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Appalachian Opportunity Fund

EIN 83-0920796 · Johnson City, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood72 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

APPALACHIAN OPPORTUNITY FUND PROVIDES FREE, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL COACHING AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND EMPLOYER PARTNERS ACROSS NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, HELPING LOW-AND-MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS ACHIEVE LASTING FINANCIAL STABILITY AND BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH IN CENTRAL APPALACHIA. APPALACHIAN OPPORTUNITY FUND (AOF) IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO BUILDING FINANCIAL STABILITY AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS NORTHEAST TENNESSEE. AOF OPERATES THROUGH THREE INTEGRATED PROGRAM AREAS: INDIVIDUALIZED FINANCIAL COACHING. AOF PROVIDES FREE, HIGH-INTENSITY, ONE- ON-ONE FINANCIAL COACHING DELIVERED BY AFCPE-CERTIFIED COACHES WHO MEET CLIENTS WHERE THEY ARE - IN WORKPLACES, RECOVERY CENTERS, COMMUNITY PARTNER SITES, AND VIRTUALLY. CLIENTS ENGAGE WITH THEIR COACH AN AVERAGE OF 30 TO 40 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, DEVELOPING PERSONALIZED PLANS TO REDUCE DEBT, IMPROVE CREDIT, BUILD SAVINGS, NAVIGA

Income
$494,227
Spending
$489,042
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
2.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
8
Highest pay
$44,485, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (housing, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (housing, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    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

    5 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 31, 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. $428,645 spent. THROUGH ITS CERTIFIED FINANCIAL COACHING PROGRAM, AOF INCREASED THE FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF 1,137 PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE - SERVING 517 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH DIRECT, ONE-ON-ONE COACHING. COLLECTIVELY, THESE CLIENTS PAID OFF 254,000 IN PREDATORY DEBT, SAVED OR INVESTED 174,000, NEGOTIATED 92,000 IN SAVINGS WITH CREDITORS AND LENDERS, AND GAINED 11,085 POINTS ACROSS THEIR COMBINED CREDIT SCORES. AS ONE COACHING CLIENT SHARED "AT FIRST, MANAGING MONEY FELT OVERWHELMING. I TRIED DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, BUT NOTHING REALLY STUCK. EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH MY FINANCIAL COACH. SHE HELPED ME SIMPLIFY EVERYTHING - WRITING DOWN MY INCOME, BILLS, AND SPENDING. FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAD CLARITY. THAT SMALL CHANGE HAS MADE BIG PROGRESS. I BECAME MORE CONFIDENT, MORE DISCIPLINED, AND STARTED TAKING CONTROL OF MY FINANCES. MY CREDIT SCORE INCREASED BY 90 POINTS - PROOF THAT THINGS WERE CHANGING. WITH GUIDANCE FROM MY COACH, I WAS FINALLY APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE AND CLOSED ON A HOME. FOR THE FIRST TIME, MY KIDS AND I WILL HAVE A PLACE THAT IS TRULY OURS - A HOME FILLED WITH STABILITY, HEALING, AND NEW BEGINNINGS. THROUGH ITS CERTIFIED FINANCIAL COACHING PROGRAM, AOF INCREASED THE FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF 1,137 PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE - SERVING 517 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH DIRECT, ONE-ON-ONE COACHING. COLLECTIVELY, THESE CLIENTS PAID OFF 254,000 IN PREDATORY DEBT, SAVED OR INVESTED 174,000, NEGOTIATED 92,000 IN SAVINGS WITH CREDITORS AND LENDERS, AND GAINED 11,085 POINTS ACROSS THEIR COMBINED CREDIT SCORES. AS ONE COACHING CLIENT SHARED "AT FIRST, MANAGING MONEY FELT OVERWHELMING. I TRIED DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, BUT NOTHING REALLY STUCK. EVERYTHING CHANGED WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH MY FINANCIAL COACH. SHE HELPED ME SIMPLIFY EVERYTHING - WRITING DOWN MY INCOME, BILLS, AND SPENDING. FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAD CLARITY. THAT SMALL CHANGE HAS MADE BIG PROGRESS. I BECAME MORE CONFIDENT, MORE DISCIPLINED, AND STARTED TAKING CONTROL OF MY FINANCES. MY CREDIT SCORE INCREASED BY 90 POINTS - PROOF THAT THINGS WERE CHANGING. WITH GUIDANCE FROM MY COACH, I WAS FINALLY APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE AND CLOSED ON A HOME. FOR THE FIRST TIME, MY KIDS AND I WILL HAVE A PLACE THAT IS TRULY OURS - A HOME FILLED WITH STABILITY, HEALING, AND NEW BEGINNINGS.
  2. $132 spent. TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF ASSET-LIMITED, INCOME-CONSTRAINED PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA; TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA; AND TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND COMBAT COMMUNITY DETERIORATION IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
  3. TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF ASSET-LIMITED, INCOME-CONSTRAINED PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA; TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA; AND TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND COMBAT COMMUNITY DETERIORATION IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE, SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.