Skip to content
Educational Funding of the South Inc at a glance

· Public charity

Educational Funding of the South Inc

See schedule o financial literacy services, and need-based scholarships

$104k
Granted FY2021
4
Grants FY2021
1
States reached
$7k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2021.

Education$642k
02FY2021 · 4 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 4 grants below total $27,000, the rows itemized in this filing. The $104,000 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $77,000 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.
$7,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$0
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Lipscomb University$7,000
Belmont University$7,000
Vanderbilt University$7,000
University of Memphis$6,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY18–21) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 12%. 80% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 12%Williamson College: $7k → 4%Cumberland University: $7k → 7%Middle Tennessee State University: $10k → 9%Maryville College: $7k → 10%Carson-Newman University: $7k → 11%University of the South: $7k → 13%Belmont University: $14k → 14%East Tennessee State University: $10k → 14%Union University: $7k → 15%Freed-Hardeman University: $7k → 15%King University: $7k → 15%Martin Methodist College: $7k → 16%University of Memphis: $12k → 17%Tusculum University: $11k → 17%Milligan College: $7k → 18%Williamson College: $7k → 4%Cumberland University: $7k → 7%Middle Tennessee State University: $10k → 9%Maryville College: $7k → 10%Carson-Newman University: $7k → 11%University of the South: $7k → 13%Lipscomb University: $14k → 14%East Tennessee State University: $10k → 14%Union University: $7k → 15%Freed-Hardeman University: $7k → 15%King University: $7k → 15%Martin Methodist College: $7k → 16%University of Memphis: $12k → 17%Tusculum University: $7k → 17%Milligan College: $7k → 18%Williamson College: $7k → 4%Cumberland University: $7k → 7%Middle Tennessee State University: $10k → 9%Maryville College: $7k → 10%Carson-Newman University: $7k → 11%University of the South: $7k → 13%Belmont University: $14k → 14%East Tennessee State University: $10k → 14%Union University: $7k → 15%Freed-Hardeman University: $7k → 15%King University: $7k → 15%Lipscomb University: $14k → 14%Belmont University: $14k → 14%Lipscomb University: $14k → 14%Tennessee State University: $8k → 14%Vanderbilt University: $21k → 14%Vanderbilt University: $14k → 14%Vanderbilt University: $14k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

98%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$627k · 24 repeat orgs$15k to everyone else

24 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2021, 20 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

24
2

Total granted

$627k
$15k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+33%
+164%

Still filing today

83%
50%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2021, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21
RenewedFirst-time
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • Vanderbilt University
    4× · 2018–2021 · $56k · revenue +65%
  • LU
    LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY
    4× · 2018–2021 · $49k · revenue +33%
  • BU
    Belmont University
    4× · 2018–2021 · $49k · revenue +71%

Funded once

  • TS
    Tennessee State University
    one grant, 2019 · $8k
  • AP
    AUSTIN PEAY STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2018 · $8k · revenue +164%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Belhaven University

Belhaven university prepares students academically and spiritually to serve jesus christ in their careers, in human relationships, and in the world of ideas.

Education
2
Regent University

Regent University serves as a center of Christian thought and action to provide excellent education through a Biblical perspective and global context equipping Christian leaders to change the world.

—
3
Greenville College

Greenville college d/b/a greenville university empowers students for lives of character and service through a transforming christ-centered education in the liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies.

Education
4
Houston Christian University

The mission of houston christian university is to provide a learning experience that instills in students a passion for academic, spiritual, and professional excellence as a result of our central confession, "jesus christ is lord."

—
5
John Brown University

John brown university (jbu) provides christ-centered education that prepares students to honor god and serve others by developing their intellectual, spiritual, and professional lives. (continued on schedule o)jbu serves traditional…

Education
6
University of the Ozarks

True to our christian heritage, we prepare students from diverse religious, cultural, educational and economic backgrounds to live life fully.

