Sister Cities of Nashville Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO FOSTER UNDERSTANDING AMONG CITIZENS OF NASHVILLE AND OTHER CULTURES OF THE WORLD THROUGH ITS CULTURAL EXCHANGES, CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. THE MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO PROMOTE PEACE THROUGH MUTUAL RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION.
- Income
- $227,866
- Spending
- $250,879
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 43%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $77,425, 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
Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (international, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (international, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2543 of 43 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 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)
- $203,064 spent. CITY PARTNERSHIPS - THE ORGANIZATION ENJOYS SISTER CITY AND FRIENDSHIP PARTNERSHIPS WITH BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND; CAEN, FRANCE; EDMONTON, CANADA; ERBIL, KURDISTAN, IRAQ; KAMAKURA, JAPAN; MAGDEBURG, GERMANY; MENDOZA, ARGENTINA; TAIYUAN, CHINA; TAMWORTH, AUSTRALIA AND CHENGDU, CHINA. THE ORGANIZATION'S MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO ENJOY AND PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF IN-PERSON, CIVIC, PROFESSIONAL, AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH ALL BUT ONE OF ITS PARTNER CITIES INCLUDING VISITS TO AND/OR FROM BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND; CAEN, FRANCE; MAGDEBURG, GERMANY; MENDOZA, ARGENTINA; TAMWORTH, AUSTRALIA; CHENGDU, CHINA; EDMONTON, CANADA; KAMAKURA, JAPAN AND ERBIL, KURDISTAN, IRAQ.STUDENT EXCHANGES - THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM INVOLVES AREA PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HOSTING OR TRAVELING ABROAD TO SISTER CITY PARTNERS. DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, SISTER CITIES OF NASHVILLE COORDINATED RECIPROCAL STUDENT EXCHANGES BETWEEN NASHVILLE AND MENDOZA, ARGENTINA: CAEN, FRANCE AND MAGDEBURG, GERMANY IN OCTOBER 2024, APRIL 2025, AND JUNE OF 2025. THESE EXCHANGES IMPACTED OVER 1,200 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY THROUGH IN-PERSON TRAVEL OR IN-PERSON VISITS FROM STUDENTS FROM SISTER CITIES IN ARGENTINA, FRANCE, AND GERMANY. ADDITIONALLY, SCN WAS ABLE TO SEND TWO STUDENTS AND A TEACHER FROM JAMES LAWSON HIGH SCHOOL TO CHENGDU, CHINA FOR A DEBATE COMPETITION. OUR STUDENTS PLACED SECOND OVERALL IN THIS INTERNATIONAL DEBATE CHALLENGE. SISTER CITIES OF NASHVILLE VISITED AND WORKED DIRECTLY WITH 19 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND CLASSROOM VISITS IN AN EFFORT TO INTRODUCE AND INFORM STUDENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND PROGRAMMING. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION HAS AN ACADEMIC AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 19 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS. THERE ARE 24 EDUCATORS SERVING AS ACADEMIC AMBASSADORS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NASHVILLE AREA WHO ARE ACTIVELY PROMOTING SISTER CITIES' PROGRAMS AND EXCHANGES IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON CONNECTING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS TO COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER SISTER CITIES. THE ORGANIZATION PLANS TO WELCOME STUDENTS ONCE AGAIN FROM MENDOZA, CAEN AND MAGDEBURG DURING THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND CONTINUES TO WORK CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS IN OTHER SISTER CITIES TO CREATE NEW AVENUES FOR COLLABORATION AND CONNECTING STUDENTS THROUGH VIRTUAL CLASSROOM EXCHANGES AND BOTH INBOUND AND OUTBOUND ON-THE GROUND STUDENT EXCHANGES.NASHVILLE PARTNERSHIPS - THE ORGANIZATION ENGAGED IN PARTNERSHIPS DURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR WITH A VARIETY OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, ART, GOVERNMENT, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS IN NASHVILLE. THESE INCLUDED 19 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS; VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY, BELMONT UNIVERSITY, TENNESSEE LANGUAGE