Tennessee Kidney Foundation

What Tennessee Kidney Foundation does

Tennessee Kidney Foundation, Inc. (TKF) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 1600 Hayes Street, Suite 300 in Nashville, Tennessee, serving 42 counties in Middle Tennessee (and parts of West Tennessee) with the mission of empowering and supporting people at risk of or affected by kidney disease. Founded informally in December 1969 and officially incorporated in 1972 under EIN 27-0812507, TKF is not affiliated with any national kidney organization, allowing 100% of funds raised to remain local. The organization is led by CEO Heather Corum Powell, supported by a full-time staff of four and a large board of directors that includes representatives from major kidney care companies.

TKF's core service portfolio is structured around five patient programs: (1) a Transportation Assistance Program providing AccessRide tickets, bus passes, and fuel cards to dialysis and transplant patients, covering approximately 50,000 trips annually; (2) a Kidney Disease Prevention and Screening Program offering free community screenings (blood pressure, BMI, urinalysis) at workplaces, health fairs, and churches; (3) a Kidney Transplant Education Program for donors and recipients; (4) an Emergency Assistance Program providing up to $250 per year for rent, utilities, and food during crisis; and (5) a Kidney-Friendly Meal Delivery Program delivering seven dietitian-curated meals weekly to enrolled patients. Additional offerings include the Nourish Your Neighbor campaign, Virtual Kidney Health Education Sessions, an interactive learning tool (TKF Charlie & Kidney Land), and a library of program resources and handouts.

The foundation is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations (one-time and recurring), three annual signature fundraising events (Applied Underwriters Golf Invitational, At Your Pace Kidney Race, Glitz & Glamour Gala), corporate sponsorships, planned giving (bequests, stock gifts, DAFs, vehicle donations), and volunteer support. Strategic and operational partnerships with DaVita, Fresenius Medical Care, Dialysis Clinic Inc., Interwell Health, Ascension Saint Thomas, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center provide clinical referral pipelines and board-level governance representation across the regional kidney care ecosystem.

Name

Tennessee Kidney Foundation

Legal name

Tennessee Kidney Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://tennesseekidneyfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Nashville, Tennessee, providing transportation, meals, emergency assistance, screenings, and education to kidney disease patients and at-risk residents across 42 Middle Tennessee counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Kidney Disease Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Renal Nutrition & Kidney Dietetics Services (HLAKAHAL), Hospitals, Clinics & Charitable Healthcare Providers (BPAGACAB)

Keywords

• Kidney disease support
• Patient assistance programs
• Nonprofit health services
• Medical transportation services
• Community health screenings

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or monthly donations to support TKF programs. Donations can be made online, by mail, or through planned giving vehicles.
2. Fundraising Events: TKF raises funds through annual events including the Golf Invitational, Kidney Race, and Gala. These events generate sponsorship revenue and participant donations.
3. Planned Giving: TKF accepts bequests, gifts of stock, trusts, and Donor Advised Fund contributions. The organization can also accept vehicle donations.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support TKF events and programs at various contribution levels, with recognition benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Tennessee Kidney Foundation provides wraparound patient assistance programs for individuals affected by or at risk of kidney disease in 42 Middle Tennessee counties. Core offerings include non-emergency medical transportation to dialysis treatments, home delivery of dietitian-curated kidney-friendly meals, emergency financial assistance for basic needs, free community kidney health screenings, and transplant education for donors and recipients. Programs are funded by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and annual fundraising events.

