Tennessee Nature Academy

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The mission of Tennessee Nature Academy is to cultivate happy and healthy young people who are knowledgeable about the world, passionate about the outdoors, and motivated to do good work.Tennessee Nature Academy is a free nature-based public charter school in the Antioch-Cane Ridge community. The organization will serve students and families in grades 5-12, beginning with a founding 5th and 6th grade class in the 2023-2024 school year. The research-based model uses nature-based learning and play to support students' academic success, build students' social and community connections, and promote students' well-being.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 30 volunteers and 4 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.3M a year · 47% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
69%
of spending
Fine: 69% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$106K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.7 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $438K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$980K
27% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 27% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.0M
+706% vs prior year
Spent
$2.5M
To programs
69%
Net assets
$2.6M
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$5.0M
FY2024▲ +706%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$625K
FY2024$5.0M
Expenses
$2.5M
FY2024▲ +410%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$492K
FY2024$2.5M
Net assets
$2.6M
FY2024▲ ×27
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$97K
FY2024$2.6M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in May 2021.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $1.7M Management & general 31% · $784K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $106K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$106,242Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Vice-Chair, Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023
Roy J Renfro$106,242$106,350

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Tennessee Nature Academy executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches kids about nature through outdoor learning to foster well-being and academic success.

Questions for Tennessee Nature Academy

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Your first name shows with your question. Tennessee Nature Academy answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

During the 7/1/2023 through 6/30/2024 fiscal year, Tennessee Nature Academy completed its first academic year. The organization also retained 100% of its teachers and had above-average student retention as well. The organization was also able to introduce its conceptual framework to the community through community events.

$1.7Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
City FundFY2024$145K
Charter Fund INCFY2024$140K
50can INCFY2024$93K
Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$438K
See all 6 funders →

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Jun 2025 · $806K federal money spent
Charter SchoolsDepartment of Education · ALN 84.282 · Through Tennessee Dept of Education/ Tennessee Public Charter School Commission$528K
National School Lunch ProgramDepartment of Agriculture · ALN 10.555 · Through Tennessee Dept of Education/ Tennessee Public Charter School Commission$148K
Title I Grants to Local Educational AgenciesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.010 · Through Tennessee Dept of Education/ Tennessee Public Charter School Commission$70K
Special Education Grants to StatesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through Tennessee Dept of Education/ Tennessee Public Charter School Commission$59K

The auditor reported no findings.

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Investment incomeLn 3$648
Money outPt IX
$2.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$784K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$150K
Total assetsLn 16$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$980K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Investment incomeLn 3$648
Total revenueLn 12$5.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$150K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$150K
Accounts receivableLn 4$1.7M
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$71K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$125K
Other assetsLn 15$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$980K
Net assetsLn 32$2.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 630
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$18K$150K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$28K$125K
Total assetsLn 16$257K$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$159K$980K
Net assetsLn 32$97K$2.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$929K$232K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$37K$29K$7K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$114K$91K$23K
Payroll taxesLn 10$97K$77K$19K
Legal feesLn 11b$63K$63K
Accounting feesLn 11c$23K$23K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$66K$65K$778
Advertising and promotionLn 12$19K$19K
Office expensesLn 13$11K$11K
OccupancyLn 16$80K$80K
TravelLn 17$38$38
InterestLn 20$39K$39K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$17K$17K
InsuranceLn 23$13K$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$673K$445K$227K
All other expensesLn 24e$97K$86K$11K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.5M$1.7M$784K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jan 28, 2025 $5.0M$2.5M$2.5M$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Jan 17, 2024 $625K$492K$133K$97K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,042,447 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $625,276$5,036,681
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$5,118
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$648
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $625,276$5,042,447
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $285,626$1,408,717
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $206,241$1,098,692
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $491,867$2,507,409
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $133,409$2,535,038
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,042,447 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $5,118 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$2,268,134
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,768,547
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,036,681
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $648$648
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $5,766 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$5,042,447
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,507,409 across 16 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $928,896 · Management $232,224$1,161,120
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $29,294 · Management $7,324$36,618
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $91,477 · Management $22,869$114,346
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $77,306 · Management $19,327$96,633
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $63,376$63,376
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $22,707$22,707
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $64,760 · Management $778$65,538
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $19,085$19,085
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $11,239$11,239
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $79,525$79,525
IX-17 TravelManagement $38$38
IX-20 InterestManagement $38,629$38,629
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $16,543$16,543
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $12,826$12,826
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $445,297 · Management $227,295$672,592
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $85,891 · Management $10,703$96,594
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,722,921 · Management $784,488 · Fundraising $0$2,507,409
Part X · Balance sheet $3,611,465 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $17,641$149,733
X-4 Accounts receivable$1,736,046
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,293$71,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $28,216$125,051
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $201,607$1,529,635
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $256,757$3,611,465
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$49,091
X-19 Deferred revenue$12,437
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $109,000$728,307
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $50,446$190,447
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $159,446$980,282
X-29 Capital stock or trust principalStart of year $0$0
X-30 Paid-in or capital surplusStart of year $0$0
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year $97,311$2,631,183
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $97,311$2,631,183
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $256,757$3,611,465
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,631,183 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,042,447
XI-2 Total expenses$2,507,409
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,535,038
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$97,311
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1,166
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,631,183

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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