Travis Kelce’s Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation faces heightened scrutiny over its charity spending ratio, with federal tax filings showing the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s nonprofit directed only 41 cents of every dollar raised toward charitable programs between 2021 and 2024, well below industry standards.
According to IRS records reviewed by The Arizona Republic and CharityWatch, Kelce’s foundation raised approximately $1.5 million over the three-year period and spent roughly $1.1 million in expenses. Of that spending, about $446,000 went to charitable activities while $469,000 was classified as management costs.
The spending breakdown has drawn particular attention because of the foundation’s ties to A&A Management Group, a firm co-founded by Kelce’s longtime business managers Aaron and André Eanes. Aaron Eanes also serves as the nonprofit’s executive director. Charity Navigator generally views nonprofits spending at least 70 cents of every dollar on programs as efficient, while CharityWatch uses 75 cents as a benchmark for high efficiency.
Laurie Styron, executive director of CharityWatch, raised concerns about how the organization appears to be structured. “It appears to function more as an extension of the management company versus as an independent public charity,” Styron told The Arizona Republic after reviewing the foundation’s tax filings. “That’s not how charities work. It’s wrong.”
Styron also observed that the foundation reported charitable spending on a single vague line called “other fees for services” rather than delineating expenses by type as IRS instructions direct. This style of reporting “tells the public nothing about what the charity is accomplishing,” she said. The foundation operated with only two board members, raising questions about its ability to operate independently from A&A Management Group’s interests.
The scrutiny echoes concerns raised about athlete-founded charities more broadly. A 2025 study cited by the Povich Center found that athletes who established public charities often donated less than 50% of total funds raised to charitable causes. In 2022, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre’s Favre 4 Hope foundation came under scrutiny when it was revealed the charity had donated $130,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi’s athletic foundation, which was later linked to a broader welfare fraud scandal involving tens of millions in misspent funds.
Foundation acknowledges reporting errors and pledges changes
Representatives for Kelce’s foundation acknowledged that some expenses were improperly classified and stated that corrections were made in later filings. Aaron Eanes told The Arizona Republic that operational costs for charitable efforts were “mistakenly reported under management rather than allocated adequately to program services,” so the public records did not provide an accurate indication of where resources were truly directed.
Eanes said the foundation has since changed its approach, with management fees falling sharply in 2024 and reaching zero in 2025. He also announced plans to expand the board of directors, bring on advisers with nonprofit expertise, and restructure reporting processes to better reflect actual program work. “We are dedicated to ensuring this foundation operates at the highest standards,” Eanes said.
The issues surrounding Kelce’s foundation underscore a broader principle emphasized by charity watchdogs: public visibility and good intentions do not guarantee sound governance. Major foundations face ongoing scrutiny over their investment and spending decisions, and celebrity-led nonprofits are no exception. For donors, credibility must be earned through transparent financial reporting, disciplined management, and independent oversight that meets nonprofit best practices.
Sources
- CharityWatch — analysis of Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation’s IRS filings, concerns about governance structure and spending ratios
- The Arizona Republic — investigation of Travis Kelce nonprofit spending, interviews with Laurie Styron and Aaron Eanes, comparison to industry standards
- Times of India — reporting on foundation’s $1.5 million in revenue, $1.1 million in expenses, and foundation’s acknowledgment of misclassified expenses
- Povich Center research — study on athlete-founded charities and spending patterns
- ESPN and other outlets — Brett Favre foundation scandal precedent involving misuse of charity funds and welfare fraud
