A Look at the Dorothy Cate and Thomas F. Frist Foundation’s Grantmaking in Tennessee

The Frist family is a prominent one to know in Nashville, Tennessee. There's the Frist Foundation, tied to the charitable giving of billionaire Thomas Frist Jr., and the family business, HCA Healthcare, which owns and operates hundreds of hospitals and surgical centers in the U.S. and abroad. Then there’s the lesser-known and less transparent Dorothy Cate & Thomas F. Frist Foundation, run by several Frist family members and with Robert A. Frist as its president.

This Frist philanthropy does not have a website, limiting the publicly available information about its grantmaking. But for groups in the Nashville area, here are some details about the Dorothy Cate and Thomas F. Frist Foundation.

Topics of interest

As long as an organization works in the Nashville area, the Dorothy Cate and Thomas F. Frist Foundation may consider it for funding. The foundation has broad interests, including education, youth, the arts, health and religious causes. Almost all grantees are based in and provide services in Tennessee.

Here’s a sampling of recent grantees:

Saddle Up, Franklin
Safe Haven Family Shetler, Nashville
Salama Urban Ministries, Nashville
Project Return, Nashville
One Generation Away, Franklin
PearlPoint Cancer Support, Nashville

Past giving

The foundation gave away $3 million in a recent year, which is slightly higher than previous years. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $50,000 and come as general support, gala benefits, growth fund support, annual gifts and honorary gifts in memory of affiliated people. It appears as though the foundation prefers to give many smaller gifts to lots of organizations rather than just a few large gifts each year. The foundation frequently supports fundraisers and events but declines any perks in exchange for donations. It’s been established as a family foundation since 1989 and often supports the same familiar organizations, multiple years in a row.

Approaching the foundation

According to recent tax records, the Dorothy Cate and Thomas F. Frist Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests and only contributes to preselected charitable organizations. However, it’s accessible by phone for general inquiries. In addition to Robert A. Frist as president, the foundation has a secretary, Mary Frist Barfield, and three vice presidents: Thomas F. Frist, Jr., Dorothy Cate Frist and William H. Frist.

Read more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Dorothy Cate & Thomas F. Frist Foundation and about other local grantmakers in our Tennessee funding guide.

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