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Humanities Tennessee

EIN 62-0933337 · Nashville, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO FOSTER COMMUNITY AND CIVILITY IN TENNESSEE THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT EXAMINE AND REFLECT UPON IDEAS, STORIES, HISTORY, ARTS, AND CULTURE.

Income
$2.3 million
Spending
$1.7 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
5.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 58%
Employees
8
Volunteers
271
Highest pay
$126,202, executive di

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 33% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 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 (4)
  1. $436,577 spent. GRANTS & AWARDS HUMANITIES TN MAKES FUNDING INVESTMENTS IN ALL THREE GRAND DIVISIONS OF THE STATE TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING PUBLIC HUMANITIES PROGRAMS. THE GRANT FUNDS AWARDED TO ORGANIZATIONS ARE LEVERAGED FOR ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, INCLUDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND VOLUNTEER TIME. THE ORGANIZERS OF THESE PROJECTS ANTICIPATE ENGAGING MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN TENNESSEE HISTORY, CULTURE, ARTS, AND MORE. IN FY25, WE AWARDED MORE THAN 100,000 TO ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE THROUGH OUR GENERAL GRANTS, OPPORTUNITY GRANTS, AND SPONSORSHIPS.
  2. $677,472 spent. SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS SINCE 1989, THE SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS: A CELEBRATION OF THE WRITTEN WORD HAS WELCOMED AUTHORS AND READERS TO DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE FOR A WEEKEND OF READINGS, SIGNINGS, PERFORMANCES, AND CELEBRATION. THE MISSION OF THE FESTIVAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PROVIDE A FREE, EASILY ACCESSIBLE EVENT THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO ANYONE WITH AN INTEREST IN READING IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS RICH IN CULTURE IN CONVERSATION, INCLUSIVE, RESPECTFUL, AND ENCOURAGING OF LIFELONG LEARNING. THE 36TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS WAS HELD OCTOBER 26-27, 2024, AT BICENTENNIAL CAPITOL MALL STATE PARK, THE TN STATE MUSEUM, AND THE TN STATE LIBRARY & ARCHIVES, AND FEATURED MORE THAN 175 AUTHORS.
  3. $33,327 spent. CHAPTER 16 IN RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF BOOK COVERAGE IN NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE STATE, HUMANITIES TENNESSEE FOUNDED CHAPTER16.ORG IN 2009 TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF LITERARY NEWS AND EVENTS IN TENNESSEE. EACH WEEKDAY THE SITE POSTS FRESH CONTENT THAT FOCUSES ON AUTHOR EVENTS ACROSS THE STATE AND NEW RELEASES FROM TENNESSEE AUTHORS. IN ADDITION, CHAPTER 16 MAINTAINS PARTNERSHIPS WITH NEWSPAPERS IN EACH MAJOR MEDIA MARKET STATEWIDE, AND OUR CONTENT APPEARS IN PRINT EACH WEEK THROUGH THE MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL, THE NASHVILLE SCENE, AND THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL. THROUGH THE SITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, AND OUR NEWSPAPER PARTNERSHIPS, CHAPTER 16 REACHES MORE THAN HALF A MILLION READERS - CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O
  4. THIRD ACCOMPLISHMENT CHAPTER 16 - IN RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF BOOK COVERAGE IN NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE STATE, HUMANITIES TENNESSEE FOUNDED CHAPTER16.ORG IN 2009 TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF LITERARY NEWS AND EVENTS IN TENNESSEE. EACH WEEKDAY THE SITE POSTS FRESH CONTENT THAT FOCUSES ON AUTHOR EVENTS ACROSS THE STATE AND NEW RELEASES FROM TENNESSEE AUTHORS. IN ADDITION, CHAPTER 16 MAINTAINS PARTNERSHIPS WITH NEWSPAPERS IN EACH MAJOR MEDIA MARKET STATEWIDE, AND OUR CONTENT APPEARS IN PRINT EACH WEEK THROUGH THE MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL, THE NASHVILLE SCENE, AND THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL. THROUGH THE SITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, AND OUR NEWSPAPER PARTNERSHIPS, CHAPTER 16 REACHES MORE THAN HALF A MILLION READERS ON A GOOD WEEK. THE OUTCOME IS THE ONGOING VISIBILITY OF THE TENNESSEE LITERARY COMMUNITY IN NEWSPAPERS STATEWIDE, THE SUPPORT TO TENNESSEE WRITERS AND INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES VIA PROMOTION OF BOOKS AND EVENTS, AND AN EVER- GROWING ARCHIVE OF ORIGINAL CONTENT.

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 March 1978.

    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.