The Arc of Tennessee Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To promote the general well-being of all citizens with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 91%
- Employees
- 33
- Highest pay
- $119,947, 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 46% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2530 of 30 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 (8)
- $578,248 spent. Advocacy, Education and Public Awareness - The Arc of Tennessee provides information and referral to anyone who contacts the office seeking assistance, individual advocacy as needed, and training/workshops/consultation on in a variety of areas including self-determination, person-centered practice, self-advocacy, and others. We also conduct paths planning alternative tomorrows with hope for individuals and organizations upon request.
- $124,250 spent. PASS Project Personal Assistance Supports and Services - Enhances community supports by demonstrating amodel of self-directed personal assistance through the provision of tools, mentoring and trainings to allow individuals with disabilities to manage and control their own care.
- $1.4 million spent. Family Engagement in Education - The Arc of Tennessee Partners with the Tennessee Department of Eductation through a contract to increase the quality and quantity of family engagement in special education. We reach families statewide in many ways including an E-newsletter, social media, our website and more. This year we launched our own dedicated website with resources for families and teachers at familyengagementtn.com. After COVID had us pivot to doing more virtually, we have continued to work closely with the team at the department of education to provide information to families through monthly facebook live QA sessions. We launched a pilot project working with the special education directors and family resource directors in six districts across the state to target family engagement practices and create parent support groups and parent advisory councils specifically for families of students ith disabilities which we are excited to bring statewide next school year.
- Program Service Expenses 28,695, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 People First - Funding provided to revitalize People First TN - a self-advocacy organization for self-advocates, run by self-advocates. People First TN is charged with growing membership, developing local chapters, providing training for self-advocates and addressing policy and system issues important to people with disabilities across the state.
- Program Service Expenses 336,501, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 SDM - The SDM grant funds a program to provide formalized decision-making supports for people with I/DD who do not have any natureal supports to assist them.It also created a SDM advisory council to discuss barriers to implementing decision-making supports other than conservatorship for people with I/DD and develop strategies for addressing those barriers
- Program Service Expenses 19,831, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 MAPs Peer Mentoring Services - The MAPS Peer Mentoring Services grant is funded through the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging. The program empowers participants in the MAPS program by offering personal insights, encouragement and assistance in achieving goals related to independent living, employment and community integration.
- Program Service Expenses 155,016, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 MegaConference - The Organization is one of several organizations that collaborate to host the Tennessee Disability MegaConference every other year. This conference is the largest cross-disability conference in Tennessee and draws between 400-1,000 attendees each year. The TN Council on Developmental Disabilities, as well as other organizations, provides funding for stipends to help people with disabilities, their family and/or support staff to attend the conference.
- Program Service Expenses 12,032, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 Other programs
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 November 1975.
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.