- $86,682 spent. THE NASHVILLE DOLPHINS SWIM TEAM PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND SWIM PRACTICES AND COMPETITION TO OVER 100 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AT NO COST TO ANY PARTICIPANT. SWIMMERS MUST BE ABLE TO SWIM 25 YARDS INDEPENDENTLY AND TAKE DIRECTION FROM A COACH ON DECK TO PARTICIPATE ON THE SWIM TEAM. WE CURRENTLY OFFER PRACTICES TWO TIMES A WEEK YEAR-ROUND. THE DOLPHINS SWIM TEAM COMPETES IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, AND NATIONALLY AND OUR SWIMMERS TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN BEING PART OF A TEAM LIKE THEIR SIBLINGS AND PEERS. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES DIMINISH AFTER THE AGE OF 21, LEAVING MANY SEDENTARY, LONELY, AND OFTEN OVERWEIGHT AND UNHEALTHY. WE NOT ONLY MAKE AVAILABLE WEEKLY AEROBIC EXERCISE, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE MANY OUT-OF-WATER SOCIALIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS INCLUDING PARTIES, MOVIE OUTINGS, A PROM, A TRIATHLON, SWIM ACROSS AMERICA, USMS GROWN UP SWIMMING, AND MORE. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR SWIMMERS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, SO WE VOLUNTEER WITH VARIOUS NON-PROFITS AROUND NASHVILLE.
- $67,259 spent. THE JUNIOR DOLPHINS PROGRAM PROVIDES SWIM INSTRUCTION TO THOSE PARTICIPANTS WITH DISABILITIES WHO CAN SWIM SEVERAL YARDS INDEPENDENTLY BUT NEED MORE EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY ARE ABLE TO JOIN OUR SWIM TEAM. THE JUNIOR DOLPHINS LEAD INSTRUCTORS AND VOLUNTEERS ARE IN THE WATER WITH OUR SWIMMERS, TEACHING PROPER TECHNIQUE ON ALL FOUR STROKES AND PROPER BREATHING. THEY ALSO WORK TO BUILD EACH SWIMMER'S ENDURANCE AND CONFIDENCE. TYPICALLY, VOLUNTEERS ARE POSITIONED DOWN THE SWIM LANE, SO SWIMMERS BEGIN TO DO LAPS DURING PRACTICE WITH REST AND INSTRUCTION ALL ALONG THE WAY. THE JUNIOR DOLPHINS CLASSES HELP PREPARE THE SWIMMERS TO GAIN THE SKILLS NEEDED TO JOIN THE SWIM TEAM.
- $499 spent. THE LITTLE PHINS, OUR NEWEST PROGRAM, IS DESIGNED FOR OUR SMALLEST SWIMMERS, AGES 1-3. THIS CLASS EMPOWERS PARENTS TO ENGAGE IN AN AQUATIC EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR LITTLE ONES, WITH EMPHASIS ON SAFETY AND EXPLORATION OF THE MANY WAYS WE CAN START TO TEACH SMALL CHILDREN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SWIMMING.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2013.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.