COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

TAU EPSILON PHI FRATERNITY
TROY, NY · EIN 131368460 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · tep.org
revenue
$684K
expenses
$582K
net assets
$652K
employees
3
volunteers
12
mission · from form 990

TAU EPSILON PHI IS A NATIONAL MEN'S FRATERNITY FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF FRIENDSHIP, CHIVALRY AND SERVICE.

profile · synthesized from sources

Tau Epsilon Phi is a national men's fraternity founded in 1910 at Columbia University on the principles of friendship, chivalry, and service. Originally established by Jewish students excluded from other fraternities, it fosters brotherhood, leadership development, and community service. The organization supports undergraduate chapters across the United States and engages alumni through biennial governance events and ongoing chapter consulting.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    GRAND CHAPTER: THIS IS A BIENNIAL EVENT THAT BRINGS UNDERGRADUATE DELEGATES AND ALUMNI MEMBERS TOGETHER FOR A REVIEW OF GOVERNANCE, ELECTION OF GRAND COUNCIL (BOARD OF DIRECTOR) MEMBERS, EDUCATION ON INTERNAL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES AS WELL OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK WITH THEIR CONTEMPORARIES AND FELLOW ALUMNI MEMBERS.
  2. #2 $0
    CHAPTER SERVICES: ANNUALLY, DEDICATED STAFF MEET WITH EACH CHAPTER EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES ON A VARIETY OF FRATERNAL TOPICS. THESE TOPICS INCLUDE ASSESSING NATIONAL FRATERNITY RELATIONS, CANDIDATE EDUCATION, CONTINUED MEMBER EDUCATION, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND PHILANTHROPY, RUSH AND RECRUITMENT, ALUMNI RELATIONS, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CHAPTER MANAGEMENT, AND CAMPUS ACTIVITIES/LEADERSHIP/ INVOLVEMENT. FOLLOWING AN ASSESSMENT WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, EACH CHAPTER IS PROVIDED TAILORED PROGRAMING IN AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT. OUR CONSULTANTS PROVIDE THIS FEEDBACK, WORK WITH THE NECESSARY OFFICERS AND MEMBERS AND THEN FOLLOW UP ON AGREED UPON TIMELINES TO REVIEW IMPROVEMENT. THOSE CHAPTERS THAT HAVE CHALLENGES MAY GET ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO HELP RESOLVE OPEN ITEMS TO MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Chapter Services
Annual consulting program providing tailored support to chapters on leadership, recruitment, financial management, community service, and compliance.
Grand Chapter
Biennial event bringing together undergraduate delegates and alumni for governance review, election of leadership, education on policies, and networking.
Our Military Kids Partnership
National philanthropy initiative supporting children of deployed National Guard and Reserve members through funding for sports, arts, and enrichment activities.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Internal Organizational Elections 1 activity
    • Elects and maintains national governance structure
      Elects and operates under a Grand Council responsible for the everyday governance of the fraternity, with volunteer leadership elected through biennial Grand Chapter meetings; a governing body was elected in 2024 to serve through 2026.
  • Regular Membership Meetings 1 activity
    • Hosts biennial Grand Chapter event for governance and member education
      Hosts a biennial Grand Chapter event to review governance, elect board members, educate members on internal programs and policies, and facilitate networking among undergraduate delegates and alumni.
  • Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
    • Provides chapter consulting and operational support
      Provides annual consulting services to chapters on candidate and member education, recruitment, financial management, and leadership, delivering tailored programming and follow-up support to improve chapter performance.
  • Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
    • Provides scholarships and educational support to members
      Supports education initiatives for members and provides scholarships to Tau Epsilon Phi members to promote academic success and access to higher education.
  • Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
    • Resumes and digitizes official fraternity publications
      Resumed publication of The Plume, the fraternity's official magazine, in 2017 and digitized historical copies; also resumed publication of its official newsletter, The TEP Leader, in 2022 after a period of discontinuation.
  • Veteran Support Grantmaking 1 activity
    • Supports military children through national philanthropy partnership
      Partners with Our Military Kids, Inc. as its national philanthropy to provide support for military children during parental deployment or recovery.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Administers trademark licensing for commercial use
      Administers trademark licensing agreements for the commercial use of Tau Epsilon Phi trademarks, supporting brand integrity and organizational revenue.
    • Offers mentorship and leadership development through International Consul role
      Provides mentorship to members and leads the fraternity through dedicated service in the role of International Consul, fostering personal and leadership growth.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$684K
Contributions & grants$5K1%
Program service revenue$656K96%
Investment income$19K3%
Other revenue$4K
expenses
Total expenses$582K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$233K
Grants paid out$2K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$696K
Cash$164K
Investments$417K
Liabilities$44K
Net assets$652K
Liquid reserves12.0 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +21.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
TIMOTHY SMITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $100K
board members · 12
  • BRIAN DEYO — VICE CONSUL FOR UNDERGRADU
  • DEAN MALIK — DIRECTOR
  • DONALD ANSPAUCH — IMMEDIATE PAST CONSUL / PAST PRESIDENT
  • JOEL KANTER — 2ND VICE CONSUL / VICE PRESIDENT
  • JONATHAN WOLF — TRIBUNE / SECRETARY
  • JR BENNING — CONSUL / PRESIDENT
  • LARRY FELDMAN — DIRECTOR
  • MARK ABRAMSON — QUAESTOR / TREASURER
  • MARK GARDNER — 1ST VICE CONSUL / VICE PRESIDENT
  • MARTY LACOFF — DIRECTOR
  • MATTHEW BARWELL — DIRECTOR
  • STEVEN SPIVAK — DIRECTOR
relationships · 14

