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Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation at a glance

· Public charity

Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation

To carry out charitable, educational, and religious purposes of the supported organization, east tennessee foundation

$3.9M
Granted FY2023
7
Grants FY2023
1
States reached
$2.2M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead

Read this first · the figures below need context

100% of Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation’s FY2024 grant dollars went to East Tennessee Foundation, not to grantees.

Its money now reaches organizations through that sponsor, which does not report who recommended each grant. FY2024 names 0 organizations directly, so a portfolio cannot be read from it. Everything below is therefore FY2023, the last year Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation named its own grantees at scale: 6 organizations, $4M. It is dated, not current.

Organizations named directly on the return

5
’17
3
’18
10
’19
3
’20
10
’21
0
’22
6
’23
0
’24

Amber years are those where most dollars went to a sponsor.

01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Education$12MYouth Development$1.2MHealth$674kFood & Nutrition$620kHousing & Shelter$500kInternational$475kPhilanthropy$275kHuman Services$125kOther$0
02FY2023 · 7 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2023

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $25k
  • $50k–250k3 grants · $300k
  • $250k+3 grants · $3.6M
$150,000
Median grant
1
States reached
$108M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITY$2,233,900
EMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION$750,000
TENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY$600,000
COMPASSION MINISTRIES$150,000
MISSION OF HOPE INC$100,000
YOKE YOUTH MINISTRIES$50,000
EAST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION$25,000
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:

Its human-services grants (FY23–23, $150k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 7%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 7%COMPASSION MINISTRIES: $150k → 12%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.

92%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$14M · 8 repeat orgs$1.3M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +31% since the first grant, against +15% for those funded once.

8 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2023, 4 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2023 (too recent to call). Read against FY2023, the last year this funder named its own grantees directly; its giving has since run through a sponsor, which reports no donor behind each grant.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

8
9

Total granted

$14M
$1.1M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+31%
+15%

Still filing today

88%
100%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 95% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $200k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’23
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’23
EducationHuman ServicesYouth DevelopmentFood & NutritionHealthHousing & ShelterOther
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

  • EY
    EMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION
    3× · 2020–2023 · $970k · revenue +31%
  • TW
    TENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
    2× · 2021–2023 · $624k · revenue +6%
  • KA
    KNOX AREA RESCUE MINISTRIES INC
    4× · 2017–2021 · $500k · revenue +198%

Funded once

  • CC
    CROWN COLLEGE
    one grant, 2019 · $500k · revenue +16%
  • TL
    THE LOVE KITCHEN INC
    one grant, 2021 · $150k · revenue -9%
  • PS
    PELLISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2019 · $100k · revenue -15%
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
Kings Academy Nashville

King's academy is a pre-k-8th grade independent christian school in nashville, tennessee, providing a classically inspired education to a racially and socioeconomically balanced student body.

Education
2
King University

We prepare students in our christian academic community to excel as thoughtful, resourceful, and responsible citizens with a passion for serving god, the church, and the world. we accomplish this through excellent teaching, high…

Education
3
Knoxville Christian School

Educate preschool through twelfth grade children in a Christian environment while developing them spiritually,academically, emotionally, and physically with Jesus Christ as their standard and the Bible as their foundation.

—
4
Tennessee Valley Outreach Inc

Reach out to the homeless, hungry, hurting and hopeless throughout north alabama and southern tennessee with the good news of the gospel of jesus christ.

—
5
Christian Cooperative Ministry Inc

To provide food and clothing for the residents in madison, tennessee and surrounding davidson county residents that are in need. we also provide sack lunches to the homeless in the area.

—
6
New Hope Academy

Christ-centered school educating children of diverse racial & socioeconomic backgrounds by establishing a biblical worldview & preparing each child to flourish academically, emotionally, socially & spiritually.

Education
7
Chattanooga Christian School Inc

To prepare students to lead and serve with distinction while representing christ and his kingdom in all areas of home, church, society and culture.

Education
8
Christian Academy of Knoxville

The mission of christian academy knoxville is to partner with christian families to provide a comprehensive college preparatory education from a biblical worldview in a christ-centered environment.

Education
9
Kentucky Mountain Bible College Inc

To educate and prepare students for biblical gospel ministry as educators, pastors, and foreign missionaries.

