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Pencil Foundation

EIN 58-1475675 · Nashville, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PENCIL'S MISSION IS LINKING COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS (MNPS) TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND PREPARE FOR LIFE. AT PENCIL, WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENRICHING STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH TANGIBLE, ACTIVE, AND ROBUST COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

Income
$7.7 million
Spending
$6.6 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 77%
Employees
96
Volunteers
5,049
Highest pay
$166,518, president/ceo

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

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 53% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 39% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    53 of 53 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (3)
  1. $3.3 million spent. THE DG PENCIL BOX EXISTS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO LEARNING FOR METRO STUDENTS BY ENSURING CLASSROOMS ARE STOCKED WITH NECESSARY SUPPLIES AND SO EDUCATORS DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THEIR OWN FUNDS ON SUPPLIES. THROUGH GENEROUS DONATIONS, THE BOX IS STOCKED WITH PENCILS, PENS, NOTEBOOKS, CRAYONS, SCISSORS, BOOKS, BACKPACKS AND MORE. EVERY MNPS EDUCATOR IS INVITED TO SHOP ONCE A MONTH AT OUR WEST NASHVILLE LOCATION THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. PENCIL ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS TO SUPPLIES THROUGH DELIVERIES, POP-UPS, AND LARGE-SCALE TEACHER APPRECIATION PROJECTS INCLUDING TOGETHER 4 TEACHERS. IN FY25, THE BOX DISTRIBUTED ALMOST $3M IN PRODUCT. THE BOX STEAM LENDING LIBRARY PROVIDES HANDS-ON RESOURCES TO EMPOWER STUDENTS TO MEET STATE COMPUTER SCIENCE STANDARDS.
  2. $1.7 million spent. GRANTS TO MNPS PENCIL CONTINUED TO BE A GRANTMAKING PARTNER TO MNPS BY PASSING THROUGH SIGNIFICANT FUNDS TO SUPPORT HIGH-IMPACT LITERACY TUTORING AND ITS FOCUS ON STUDENT ACADEMIC GROWTH. IN FY25, PENCIL-MANAGED TUTORS PROVIDED 1,600+ STUDENTS IN GRADES K-3 WITH READING SUPPORT. IN ADDITION, PENCIL WAS CHOSEN TO ACT AS FINANCIAL FIDUCIARY FOR REIMAGINING COMMUNITY SPACES, A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP CREATED TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF CERTAIN COMMUNITY SPACES WITHIN THREE MNPS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. OUR GRANTMAKING PARTNERSHIP WORK WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AS WE SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC PLAN OF MNPS BY RECRUITING FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT KEY INITIATIVES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENT SUCCESS.
  3. $878,925 spent. PENCIL PARTNERS ARE BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH ORGANIZED, COORDINATED ACTIVITIES THAT MATCH THE ATTRIBUTES OF EACH PARTNER WITH THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH SCHOOL. WE LEVERAGE OUR WIDE NETWORK OF CONTACTS AND COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF MNPS TO CONNECT BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS IN CUSTOMIZED, MEANINGFUL WAYS THAT DIRECTLY HELP METRO STUDENTS ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. WE MANAGE THESE RELATIONSHIPS BY FACILITATING COMMUNICATION, PROVIDING ACTIVITY IDEAS, SUPPORTING VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT, AND HELPING THE SCHOOL AND PARTNER DEVELOP ACTION PLANS. IN FY25, PENCIL ENGAGED 650+ PARTNERS IN THIS WORK. PENCIL ALSO HOSTS PENCIL CONNECT AND PENCILMEIN WHERE SCHOOLS, PARTNERS, AND INDIVIDUALS POST AND LOG VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES.

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 August 1982.

    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.