The Dollywood Foundation
The Dollywood Foundation reported $98.1 million in revenue and $94.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $98.91 went to program services, $0.97 to management and general costs and $0.12 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 93.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $863,456 (PRESIDENT). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 172% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $95MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $98MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 98.9% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 1.0% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 2.8% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 93.5% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $863,456 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.91% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 5.3 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 12 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDolly parton's imagination library mails free, high-quality books to children from birth until they begin school, no matter their family's income. In 2025, imagination library mailed over 38 million books to children in all 50 states
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $805,576 | $0 | $57,880 | $863,456 |
| DIR. OF OPER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $176,646 | $0 | $33,470 | $210,116 |
| DIR. OF MARK Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $152,941 | $0 | $25,686 | $178,627 |
| DIR. OF FINA Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $115,559 | $0 | $26,123 | $141,682 |
| SR. REG. DIR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $109,320 | $0 | $25,548 | $134,868 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Dollywood Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $921K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b12 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 544
Private foundation grants it received
27 private foundations reported grants to The Dollywood Foundation totaling $446K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Dollywood Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Dollywood Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Dollywood Foundation spent in 2025, $98.91 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Lighthouse for the BlindSeattle, WA · revenue $98M · programs 87.9% · FY2025
- Mary's Center for Maternal and Child CAREWashington, DC · revenue $99M · programs 62.6% · 2025
- Lawndale Christian Health CenterChicago, IL · revenue $98M · programs 87.6% · FY2025
- Volunteers of America Western WashingtonEverett, WA · revenue $99M · programs 91.1% · FY2025
- Area Agency on Aging District 7Jackson, OH · revenue $97M · programs 96.7% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of The Dollywood Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Dollywood Foundation reported that 98.9% of its $94.8 million in expenses went to program services, 1.0% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Dollywood Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Dollywood Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $863,456, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Dollywood Foundation get its money?
Of $98.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 2.8% came from contributions and grants and 93.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Dollywood Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 62-1348105 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202601949349301520 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542259349301524 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442429349300344 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332339349300118 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212589349302106 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112749349300921 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202021929349301537 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 62-1348105: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.