Education
10
Kentucky Mountain Mission of Eastern Kentucky

The organization engages in evangelistic and discipleship ministries in rural churches in eastern kentucky.

Recreation & Sports
11
Campbell County Christian Academy Inc

To partner with families in providing students a christ-centered and academically challenging education equipping them with a biblical worldview as they grow in understandings, attitudes, skills, and in favor with god and man.

Education
12
Union University

Union university provides christ-centered education that promotes excellence and character development in service to church and society.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is East Tennessee Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Yoke Youth Ministries. 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

20 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. 20 of the 21 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
0
Early backer (in before they grew)
20/20
Grantees still filing
12/20
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

CARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITY: $9,108,900 · EducationCARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITYTENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY: $624,000 · EducationTENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY+2 more: $200,000 · EducationCROWN SCHOOL OF TRADES AND TECHNOLO: $1,900,000 · OtherCROWN SCHOOL OF TRADE…CROWN COLLEGE: $500,000 · OtherCROWN COLLEGESECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF EAST TENNESSEE: $275,000 · OtherSECOND HARVEST FOOD B…HELEN ROSS MCNABB FOUNDATION: $100,000 · Other+3 more: $125,000 · OtherEMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION: $970,000 · Youth DevelopmentTHE CHANGE CENTER: $200,000 · Youth DevelopmentMISSION OF HOPE: $450,000 · Human ServicesCOMPASSION MINISTRIES INC: $150,000 · Human ServicesSOAR YOUTH MINISTRIES INC THRIVE LONSDALE: $25,000 · Human ServicesKNOX AREA RESCUE MINISTRIES INC: $500,000 · Housing & ShelterEAST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION: $225,000 · PhilanthropyIMPACT INVESTING CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC: $50,000 · PhilanthropyTHE LOVE KITCHEN INC: $150,000 · Food & NutritionHOSPITALITY PANTRIES INC: $20,000 · Food & Nutrition
Education$9,932,900Other$2,900,000Youth Development$1,170,000Human Services$625,000Housing & Shelter$500,000Philanthropy$275,000Food & Nutrition$170,000

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetCARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITY: $9,108,900 over 5y, 3.9% of budgetEMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION: $970,000 over 3y, 3.6% of budgetTENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY: $624,000 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetKNOX AREA RESCUE MINISTRIES INC: $500,000 over 4y, 0.9% of budgetCROWN COLLEGE: $500,000 over 1y, 5.3% of budgetMISSION OF HOPE: $450,000 over 5y, 3.6% of budgetSECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF EAST TENNESSEE: $275,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetEAST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION: $225,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetTHE CHANGE CENTER: $200,000 over 2y, 10% of budgetTHE LOVE KITCHEN INC: $150,000 over 1y, 24% of budgetCOMPASSION MINISTRIES INC: $150,000 over 1y, 46% of budgetPELLISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION: $100,000 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetHELEN ROSS MCNABB FOUNDATION: $100,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetEMERALD CHARTER SCHOOLS: $100,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetYoke Youth Ministries: $50,000 over 1y, 7.8% of budgetCovenant Health Foundation: $50,000 over 1y, 3.0% of budgetIMPACT INVESTING CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC: $50,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSOAR YOUTH MINISTRIES INC THRIVE LONSDALE: $25,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetFEEDING THE ORPHANS INC: $25,000 over 1y, 3.7% of budgetHOSPITALITY PANTRIES INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.4% 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.

East Tennessee Founda…Stowers Machinery Fou…Haslam Family Foundat…United Way of Greater…Thompson Charitable F…The Melrose FoundationPya FoundationVariety of Eastern Te…The Clayton Family Fo…Lawson Family Foundat…Natl Christian Charit…Score International I…
East Tennessee FoundationTN25.7× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: East Tennessee Foundation · Stowers Machinery Foundation Inc · Haslam Family Foundation Inc · United Way of Greater Knoxvilleinc · Thompson Charitable Foundation · The Melrose Foundation · Pya Foundation · Variety of Eastern Tennessee · The Clayton Family Foundation · Lawson Family Foundation · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · Score International Inc

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 Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%3%13%28%50%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    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 Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn Foundation 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 21 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 2023, released 2023. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Ted & Drama Russell Family Foundation C/O East Tn’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