Charity Circle of Murfreesboro logo

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro

Public charity · Grantmaker Murfreesboro, TN EIN: 23-7158367 Website

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro is a public charity based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, founded in 1910. It raises funds to support local charitable organizations serving people in need, with its grantmaking directed to agencies serving Rutherford County residents.

Key facts about Charity Circle of Murfreesboro

In short: Charity Circle of Murfreesboro gave $698K across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), mostly in Tennessee. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
23-7158367
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$697,650
Grants made (2025)
38
Average grant
$18,359
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
8% first-time grantees (3 of 38, 2025)
Total assets
$646,000
Primary geography
Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply
The organization provides an agency grant application process. Full details ↓
Deadline
November 15, 2026.
Next open deadline
November 15, 2026 (Agency Grant Request)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$646K

-8.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$698K

+15.4% YoY

Grant Count

38

+22.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$18K

-5.8% YoY

Is Charity Circle of Murfreesboro open to new grantees?

8%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 3 of 38 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $19K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $12K repeat.

  • 82% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The organization’s stated mission is to raise funds to support local charities that assist individuals and families in need. Its grant guidelines prioritize food, clothing, shelter, and medicine for Rutherford County residents. Related medical, developmental, and protective services, as well as some literacy and counseling programs, may be considered as funds are available. Grant money cannot be used for administrative costs.

Examples of supported organizations include Doors of Hope, whose stated mission is to empower women to break cycles of addiction, homelessness, and incarceration; Special Kids, which says it provides therapeutic rehabilitation and professional nursing services to children with special needs; and Tucker’s House, which says it provides home modifications to make homes safer and more accessible for families of children and young adults with disabilities.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the filing data lists 38 grants totaling $697,650. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $90,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included Community Helpers ($90,000), Nourish Food Bank ($72,000), The Journey Home ($57,000), ACE Learning Center – Project Help ($43,500), and Doors of Hope ($33,000). The filing also lists a $29,800 contribution to a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, designated for general support of charities. The organization’s 2025 filing narrative separately states that it made grants to 43 local charities.

Review Cycle

. It also describes a Special Projects Committee that recommends grants to the Executive Board and general membership.

How to Apply

. Applications should include a list of the applicant’s board of directors, proof of Tennessee charitable-solicitation registration or exemption, a current budget, the most recent financial statement, and the first page of its latest Form 990. First-time applicants should also provide their IRS 501(c)(3) determination, agency mission statement, and first pages of the past five Forms 990 filed. Grant funds cannot be used for administrative costs.

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Charity Circle of Murfreesboro

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The organization’s guidelines limit grants to agencies serving the basic needs of Rutherford County, Tennessee, residents. All grant dollars itemized for 2025 went to recipients in Tennessee.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.

Cities

MurfreesboroNashvilleFranklinAtlanta

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K32 grants2020 24 grants2021 25 grants2022 30 grants2023 31 grants2024 38 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $427K (2021) to $698K (2025). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $698K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Community Helpers: $90KCommunity Helpers$90KNourish Food Bank: $72KNourish Food Bank$72KThe Journey Home: $57KThe Journey Home$57KAce Learning Center - Project Help: $44KAce Learning Center - ProjectHelp$44KDoors of Hope: $33KDoors of Hope$33KCommunity Foundation of Middle Tenn Inc: $30KCommunity Foundation of MiddleTenn Inc$30KBoys and Girls Club: $25KBoys and Girls Club$25KChild Advocacy Center: $23KChild Advocacy Center$23KDomestic Violence Center: $22KDomestic Violence Center$22KMeals on Wheels- Mid Cumberland HR Agency: $20KMeals on Wheels- MidCumberland HR Agency$20K

The largest 2025 recipient was Community Helpers ($90K). Together the top 10 received $415K.

Grant Size Distribution

148 grants across all recorded years

136<$50K11$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 136 grants of 148 (92%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Community Helpers Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$90,000
Nourish Food Bank Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$72,000
The Journey Home Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$57,000
Ace Learning Center - Project Help Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$43,500
Doors of Hope Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$33,000
Community Foundation of Middle Tenn Inc Nashville, TNContribution to donor advised fund to be used as general support for charities$29,800
Boys and Girls Club Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$25,000
Child Advocacy Center Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$23,000
Domestic Violence Center Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$22,000
Meals on Wheels- Mid Cumberland HR Agency Murfreesboro, TNGeneral Support$20,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $646,000 $685,424 $751,893 $697,650
2024 $709,149 $741,813 $681,830 $604,338
2023 $653,221 $666,333 $665,480 $589,464
Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$646,000$709,149$653,221
Revenue$685,424$741,813$666,333
Expenses$751,893$681,830$665,480
Net Investment Income$1,365$1,190$2,072

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 17, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 24, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 17, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 6, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Cindy Ferguson as president; Lissa Young as first vice president; Stacey McCullough as second vice president; Vicki Eastham as third vice president; Collier Smith as recording secretary; Allison Kellermann as corresponding secretary; and Janet Lee as treasurer. It also lists Amy Farrar, Beth Cope, and Robin Hutchinson as committee chairs.

