William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust
William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust maintains robust assets and zero officer compensation, primarily functioning as a grantmaking foundation.
EIN: 136192029 · Chapel Hill, NC · NTEE: T20 · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust directs 95% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust
William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust (EIN: 136192029) is a nonprofit organization based in Chapel Hill, NC, classified under NTEE code T20. The organization reported total revenue of $134.2M and total assets of $655.6M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust with a Mission Score of 95 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 5%
- programs: 95%
- fundraising: 0%
According to IRS 990 filings, William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 5%, programs: 95%, fundraising: 0%. With 95% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive compensation is reported as 0% across all available filings, indicating that the organization's leadership either serves without direct salary or compensation is covered by an external entity, which is highly unusual for an organization of this size and asset base. This suggests an extremely lean operational model or a unique governance structure where compensation is not directly borne by the trust.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust's IRS 990 filings:
- Unusually low (0%) reported officer compensation, which might obscure how leadership is truly compensated or sustained for an organization of this scale.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust:
- Strong financial health with consistently growing assets, reaching $666,454,369 in 202306.
- Excellent spending efficiency with virtually no liabilities reported across all filings.
- Zero reported officer compensation, indicating a high dedication of funds to charitable purposes.
- Consistent grantmaking activity as a private foundation (NTEE T20), implying a strong program focus.
- Significant revenue generation capacity, with latest revenue at $134,160,453.
Frequently Asked Questions about William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust
Is William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust (EIN: 136192029) some concerns. Mission Score: 95/100. 1 red flag identified, 5 strengths noted.
How does William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust spend its money?
William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust directs 95% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust tax-deductible?
William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 136192029). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How does the William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust manage to operate with 0% officer compensation?
The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all filings suggests a unique operational model. It's possible that officers are volunteers, compensated by a related entity, or that the trust's administrative functions are outsourced or managed by staff whose compensation is categorized differently (e.g., as professional fees rather than officer compensation) or is minimal.
What is the primary focus of the grants made by the William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust?
While the NTEE code T20 indicates 'Private Grantmaking Foundations,' the provided data does not specify the thematic areas or recipients of the grants. Further investigation into their full IRS 990 forms or website would be needed to understand their specific programmatic focus.
How does the trust manage its significant asset base of over $655 million?
The substantial and growing asset base suggests sophisticated investment management. The fluctuations in revenue, such as the jump from $35,425,057 in 202006 to $137,606,226 in 202106, likely reflect strong investment returns or significant contributions, indicating active portfolio management.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust showing financial trends over 9 years of public records:
Over 9 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust's revenue has grown by 241.8%, moving from $23.8M to $81.5M. Total assets increased by 47.1% over the same period, from $453.1M to $666.5M. Total functional expenses rose by 194.8%, from $14.4M to $42.5M. In its most recent filing year (2023), William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust reported a surplus of $39.0M, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1 in liabilities against $666.5M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 0.0%), resulting in net assets of $666.5M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $81.5M | $42.5M | $666.5M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2022 | $104.7M | $41.6M | $627.5M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $137.6M | $38.4M | $564.5M | $1 | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $35.4M | $32.3M | $465.3M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $46.2M | $31.8M | $482.7M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $38.6M | $32.6M | $476.2M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $31.2M | $27.5M | $465.6M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $25.9M | $16.9M | $463.3M | $0 | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $23.8M | $14.4M | $453.1M | $0 | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $81.5M, expenses of $42.5M, and assets of $666.5M (revenue -22.2% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $104.7M, expenses of $41.6M, and assets of $627.5M (revenue -23.9% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $137.6M, expenses of $38.4M, and assets of $564.5M (revenue +288.4% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $35.4M, expenses of $32.3M, and assets of $465.3M (revenue -23.4% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $46.2M, expenses of $31.8M, and assets of $482.7M (revenue +19.7% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $38.6M, expenses of $32.6M, and assets of $476.2M (revenue +23.7% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $31.2M, expenses of $27.5M, and assets of $465.6M (revenue +20.8% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $25.9M, expenses of $16.9M, and assets of $463.3M (revenue +8.5% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $23.8M, expenses of $14.4M, and assets of $453.1M.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for William R Kenan Jr Charitable Trust is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.