The Ayers Foundation Trust

Tax-deductible

Parsons, TN501(c)(3)EducationEIN 88-2961915Revenue $15.6M in FY2025

On file with the IRStheayersfoundation.orgPo Box 756, 38363-0756 · Parsons, TNTax-exempt since Aug 2022Private operating foundation

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501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
$270K paid to officers and key staff.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990-PFIndependent: 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
FY2025
latest Form 990-PF
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $874K a year · 15% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
990-PF Pt I · 4 filings
Pay to officers and key staff
$270K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
990-PF Pt VIII
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $14.4M
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$76K
0.6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
990-PF Pt II
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$15.6M
+137% vs prior year
Spent
$13.4M
Net assets
$12.4M
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$15.6M
FY2025▲ +137%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$0
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$6.6M
FY2025$15.6M
Expenses
$13.4M
FY2025▲ +101%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$0
FY2023$149K
FY2024$6.7M
FY2025$13.4M
Net assets
$12.4M
FY2025▲ +863%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$0
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$12.4M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2022.

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

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Grants & contributions paid 81% · $10.8M Operating & administrative 19% · $2.6M

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

17 people listed on the 990-PF; $270K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Prosperity Officer
$180,000Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Executive Officer
$30,188Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$18,240Pt VII · Sec A
Org Effectiveness Advisor
$18,046Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$15,000Pt VII · Sec A
C.s.o. Until 9/3/2024
$4,314Pt VII · Sec A
C.s.o. from 4/14/2025
$3,872Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Shannon Haynes$180,000$168,564
Dr Burton Williams$30,188$17,542
Blake Dill$18,240$10,216
Lorisa Williams$18,046$5,738
Dr Michael Price$15,000$7,500
James Troy Grant$4,314$11,918
Shawn Kimble$3,872—

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 The Ayers Foundation Trust executive salaries →

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Programs and updates

A private foundation based in Parsons, TN.

Questions for The Ayers Foundation Trust

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Provided by the organization

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Grants and how to apply

Who it funds, and how to ask.

Who They Fund

Part XV · grants paid · 36 grants · $10.8M · 2024–2024
Decatur Co Board of EducationFY2024$5,000,000
Community Foundation of Middle TNFY2024$1,784,000
Belmont UniversityFY2024$1,500,250
Unicoi County United WayFY2024$1,020,000
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterFY2024$250,000
Bill Dance Friends and Family FoundationFY2024$250,000
Freed-Hardeman UniversityFY2024$200,000
East Tennessee State University FoundationFY2024$200,000
Lipscomb University College of LeadershipFY2024$106,600
State Collaborative on Reforming EducationFY2024$100,000
St Judes Children's Research HospitalFY2024$50,000
Girl Scouts of Middle TennesseeFY2024$50,000
Unicoi and Cocke CountiesFY2024$37,648
Second Harvest Food BankFY2024$35,500
First Baptist ChurchFY2024$32,905
Leadership Tennessee - ThompsonFY2024$30,000
Lane CollegeFY2024$25,000
Jonesborough United Methodist ChurchFY2024$25,000
See all 36 grants →

Grantmaking Profile

Patterns in foundation giving
Average grantPart XV$299K
Median grantPart XV$25K
Largest grantPart XV$5.0M

By the numbers

The FY2025 990-PF, line by line.

1The main four
Money in
$15.6M
Gifts and grants$15.4M
Other income$113K
Investment income$110K
Money out
$13.4M
Grants paid$10.8M
Running costs$2.6M
Owns and owes
$12.4M
net assets
Cash and savings$5.1M
Total assets$12.4M
Liabilities$76K
People
17
listed
Paid7
2In more detail
Revenue in detail
Gifts and grants$15.4M
Investment income$110K
Other income$113K
Total revenue$15.6M
Assets in detailEnd of year
Cash and savings together$5.1M
Total assets$12.4M
Liabilities$76K
Net assets$12.4M
Operations
Fiscal year endsJune

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $15.6M$13.4M$2.2M$12.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $6.6M$6.7M−$76K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.5M$149K$1.4M$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $0$0$0$0 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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