Tennessee Aquarium

Analysis

Tennessee Aquarium is a registered charity in United States, based in Chattanooga, TN. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in June 1989, 37 years ago. Its declared purposes cover animal-related, which this site groups under animals. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Tennessee Aquarium reported income of $31.5m and spending of $28.4m, spending 90% of its income. Across the 6 years on record, from December 2018 to December 2023, income grew from $28.1m to $31.5m (+12%), an average of +2.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2021, when income rose by 85%. Over the whole period it spent 89% of the income it received.

Among 14,470 United States charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, Tennessee Aquarium sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile, and in the 98th percentile within TN. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Commonwealth Zoological Corporation ($31.5m), Omaha Zoo Foundation ($31.9m) and Conservation Society of California ($30.9m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 13% and program service revenue 79% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $1.1m (3.7% of expenses). At year end it held assets of $85.5m against liabilities of $16.7m, net assets of $68.8m. It reported 346 employees.