Volunteer Odyssey
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
VOLUNTEER ODYSSEY CONNECTS PEOPLE TO PURPOSE BY BUILDING THE VOLUNTEER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GREATER MEMPHIS. OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE EVERY NONPROFIT HAS THE RIGHT VOLUNTEERS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. WE STRENGTHEN NEARLY 200 LOCAL NONPROFIT PARTNERS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, TRAINING, AND STRATEGIC MARKETING THAT EXPAND THEIR VOLUNTEER CAPACITY AND AMPLIFY THEIR COMMUNITY IMPACT.
- Income
- $196,873
- Spending
- $204,160
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 4.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $67,379, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 30% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
- $141,850 spent. EACH YEAR, VOLUNTEER ODYSSEY ENGAGES MORE THAN 5,000 VOLUNTEERS, PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL STAFF CAPACITY OUR PARTNERS NEED TO ACHIEVE THEIR MISSIONS. THE MAJORITY OF OUR EXPENSES DIRECTLY SUPPORT PROGRAM SERVICES, INCLUDING: VOLUNTEER HUB: A COMPREHENSIVE TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES AT 120 + NONPROFITS, WHILE PROVIDING ONGOING TECHNICAL AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT TO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & AWARENESS: SHARED STORYTELLING, COLLECTIVE MARKETING, AND CITYWIDE CAMPAIGNS THAT ELEVATE VOLUNTEERISM AND INCREASE PARTICIPATION ACROSS MEMPHIS. PATHWAYS: MONTHLY TRAINING AND PEER-LEARNING SESSIONS FOR VOLUNTEER MANAGERS THAT STRENGTHEN NONPROFIT CAPACITY, PROMOTE COLLABORATION, AND ENSURE EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. VOLUNCHEERS: SOCIAL VOLUNTEER EVENTS THAT BLEND SERVICE AND COMMUNITY BUILDING, TURNING FIRST-TIME VOLUNTEERS INTO LIFELONG SUPPORTERS. COMPASS: A CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT HELPS COMPANIES PLAN, EXECUTE, AND MEASURE MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE EXPERIENCES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES, VOLUNTEER ODYSSEY EMPOWERS NONPROFITS, ENERGIZES VOLUNTEERS, AND ELEVATES OUR COMMUNITY. NEARLY ALL ORGANIZATIONAL FUNDS ARE INVESTED DIRECTLY IN THESE CORE PROGRAMS, ENSURING THAT OUR RESOURCES ADVANCE LOCAL MISSIONS AND CREATE MEASURABLE COMMUNITY IMPACT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 January 2014.
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.