CENTER, NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, SOCIETY OF NASHVILLE'S ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHERS, FRIST ART MUSEUM, CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDENS, NASHVILLE ZOO, NASHVILLE PREDATORS, TENNESSEE WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL, NASHVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION, METRO PARKS & RECREATION, NASHVILLE HEALTHCARE COUNCIL, NASHVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NASHVILLE AREA HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NASHVILLE METRO COUNCIL, TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM, COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME, NASHVILLE FARMERS MARKET, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC, COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TN, NASHVILLE SOCCER CLUB, THE GRAND OLE OPRY, NASHVILLE DOWNTOWN ROTARY, AND MANY, MANY MORE.DURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION PRESENTED MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES FOR NASHVILLIANS THAT SHOWCASED THEIR PROGRAMS WITH VARIOUS SISTER CITIES. THESE EVENTS INCLUDED CELEBRATE NASHVILLE CULTURAL FESTIVAL, NASHVILLE CHERRY BLOSSOM WALK AND FESTIVAL AND THE CHINESE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL FEATURING KITE FLYING ACTIVITIES, HIGHLIGHTING CHINESE CULTURE. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED IN PERSON EVENTS FOR THE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MIXER, ANNUAL WORLD OF FRIENDSHIP GALA, AND HELD THEIR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER RAFFLE, GIVING AWAY A TRIP TO ARGENTINA AND RAISING SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR NASHVILLE STUDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION WELCOMED A NUMBER OF DELEGATION VISITS AND GUESTS FROM BELFAST, NORTH IRELAND; MENDOZA, ARGENTINA; TAMWORTH, AUSTRALIA; ERBIL, KURDISTAN; AND MAGDEBURG, GERMANY. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED DELEGATION VISITS TO CAEN, FRANCE; MAGDEBURG, GERMANY; MENDOZA, ARGENTINA; EDMONTON, CANADA; TAMWORTH, AUSTRALIA; AND BELFAST, NORTH IRELAND. DOZENS OF NASHVILLIANS SPENT TIME ABROAD PROMOTING AND REPRESENTING NASHVILLE THROUGH PROFESSIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES. VISITS FROM PARTNER CITIES OFFERED MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR NASHVILLIANS TO MEET WITH AND INTERACT WITH FRIENDS FROM ABROAD AT RECEPTIONS, CELEBRATE PARTNERSHIP ANNIVERSARIES, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES, SMALL DINNER PARTIES, AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS WITHOUT EVER NEEDING TO LEAVE HOME.THIS YEAR MARKED A PERIOD OF EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH AND VISIBILITY FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, BOTH LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. THROUGH MEDIA INTERVIEWS, FEATURE STORIES, COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, AND SIGNATURE EVENTS, WE ESTIMATE THAT OUR PROGRAMS AND PRESENCE REACHED OVER 20,000 PEOPLE IN THE NASHVILLE/DAVIDSON COUNTY AREA. MUCH OF THIS IMPACT STEMS FROM THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF OUR INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION VISITS, WHICH HAVE BECOME A CORNERSTONE OF OUR WORK. THESE VISITORSREPRESENTING CITIES SUCH AS CAEN, MENDOZA, BELFAST, ERBIL, AND TAMWORTHNOT ONLY ENGAGE WITH OUR ORGANIZATION BUT ALSO CONNECT DEEPLY WITH NASHVILLE'S LEADERS, STUDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND RESIDENTS. THEIR PRESENCE FOSTERS CROSS-CULTURAL DIALOGUE, LEAVES A LASTING IMPRESSION, AND SPARKS ONGOING CURIOSITY ABOUT THE BROADER WORLD.OUR PARTICIPATION IN VIBRANT COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE AMERICANAFEST, CELEBRATE NASHVILLE CULTURAL FESTIVAL, CMAFEST, BELFAST TO NASHVILLE ST. PADDY'S PARTY, THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL AND WALK, CAAN'S CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION, AND MANY OTHERS ALLOWED US TO DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH THOUSANDS OF NASHVILLIANS. THESE FESTIVALS OFFERED UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE NASHVILLE'S MULTIC
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1991.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.