Travis Kelce charity foundation’s $1.5 million funding faces scrutiny as records show less than 50% spent on charity, $469,000 reported as management expenses

NFL star Travis Kelce’s charitable work has come under fresh scrutiny after tax filings from his nonprofit, Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation, raised questions about how its money was allocated. The foundation reported raising around $1.5 million between 2021 and 2024, but federal tax records reviewed by The Arizona Republic showed a relatively small share of that amount was classified as charitable spending.

The figures have prompted questions about the foundation’s financial structure and its links to the business managers who work with Kelce.

Travis Kelce non-profit controversy: How much did Travis Kelce’s foundation spend on charity?

According to the tax records examined in January 2026, Eighty-Seven and Running reported approximately $1.5 million in revenue over the three-year period covered by the filings. The organization listed about $1.1 million in total expenses. Of that amount, roughly $446,000 was categorized as charitable spending, while around $469,000 was reported as management expenses.


Based on those figures, about 41 cents of every dollar spent by the foundation was recorded as going toward charitable programs.

That ratio is below the benchmarks often cited by charity watchdog organizations. Charity Navigator generally considers nonprofits that direct at least 70% of their spending toward programs to be operating efficiently, while CharityWatch has used 75% as a benchmark for high efficiency.

The numbers alone do not necessarily show that money was improperly used. But they have raised questions about how the foundation classifies its expenses.

Link to Travis Kelce’s business managers draws attention

Another issue highlighted in the review is the relationship between the foundation and A&A Management Group.

The company was co-founded by Aaron and André Eanes, who have long worked as Kelce’s business managers. Aaron Eanes also serves as the executive director of Eighty-Seven and Running.

CharityWatch executive director Laurie Styron reviewed the nonprofit’s filings and questioned whether the arrangement gives the foundation sufficient independence from the management company.

Styron told The Arizona Republic that the organization appeared to operate more like an extension of the management business than an independent public charity.

Her comments have added another layer to the debate over the foundation’s reported spending.

Travis Kelce’s team disputes the figures

Kelce’s representatives have pushed back against the interpretation of the tax filings. Aaron Eanes said some expenses connected directly to the foundation’s charitable activities had been classified incorrectly as management costs.

According to Eanes, those operational expenses should have been allocated more appropriately to program services. As a result, he argued, the publicly available filings do not accurately reflect how the foundation’s resources were actually used.

The foundation has also indicated that it has made changes to its financial and governance practices. Eanes said management fees dropped significantly in 2024 and fell to zero in 2025. The organization also plans to expand its board, seek advice from nonprofit specialists and revise its reporting procedures.

The stated goal is to provide a clearer picture of how the foundation carries out its charitable programs and spends its resources.

Why the scrutiny matters

Kelce has built a substantial public profile around his football career and charitable activities. He has been nominated three times for the NFL’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award and has backed causes connected to both Kansas City and his hometown of Cleveland. The questions surrounding Eighty-Seven and Running do not, by themselves, negate those efforts.

But celebrity-backed charities face a particularly high level of public scrutiny. When a foundation raises significant sums in a famous athlete’s name, donors and the wider public naturally want to know where that money goes.

For Kelce’s foundation, the controversy is therefore less about the amount raised and more about how clearly its financial records explain the path from donations to charitable work.

The foundation’s pledge to improve its reporting and governance could now be important in restoring confidence and demonstrating how its resources are being used.