Who they work with

  • Affinity Consultants Partner — Partner in administering trademark licensing for Tau Epsilon Phi.
  • EverFi Partner — Conducted research on perspectives on fraternity and sorority life with Positive Youth Development.
  • Foundation for Education Excellence Partner — Partnered on mental health and wellness research for fraternity and sorority members.
  • Gallup Partner — Conducted 2021 study on fraternity and sorority experiences and outcomes in college, work, and life.
  • Grand Chapter of Tau Epsilon Phi Network — Body comprised of all active chapters and alumni associations that elects the Grand Council
  • Journal of Campus Activities Practice and Scholarship Partner — Published research on fraternity/sorority membership and student outcomes by Pike and Wiese.
  • Noah Edwards Partner — Editor of The TEP Leader newsletter
  • Our Military Kids, Inc. Partner — National philanthropy partner supporting military children during parental deployment or recovery from service-related injuries.
  • Plaid Partner — Conducted 2022 research on peer accountability in fraternities.
  • The Educational Foundation for Tau Epsilon Phi, Ltd. Partner — Dedicated foundation supporting education initiatives for Tau Epsilon Phi members.
  • The TEP Foundation Inc. Partner — Dedicated foundation providing scholarships to Tau Epsilon Phi members.
  • Tim Smith Partner — Executive Director of Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity
  • UT-PERC Partner — Conducted research on fraternities and values of single-sex experience.
  • Vector Solutions Partner — Conducted 2022 research on fostering safe and inclusive environments in fraternities.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Assessment-Driven Chapter Improvement
    methodology: assessment_based_consulting
    By applying tailored assessments and follow-up programming, the organization supports chapter development and reduces disciplinary risks because data-informed interventions produce more sustainable behavioral and organizational change than generic oversight.
  • Education-First Member Support
    methodology: scholarship_supported_success
    By operating a dedicated scholarship foundation, the organization advances member success because financial and educational support directly increases retention, graduation rates, and long-term achievement among fraternity members.
  • Out-of-Classroom Holistic Member Development
    methodology: peer_based_holistic_development
    By using fraternity brotherhood as a structured, peer-driven environment outside academic settings, the organization develops leadership, career readiness, and mental wellness because experiential peer engagement produces growth that formal education alone does not.
  • Principles-Based Brotherhood Development
    methodology: ideals_based_development
    By grounding fraternity life in the core ideals of friendship, chivalry, and service, the organization fosters personal growth, ethical conduct, and collective responsibility because these principles are believed to cultivate lasting brotherhood and individual worth.