Education
7
LaGrange College

Education - lagrange college challenges the minds and inspires the souls of its students. founded in 1831 and committed to its relationship with the united methodist church and its wesleyan and liberal arts traditions, the college supports…

Education
8
Spartanburg Methodist College

SMC Delivers an exceptional education that fuses the empowerment of the liberal arts with crucial career skills. Our mission is to equip our students with the knowledge, skills, virtues, and mindset needed to thrive personally, create…

Education
9
Roberts Wesleyan University

As new york's leading university for character education, rwu is a community of learners committed to historic christianity which seeks to prepare thoughtful, spiritually mature, service-oriented people who will transform society.

Education
10
Gardner-Webb University

The university statement of values consists of christian heritage, baptist heritage, academic excellence, liberal arts, teamwork, a student-centered focus, community engagement and diversity.

Education
11
Asbury College

Asbury university equips students, through academic excellence and spiritual vitality, for lifelong learning, leadership, and service to the professions, society, the family and the church, preparing them to engage their cultures and…

Education
12
East Texas Baptist University

East texas baptist university (etbu) was founded in 1912 as a fully accredited institution of higher education. affiliated with the baptist general convention of texas, etbu educates students by integrating biblical faith and learning to…

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Union University; the most unlike its peers is Austin Peay State University Foundation. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

21 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 21 of the 26 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
0
Early backer (in before they grew)
21/21
Grantees still filing
15/21
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Vanderbilt University: $56,000 · EducationVanderbilt UniversityBelmont University: $49,000 · EducationBelmont UniversityBAPTIST MEMORIAL COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES INC: $21,000 · EducationKING UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH: $21,000 · EducationMARTIN METHODIST FOUNDATION (FORMERLY MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE): $21,000 · EducationCARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationMARYVILLE COLLEGE: $21,000 · EducationMILLIGAN UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationUNION UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationFREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationRhodes College: $21,000 · EducationTREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationWILLIAMSON CHRISTIAN COLLEGE: $21,000 · EducationCHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationJOHNSON UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · EducationTUSCULUM UNIVERSITY: $17,500 · Education+1 more: $7,500 · EducationLIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY: $49,000 · OtherLIPSCOMB UNIVERSITYUniversity of Memphis: $36,000 · OtherUniversity of MemphisTHE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE: $30,000 · OtherTHE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEEMIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY: $30,000 · OtherMIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITYEAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY: $30,000 · OtherEAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITYCUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY: $21,000 · OtherCUMBERLAND UNIVERSITYMEMPHIS COLLEGE OF ART: $14,000 · OtherMEMPHIS COLLEGE OF ARTTennessee State University: $7,500 · Other
Education$424,000Other$217,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetVanderbilt University: $56,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetLIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY: $49,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBelmont University: $49,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBAPTIST MEMORIAL COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES INC: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetKING UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMARTIN METHODIST FOUNDATION (FORMERLY MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE): $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMARYVILLE COLLEGE: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetMILLIGAN UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetUNION UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetFREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetRhodes College: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetWILLIAMSON CHRISTIAN COLLEGE: $21,000 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetCHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetJOHNSON UNIVERSITY: $21,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetTUSCULUM UNIVERSITY: $17,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetMEMPHIS COLLEGE OF ART: $14,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetAUSTIN PEAY STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $7,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Community Foundat…Folds of Honor Founda…National Collegiate A…Tulsa Community Found…Lettie Pate Whitehead…Council of Independen…East Tennessee Founda…Community Foundation …The Columbus Phipps F…Ibm International Fou…Vanderbilt UniversityViolet Hampton Tuw #2
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee IncTN32.2× affinity15 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Folds of Honor Foundation · National Collegiate Athletic Association · Tulsa Community Foundation · Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc · Council of Independent Colleges · East Tennessee Foundation · Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc · The Columbus Phipps Foundation · Ibm International Foundation · Vanderbilt University · Violet Hampton Tuw #2

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Educational Funding of the South Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Educational Funding of the South Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2025
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%0%1%3%5%funder's share of their income ↑0%13%25%38%50%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    7report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–50%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Educational Funding of the South Inc?

    Find your warmest path to Educational Funding of the South Inc through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 26 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2021, released 2021. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Educational Funding of the South’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home