Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Public charity · Grantmaker Kodak, TN EIN: 62-1564782

Assist the national park service in its mission to protect and preserve the great smoky mountains national park by securing financial and volunteer support.

Key facts about Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In short: Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park gave $3.4M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $3.4M), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
62-1564782
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$3,418,468
Grants made (2025)
1
Average grant
$3,418,468
Median grant
$3,418,468
Total assets
$35,916,963
Primary geography
Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$35.9M

+13.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.4M

+16.1% YoY

Grant Count

1

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$3.4M

+16.1% YoY

How Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

About Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Based on IRS filings

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a public charity focused on Recreation & Sports, based in Kodak, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $35.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $3.4M. Net investment income was $927K.

Focus Areas

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

States

Cities

Gatlinburg

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2M$4M$6M1 grant2020 1 grant2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 1 grant2024 1 grant2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2020) to $4.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $3.4M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: $3.4MGreat Smoky Mountains NationalPark$3.4M

The largest 2025 recipient was Great Smoky Mountains National Park ($3.4M).

Grant Size Distribution

5 grants across all recorded years

<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M5$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 5 grants of 5 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Gatlinburg, TNPark Projects$3,418,468

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$2.5M$5M$7.5M$10M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$35,916,963$31,536,801$28,709,357
Revenue$7,753,428$5,875,192$5,859,494
Expenses$5,276,198$4,542,436$4,263,070
Net Investment Income$927,085$823,697$609,199

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 3, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 8, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 8, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is led by James M. Hart, President Em since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • James M. Hart

    President Em

    President → President Em, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $30K (2020) → $0 (2025)

  • Dana Soehn

    President An

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $131K (2023) → $181K (2025)

  • Sharon Miller Pryse

    Chair

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rob Powell

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cindy Debusk

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steve Gigliotti

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Annie Vanderwerken

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chad Smith

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eugene Naughton

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kevin Anton

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Scott Bane

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nan Jones

    CFO

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $79K (2020) → $116K (2025)

  • Dan Matthews

    Chair Emeritus

    Director → Chair Emeritus, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jake Ogle

    Vice Chair

    Director → Vice Chair, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Justice Gary Wade

    Chair Emeritus

    Director → Chair Emeritus, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Laura Webb

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Williams

    Chair Emeritus

    Director → Chair Emeritus, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nancy Daves

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (9)
  • Former: David Colquitt (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Jenny Boyd (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Ken Stamps (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Marilyn Wright (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Melissa White (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Brad Herman (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Himanshu Karvir (2022–2024) — Director
  • Former: Tim Chandler (2020–2022) — Former CEO
  • Former: Dale Keasling (2020) — Vice Chair

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Dana Soehn — President an: $181KDana SoehnPresident an$181KNan Jones — CFO: $116KNan JonesCFO$116K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $181K, to Dana Soehn (President an). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

How much does Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park give each year?

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park gave $3.4M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.9M across 1 grant.

How large is Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park reported $35.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.8M.

What is Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a public charity focused on Recreation & Sports, based in Kodak, TN. It holds $35.9M in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park operate?

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park has awarded grants in Tennessee.

What is Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's EIN?

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1564782. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

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