Burgess Family Charitable
Burgess Family Charitable is a private foundation based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations primarily in Tennessee, with additional grants to organizations in Virginia, Oregon, Florida, and Minnesota.
Burgess Family Charitable at a glance
In short: Burgess Family Charitable gave $298K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Tennessee. 61% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $297,945
- +13.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +4.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,954
- +9.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $2,437,615
- -10.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (14 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Burgess Family Charitable
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists an open letter with information about the nonprofit organization as the application material and Ernest Burgess as the contact. The filing lists no deadline and states that Tennessee is the primary area and the Southeast is secondary.
- Contact
Application contact: Ernest Burgess
Mailing address: 7097 Franklin R, Murfreesboro, TN 37128
Phone: (615) 405-6250
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Burgess Family Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mid TN Christian School ($109K). Together the top 10 received $266K.
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 106 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing states that Tennessee is the foundation’s primary area and the Southeast is secondary. Its 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee (87%), Virginia (7%), Oregon (3%), Florida (1%), and Minnesota (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Burgess Family Charitable open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 23 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 22% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 114% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 284% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $131K (2021) to $314K (2023). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $298K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mid TN Christian School Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $109,000 |
| N Blvd Church of Christ Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $55,000 |
| Childrens Discov Center Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $25,000 |
| Five Stone Breakthrough Fairfax, VA | General Fund | $19,525 |
| Greenhouse Ministries Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $11,000 |
| Raiders for Christ Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $11,000 |
| Sequoia Campus Church Eugene, OR | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Doors of Hope Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Final Command Ministrie Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Possibility Place Murfreesboro, TN | General Fund | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Burgess Family Charitable?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,437,615 | $102,547 | $372,355 | $297,945 | 23 | $369,095 | $109,674 | $129,910 |
| 2024 | $2,707,423 | $113,204 | $324,407 | $261,550 | 22 | $300,550 | $93,704 | $135,357 |
| 2023 | $2,914,269 | $7,864 | $316,659 | $313,750 | 21 | $313,750 | $59,628 | $133,337 |
| 2022 | $3,223,064 | $31,372 | $182,296 | $139,250 | 22 | $165,250 | $95,749 | $149,634 |
| 2021 | $3,373,988 | $3,505,707 | $131,719 | $131,250 | 18 | $131,250 | $98,159 | $159,875 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Burgess Family Charitable reported a distributable amount of $130K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants include general-fund support for organizations such as Mid TN Christian School, N Blvd Church of Christ, and Children’s Discovery Center. Among its grantees, Doors of Hope describes its mission as “empowering women to break the cycle of addiction, homelessness, and incarceration”; Possibility Place says it provides possibilities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and Portico Inc says it provides counseling and other support for young women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $297,945. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $109,000, with a median grant of $4,500. The largest awards included $109,000 to Mid TN Christian School, $55,000 to N Blvd Church of Christ, $25,000 to Children’s Discovery Center, and $19,525 to Five Stone Breakthrough. Each was reported for general-fund purposes. Other listed awards included $11,000 each to Greenhouse Ministries and Raiders for Christ, and $10,000 each to Sequoia Campus Church, Doors of Hope, and Final Command Ministries.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ernest Burgess and Peggy Burgess as trustees.
Burgess Family Charitable's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ernest Burgess
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Peggy Burgess
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Burgess Family Charitable
How much does Burgess Family Charitable give each year?
Burgess Family Charitable gave $298K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $262K across 22 grants.
What is Burgess Family Charitable's typical grant size?
Burgess Family Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $4,500, and its average grant was $12,954, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Burgess Family Charitable that year got $9K on average.
Where does Burgess Family Charitable give grants?
Burgess Family Charitable gives mostly in Tennessee: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Murfreesboro, TN (14 grants) and Smyrna, TN (2 grants).
Does Burgess Family Charitable give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Burgess Family Charitable's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Burgess Family Charitable's largest grantees?
Burgess Family Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Mid TN Christian School ($109,000), N Blvd Church of Christ ($55,000) and Childrens Discov Center ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Burgess Family Charitable?
Burgess Family Charitable reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $369K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $130K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Burgess Family Charitable fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants include general-fund support for organizations such as Mid TN Christian School, N Blvd Church of Christ, and Children’s Discovery Center. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Burgess Family Charitable?
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Burgess Family Charitable's EIN?
Burgess Family Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-1802689. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Burgess Family Charitable funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Burgess Family Charitable's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Charity Circle of Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, TN
Charity Circle of Murfreesboro funds local charities serving Rutherford County residents, with a focus on basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and medicine, plus some related services. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,000 to $90,000, with a median of $10,000. It accepts agency applications; they are due November 15.
Assets
$646K
Grants
38
Total Given
$698K
Christy-Houston Foundation Inc
Murfreesboro, TN
The Christy-Houston Foundation supports charitable organizations and public entities serving Rutherford County and neighboring counties, with grants spanning healthcare, human services, arts, youth, and community projects. In 2024, grants ranged from $6,000 to $1.5 million, with a median of $49,750. It does not limit giving to preselected organizations; prospective applicants are directed to contact the foundation and use its forms.
Assets
$96.7M
Grants
24
Total Given
$4.2M
Adams Family Foundation II
Murfreesboro, TN
The foundation supports a range of charitable work, including youth programs, affordable housing, and aid for people facing hardship. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $70,000, with a median of $6,500, and primarily went to Tennessee organizations, with additional giving across the Southeast and elsewhere. It does not restrict giving to preselected organizations; the filing lists an open letter as the application material and no deadline.
Assets
$7.5M
Grants
23
Total Given
$294K
Adams Family Foundation I
Murfreesboro, TN
The foundation supports a range of Tennessee organizations, including arts, education, health, community services, and homelessness programs; its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $95,000, with a median of $5,000. Tennessee is its primary area, with the Southeast listed as secondary. It accepts requests by open letter to Robert Adams, with no deadline stated.
Assets
$4.6M
Grants
23
Total Given
$335K
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc
Nashville, TN
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee supports nonprofits across a range of needs, including housing, disaster relief, education, health, public safety, and the arts. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $8,500, with amounts ranging widely; it primarily serves Middle Tennessee, with 76% of 2024 grant dollars going to Tennessee recipients. Special Interest Grant applications are submitted through its grants portal; no new competitive Community Impact cycle is planned for fiscal year 2026–2027.
Assets
$832.0M
Grants
2,450
Total Given
$107.1M
John D Floyd Charitable Foundation Inc
Murfreesboro, TN
The John D Floyd Charitable Foundation supports a broad range of community services, including programs for older adults and children, food assistance, arts education, housing, and employment support. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $76,000, with a median of $10,000; nearly all funding went to Tennessee organizations. It accepts letter requests from qualified 501(c)(3) organizations, according to its 2024 filing.
Assets
$11.4M
Grants
30
Total Given
$483K
More similar funders
More Funders in Tennessee
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Burgess Family Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/burgess-family-charitable-morg_fedbfcaa8828438b9cb631a58375daa6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_871802689_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Burgess Family Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/burgess-family-charitable-morg_fedbfcaa8828438b9cb631a58375daa6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
} The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Burgess Family Charitable's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Burgess Family Charitable down — hundreds of funders to go?