Charity Circle of Murfreesboro
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.
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.
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
Ready to take the next step with Charity Circle of Murfreesboro?
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
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
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
The largest 2025 recipient was Community Helpers ($90K). Together the top 10 received $415K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 136 grants of 148 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Helpers Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $90,000 |
| Nourish Food Bank Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $72,000 |
| The Journey Home Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $57,000 |
| Ace Learning Center - Project Help Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $43,500 |
| Doors of Hope Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $33,000 |
| Community Foundation of Middle Tenn Inc Nashville, TN | Contribution to donor advised fund to be used as general support for charities | $29,800 |
| Boys and Girls Club Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $25,000 |
| Child Advocacy Center Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $23,000 |
| Domestic Violence Center Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $22,000 |
| Meals on Wheels- Mid Cumberland HR Agency Murfreesboro, TN | General 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 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 22, 2026)
- 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.
Here's the math on researching Charity Circle of Murfreesboro by hand.
Explore Open Grants
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