Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

River and Rail Theatre Company

EIN 47-2489844 · Knoxville, TN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak32 out of 100GovernanceGood70 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
  • Only 47% of its spending went to programs.
  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 171 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THROUGH THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF THEATRE, WE SEEK TO UNITE PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS TO EXPERIENCE AND PARTICIPATE IN STORIES THAT EMBODY OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$951,242
Spent on programs
47%
Reserves
-18.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 84%
Employees
3
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$101,176, founding artistic 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

Weak: 32 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 91% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 37% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 190% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    47% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 171 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

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (1)
  1. $442,662 spent. THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS DURING MAINSTAGE 2024-2025 SEASON:-OUR TOWN BY THORNTON WILDER-IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY ADAPTED BY JOE LANDRY -LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL BY LANIE ROBERTSON -STUCK ELEVATOR BY BYRON AU YONG AND AARON JAFFERISEDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING:RIVER & RAIL ENGAGED IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH MANY KNOXVILLE AREA PARTNERS INCLUDING PELLISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, L&N STEM ACADEMY, AND TN ACHIEVES, EXPOSING YOUNG PEOPLE TO PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING ARTS WORKING ENVIRONMENTS.

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

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2015.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 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.