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro is led by Cindy Ferguson, President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 16 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Cindy Ferguson

    President

    Committee Chair → First Vice President, 2023

    First Vice President → President, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anne Davis

    Committee Chair

    President → Past President, 2021

    Past President → Committee Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Amy Farrar

    Committee Chair

    Third Vice President → Committee Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alicia Hollis

    Committee Chair

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alison Lightcap

    Committee Chair

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Beth Cope

    Committee Chair

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jennifer Gerhart

    Committee Chair

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lisa Terry

    Committee Chair

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robin Hutchinson

    Committee Chair

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Collier Smith

    Recording Secretary

    Committee Chair → Recording Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stacey McCullough

    Second Vice President

    Committee Chair → Second Vice President, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kathy Dinardo

    Past President

    First Vice President → President, 2023

    President → Past President, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Vicki Eastham

    Third Vice President

    Committee Chair → Third Vice President, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Allison Kellermann

    Corresponding Secretary

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Janet Lee

    Treasurer

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lissa Young

    First Vice President

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (36)
  • Former: Patti Hutchinson (2020–2024) — Past President
  • Former: Beth Loughry (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Beth Ussery (2023–2024) — Second Vice President
  • Former: Betty Hord (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Delia Goodman (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Emily Hutchinson (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Katie Jordan (2023–2024) — Recording Secretary
  • Former: Lane Booten (2023–2024) — Corresponding Secretary
  • Former: Leanna Wright (2023–2024) — Treasurer
  • Former: Leslie Akins (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Mary Moss (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Susan Grear (2023–2024) — Third Vice President
  • Former: Susan Moss (2023–2024) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Mary Francis (2020–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Bailey Galloway (2021–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Beth Binkley (2021–2022) — Corresponding Secretary
  • Former: Joan Kellermann (2021–2022) — Second Vice President
  • Former: Kristin Demos (2021–2022) — Recording Secretary
  • Former: Libby Long-Taylor (2021–2022) — Treasurer
  • Former: Malinda Kidd (2021–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Meagan Flippin (2021–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Pam Kious (2021–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Rachel Haynes (2021–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Rebecca Few (2021–2022) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Kathy Huddleston (2021) — First Vice President
  • Former: Abby Green (2020) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Jessica Winfree (2020) — Corresponding Secretary
  • Former: Kelly Goodman (2020) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Laura Follis (2020) — Treasurer
  • Former: Lindsey Fournier (2020) — Thrid Vice President
  • Former: Maggie Parsley (2020) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Paula Mansfield (2020) — Committee Chair
  • Former: Rebecca Upton (2020) — Second Vice President
  • Former: Rhea Seddon (2020) — Past President
  • Former: Sherry Galloway (2020) — Recording Secretary
  • Former: Sydney Boerner (2020) — Committee Chair

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 11128, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Phone: (615) 668-2320
Website: https://charitycirclemboro.org

Frequently asked questions about Charity Circle of Murfreesboro

How much does Charity Circle of Murfreesboro give each year?

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro gave $698K across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $604K across 31 grants.

What is Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's typical grant size?

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,359, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charity Circle of Murfreesboro that year got $6K on average.

Where does Charity Circle of Murfreesboro give grants?

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Murfreesboro, TN (32 grants) and Nashville, TN (5 grants).

Does Charity Circle of Murfreesboro give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Who are Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's largest grantees?

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's largest 2025 grantees include Community Helpers ($90,000), Nourish Food Bank ($72,000) and The Journey Home ($57,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Charity Circle of Murfreesboro?

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro reported $646K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $685K.

What does Charity Circle of Murfreesboro fund?

The organization’s stated mission is to raise funds to support local charities that assist individuals and families in need. Its grant guidelines prioritize food, clothing, shelter, and medicine for Rutherford County residents. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Charity Circle of Murfreesboro?

The organization provides an agency grant application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's EIN?

Charity Circle of Murfreesboro's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7158367. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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