Learn more about grants for Tennessee with Inside Philanthropy. Below you can find top Tennessee funders. Find your next grant with the search tool on Grant Finder. Become a member.
Giving Trends in Tennessee
Since 2014, grantmaking across Tennessee decreased, but then stabilized and has remained steady. According to Philanthropy Southeast and Candid, about 688 funders gave $844.9 million in grants in 2018.
Knowledge about giving in Tennessee largely filters through Philanthropy Southeast. In contrast with its Southeastern neighbors, Tennessee leads the region in funding for philanthropy and nonprofit management, the top driver of grantmaking in the state. Other top areas of grantmaking interest include community and economic development, education, human services, and religion, the last a common denominator of giving in the Deep South. In recent decades, foundations across Tennessee have become more professionalized, staffed and digitized, as funders become more focused on outcomes rather than individual agencies.
According to Nashville congressman, Jim Cooper:
“Tennessee is one of the unhealthiest states in America, and we lead the nation in per capita hospital closings. Both of these tragedies are partly the result of our refusal to expand Medicaid.”
Echoing these sentiments, several Tennessee foundations have called for an increase in spending on health outcomes in the state, so it’s possible health giving will increase here in future years.
Tennessee’s top funders reflect a mix of private, public and community foundations, which include Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, The Pyramid Peak Foundation, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, East Tennessee Foundation, Poplar Community Foundation, The Maclellan Foundation, Inc., The Frist Foundation, The Haslam Family Foundation, and the Plough Foundation, among others.
Foundations in Tennessee
APPALACHIAN COMMUNITY FUND
The Appalachian Community Fund supports social change organizations that address race, gender, economic status, sexual identity, and disability in the Central Appalachia communities of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia.
ARTSBUILD
This funder supports a wide range of arts and culture groups in the Greater Chattanooga area. Arts education and economic development through the arts are big local priorities.
ATHENS FEDERAL FOUNDATION
The Athens Federal Foundation provides grants to Eastern Tennessee nonprofits in the areas of affordable housing, job training, economic development, healthcare, education, human services, and culture.
MARY REYNOLDS BABCOCK FOUNDATION
The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation supports democracy and civic engagement initiatives, such as community organizing, voter education, and voter registration, in eleven southeastern states.
BONNAROO WORKS FUND
This fund was created as the charitable arm of one of the biggest music festivals in the Southeast. Funding priorities include the arts, education and educational sustainability, especially in the Manchester, Tennessee, area.
CAPITAL BANK FOUNDATION
The Capital Bank Foundation is a bank funder that supports Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia communities in the areas of arts and culture, education and leadership, environment, financial literacy, and health and human services.
CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Christian Community Foundation supports religion, education, human services, health, children and youth, housing, economic development, financial literacy and criminal justice in Tennessee.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHATTANOOGA
This funder supports Chattanooga, Tennessee and Greater Hamilton County in the areas of healthy behaviors/healthy environments, basic human needs/social services, neighborhood revitalization, immigrant population needs, college access, early childhood development, and public education.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER MEMPHIS
This is the largest funder in the region that awards grants in western Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi. Funding priorities include education, human services, and nonprofit capacity building.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
CFMT funds education, the environment, the arts, health and social services in 40 counties in Middle Tennessee and three counties in Southern Kentucky. Grant applications are accepted annually.
EAST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION
This funder supports nonprofits in 25 counties in Eastern Tennessee through donor-advised grant distributions and a competitive grant program. Open requests for proposals are posted on the funder’s website.
FIRST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION
The First Tennessee Foundation supports communities in Tennessee in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, financial literacy, and health services.
FRIST FOUNDATION
The Frist Foundation is dedicated to sustaining and improving the quality of life in Nashville, Tennessee. It strongly supports Frist Art Museum and Nashville Zoo.
DOROTHY CATE & THOMAS F. FRIST FOUNDATION
The Dorothy Cate & Thomas F. Frist Foundation funds grantmaking related to health, religious causes, youth, education, the arts, and other causes largely in the Nashville area.
WILLIAM H. FRIST FOUNDATION
The William H. Frist Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to causes in the Nashville area, as well as global and health causes.
GENEROSITY TRUST
The Generosity Trust supports religion, churches, education, and Christian philanthropy in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
HASLAM FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Haslam Family Foundation supports a variety of charitable organizations with a focus on those working in the areas of youth education and sports initiatives.
HASLAM 3 FOUNDATION
The Haslam 3 Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, the arts, health, and human services.
INGRAM CHARITIES
Ingram Charities supports the arts, education, health, and human services in Middle Tennessee.
LYNDHURST FOUNDATION
This funder prioritizes Chattanooga, Tennessee, and funding areas include education, conservation, arts, culture, economy, urban design and development, neighborhood revitalization, and physical health.
PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS CHARITIES
This corporate grocery store chain funder supports efforts related to hunger, homelessness, youth, and education in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
THE PYRAMID PEAK FOUNDATION
The Pyramid Peak Foundation makes community development grants to support organizations in the greater Memphis, Tennessee area. It also supports K-12 education and early childhood development groups.