Product overview

The Tennessee Kidney Foundation offers a portfolio of patient assistance programs focused on kidney disease support, prevention, and education. The core programs include Transportation Assistance (AccessRide tickets, bus passes, fuel cards for dialysis patients), Kidney Disease Prevention and Screening (free community screenings with blood pressure, BMI, urinalysis), Kidney Transplant Education (donor and recipient education), Emergency Assistance (up to $250/year for basic needs), and a Kidney-Friendly Meal Delivery Program (7 dietitian-curated meals weekly). Additional offerings include the Nourish Your Neighbor Campaign for food assistance, Virtual Kidney Health Education Sessions for organizations, and educational resources such as TKF Charlie & Kidney Land interactive learning tool. The Foundation also organizes three major fundraising events: the At Your Pace Kidney Race (annual walk), Applied Underwriters Golf Invitational (annual golf tournament), and Glitz & Glamour Gala (annual black-tie event). All programs serve the Foundation's mission to empower and support those at risk or affected by kidney disease in 42 counties in Middle Tennessee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transportation Assistance Program Provides non-emergency medical transportation assistance to kidney disease patients in Middle Tennessee, including AccessRide tickets, bus passes, fuel cards, and tickets for regional transit providers. The program ensures dialysis patients, transplant candidates, and transplant recipients can reach life-sustaining treatments and medical appointments. TKF reported 50,000 trips provided with transportation assistance.
• Kidney Disease Prevention and Screening Program Free kidney disease screenings conducted at workplaces, health fairs, churches, and community events across Middle Tennessee. Each screening includes intake forms, blood pressure readings, BMI calculations, and urinalysis with follow-up consultations to identify at-risk individuals. TKF reported 600 people screened annually.
• Kidney Transplant Education Program Education program for kidney patients, potential donors, and families covering the kidney transplant process, living kidney donation options, and transplant waitlist information. Delivered in partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas Kidney Transplant Center and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
• Emergency Assistance Program Provides emergency financial assistance of up to $250 per year to individuals affected by kidney disease to cover expenses for rent, mortgage, utilities, and food security during times of crisis. TKF reported meeting 2,000 assistance requests.
• Kidney-Friendly Meal Delivery Program Home delivery program providing seven dietitian-curated, freshly prepared kidney-friendly meals per week to enrolled low-income kidney patients at no cost. The program addresses food insecurity and medically necessary dietary needs for dialysis and transplant patients. TKF reported 530 clients receiving meal delivery in Middle and West Tennessee.
• Virtual Kidney Health Education Session 30-to-60-minute virtual education sessions delivered to partner organizations covering basic kidney function, diabetes and hypertension as risk factors, dietary choices, kidney health maintenance, and kidney transplantation information. Designed for workplaces, community groups, and healthcare partner audiences.
• At Your Pace Kidney Race Annual walk fundraising event held at Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennessee, presented by Fresenius Medical Care. Serves as a homecoming for kidney patients, living donors, transplant recipients, and community members touched by kidney disease while generating awareness and participant donations.
• Applied Underwriters Golf Invitational Annual golf tournament fundraiser supporting Tennessee Kidney Foundation programs, title-sponsored by Applied Underwriters and held at The Governors Club in Brentwood, Tennessee. Generates sponsorship revenue and awareness for TKF's kidney disease mission.
• Glitz & Glamour Gala Annual black-tie fundraising gala held at the Omni Nashville Hotel featuring a gourmet dinner, live music, dancing, and silent and live auctions to raise sponsorship and donation revenue for Tennessee Kidney Foundation programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 counties served in Middle Tennessee with 357 people enrolled in programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Applied UnderwriterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the annual Tennessee Kidney Foundation Applied Underwriters Golf Invitational. Applied Underwriters is a major insurance and financial services company that runs charity golf events across the U.S.
• Fresenius Medical CarecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the At Your Pace Kidney Race. Fresenius is a leading dialysis provider and kidney care company with significant presence in Tennessee.
• DaVitacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Ray Ignacio represents DaVita. DaVita is a major dialysis provider and kidney care company.
• Dialysis Clinic, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Mary Hobeika represents Dialysis Clinic, Inc. (DCI). DCI is one of the largest nonprofit dialysis providers in the U.S.
• Fresenius Kidney CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Gary Johnson represents Fresenius Kidney Care, a leading dialysis provider.
• Interwell HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard President David Arrieta represents Interwell Health, a kidney care management company.
• Ascension Saint Thomas Kidney Transplant CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard members Dr. Jacfranz Guiteau and Katie Panebianco represent Ascension Saint Thomas Kidney Transplant Center, providing transplant education and awareness.
• Vanderbilt University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Dr. Anna Burgner represents Vanderbilt University Medical Center, providing medical expertise and healthcare partnerships.
• Omni Nashville HotelminorOthersVenue host for the annual Glitz & Glamour Gala event.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Kidney Fund: National independent 501c3 that provides direct financial assistance, education, and prevention programs for kidney patients — the closest national analog to TKF's wraparound service model.
• National Kidney Foundation: Largest U.S. kidney-focused nonprofit offering patient education, advocacy, and research; comparable to TKF on mission and program categories (screening, transplant education, patient support).
• Dialysis Patient Citizens: Patient-led nonprofit advocating for dialysis and kidney patients; comparable as a peer advocacy and education organization within the kidney patient community.
• PKD Foundation: Nonprofit dedicated to polycystic kidney disease — a kidney-specific patient support, education, and research organization with a similar nonprofit operating model to TKF.
• Renal Support Network: Nonprofit focused on psychosocial support, education, and advocacy for people with chronic kidney disease — directly comparable patient-support mission to TKF.
• Texas Kidney Foundation: State-level independent kidney foundation providing patient assistance, education, and screening — directly comparable operating model to TKF in a different state.

Regional players

• Northwest Kidney Centers: Regional nonprofit dialysis provider and patient-services organization in the Pacific Northwest; comparable as a community-embedded kidney services nonprofit, though it also operates dialysis.

Broad incumbents

• American Heart Association: Major chronic disease nonprofit addressing hypertension, a top CKD risk factor; comparable scale and community-screening operating model to TKF.
• American Diabetes Association: Large national chronic disease nonprofit addressing the leading risk factor for CKD; comparable as a broader chronic disease education/prevention/patient support organization.

Emerging players

• DaVita Foundation: Corporate-affiliated foundation of major dialysis provider DaVita — a key TKF board partner that funds similar kidney disease prevention and patient assistance programs nationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tnkidney
• Facebookfacebook.com/tnkidney
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tennessee-kidney-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/tnkidney

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tennessee Kidney Foundation