Top-Rated Nonprofits in Tennessee 2026
Tennessee has 20 nonprofits with $13.1B in combined revenue. The top-rated organization is Vanderbilt University Medical Center with an Efficiency Score of 82/100.
Tennessee has 20 nonprofits in the IRS Form 990 dataset ranked here by efficiency score. The LakeQuality nonprofit efficiency rubric combines program-spending ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%) into a 0-100 composite.
Reading the ranking: top of the list typically combines strong program-spending discipline (the highest-weighted factor) with stable multi-year revenue and reasonable executive compensation. Large hospital and university systems often appear near the top in any state — their scale lets them keep program ratios high while still investing in infrastructure. Each nonprofit links to its full Form 990 profile. For donors trying to choose between organizations, the efficiency grade is a useful triage — but the underlying program-spending ratio, the multi-year revenue trend, and the comp ratio matter more than the composite letter on any individual decision.
Top 20 Nonprofits in Tennessee
| # | Organization | Category | Revenue | CEO Pay | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Health | $6.9B | $0 | A (82) |
| 2 | Lincoln Memorial University | Education | $225.1M | $0 | A (82) |
| 3 | Tennessee Performing Arts Center Management Corporation | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $30.4M | $0 | A (81) |
| 4 | Highlander Research & Education Center Inc | Environment & Animals | $23.7M | $0 | A (80) |
| 5 | Meharry Medical College | Education | $209.4M | $0 | B (77) |
| 6 | Ducks Unlimited Inc | Environment & Animals | $302.2M | $0 | B (75) |
| 7 | St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Inc | Health | $1.7B | $0 | B (73) |
| 8 | Belmont University | Education | $454.0M | $0 | B (73) |
| 9 | Vanderbilt University | Education | $2.3B | $0 | B (68) |
| 10 | University Of The South | Education | $175.3M | $0 | B (68) |
| 11 | Country Music Foundation Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $57.1M | $0 | B (68) |
| 12 | Memphis Zoo Inc | Environment & Animals | $25.9M | $0 | B (68) |
| 13 | Tennessee Aquarium | Environment & Animals | $31.5M | $0 | B (67) |
| 14 | The University Of Tennessee Foundation Inc | Education | $211.8M | $0 | C (63) |
| 15 | Rhodes College | Education | $165.4M | $0 | C (63) |
| 16 | Education Loan Finance Inc | Education | $155.5M | $0 | C (63) |
| 17 | Nashville Zoo Inc | Environment & Animals | $47.4M | $0 | C (63) |
| 18 | Memphis Brooks Museum Of Art Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $44.3M | $0 | C (63) |
| 19 | Ducks Unlimited Inc | Environment & Animals | $59.3M | $0 | C (62) |
| 20 | Nashville Symphony Association | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $22.0M | $0 | C (61) |
Nonprofit financial data for Tennessee is sourced from IRS Form 990 filings, which all tax-exempt organizations must file annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is the top-rated nonprofit in Tennessee with an Efficiency Score of 82/100 (Grade A) and $6.9B in annual revenue.
Tennessee has 20 nonprofits in our database with a combined $13.1B in total revenue.
The Efficiency Score (0-100, A-F) measures nonprofit effectiveness based on program expense ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%). Higher scores indicate more efficient organizations.
Efficiency Score: program expense ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), CEO compensation ratio (10%).