Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County
The Community Foundation of Cleveland is a public charity based in Cleveland, Tennessee. Its website identifies the organization as the Community Foundation of Ocoee Region and describes its role as connecting donors with causes that matter. It helps donors carry out charitable giving and build permanent endowments, with the stated aim of improving quality of life in the community.
Key facts about Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County
In short: Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County gave $2.3M across 49 grants in 2024 (avg $46K), mostly in Tennessee. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 26-2101084
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,255,590
- Grants made (2024)
- 49
- Average grant
- $46,032
- Median grant
- $15,750
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (15 of 49, 2024)
- Total assets
- $15,459,155
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$15.5M
+12.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
+94.7% YoY
Grant Count
49
+4.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$46K
+86.7% YoY
Is Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 49 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $67K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 foundation’s stated mission is “to facilitate ethical stewardship of philanthropic resources by helping connect those resources with the needs of Cleveland and Bradley County.” Its program description says it assists donors in building permanent endowments and carrying out charitable giving to improve quality of life in the community.
Recipients in 2024 included organizations working in different areas. City Fields describes its work as transforming disadvantaged neighborhoods through physical and social revitalization, economic development, neighborhood safety, and leadership development. The Caring Place says it provides basic resources and opportunities to people experiencing poverty in Bradley County, with the goal of increasing stability and economic mobility. Karis Community Health says it provides dental services and primary medical care to uninsured adults at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Cleveland State Community College describes a fund that provides income for tuition, scholarships, and educational awards.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 49 grants totaling $2,255,590. Grant amounts ranged from $6,799 to $765,000, with a median of $15,750. The largest reported grant was $765,000 to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; other notable grants included $175,176 to City Fields, $124,000 to Trousdale School, $90,746 to The Caring Place, and $70,500 to Cleveland Family YMCA. The stated purpose for these grants was donor-advised distributions.
Other 2024 recipients included Habitat for Humanity, which describes its purpose as creating decent, affordable housing for people in need, and Mongolian Asia Reach, which says it provides vulnerable children in Mongolia with practical help including medical treatment, housing, and education.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission refers to Cleveland and Bradley County. In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee. The reported shares for other recipient states were Wyoming 3%, Virginia 1%, North Carolina 1%, and Missouri 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $838K (2019) to $2.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 49 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of TN at Chattanooga ($765K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
192 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 154 grants of 192 (80%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of TN at Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $765,000 |
| City Fields Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $175,176 |
| Trousdale School Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $124,000 |
| The Caring Place Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $90,746 |
| Buffalo Bill Center of the West Cody, WY | Donor Advised Distributions | $75,624 |
| Cleveland Family YMCA Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $70,500 |
| Broad Street United Methodist Church Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $65,500 |
| Bradley Cleveland Public Education Foundation Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $60,500 |
| Woodsong Forest School Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $60,000 |
| Cleveland Emergency Shelter Cleveland, TN | Donor Advised Distributions | $57,456 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,459,155 | $4,176,362 | $3,013,438 | $2,255,590 | 49 |
| 2023 | $13,735,924 | $5,160,553 | $1,802,716 | $1,158,552 | 47 |
| 2022 | $9,305,705 | $3,399,548 | $2,000,254 | $1,546,796 | 32 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,459,155 | $13,735,924 | $9,305,705 |
| Revenue | $4,176,362 | $5,160,553 | $3,399,548 |
| Expenses | $3,013,438 | $1,802,716 | $2,000,254 |
| Net Investment Income | $688,265 | $860,922 | $481,304 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 6, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jack Sheehan as chair, Pam Caprara as vice chair, Thomas Arrendale as treasurer, and Bobby Ludwig as secretary. Directors listed were Britney Cooke, Kathryn Box, Chad Eslinger, Ben Chandler, Art Rhodes, and Rick Platz.
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County is led by Lisa Geren, President on every filing since 2022; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lisa Geren
President
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$77K (2022) → $82K (2024)
Jack Sheehan
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Chandler
Director
Director → Chair, 2023
Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chad Eslinger
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn Box
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Art Rhodes
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Britney Cooke
Director
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rick Platz
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Howell
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jordia Waller
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Humphres
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bobby Ludwig
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Arrendale
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pam Caprara
Vice Chair
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Adonia Latham (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Alan Smith (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Ed McIntire (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Ginger Wilson Buchanan (2019–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Jim Park (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Jermon Garner (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Joel Huffstetler (2023) — Director
- Former: Cathy Barrett (2019–2022) — President
- Former: Jack Robbins (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: William Stuart (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Demetrius Ramsey (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Arthur Rhodes (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Frederick Platz (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Bill Johnson (2019) — Director
- Former: Cindy Powers (2019) — Director
- Former: Karen Mountain (2019) — Director
- Former: Tom Thomas (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $82K, to Lisa Geren (President).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 4474, Cleveland, TN 37320
Phone: (423) 599-5880
Website: https://clevelandbradleyfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County
How much does Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County give each year?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County gave $2.3M across 49 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 47 grants.
What is Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's median grant in 2024 was $15,750, and its average grant was $46,032, across 49 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County that year got $67K on average.
Where does Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County give grants?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County gives mostly in Tennessee: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, TN (26 grants), Chattanooga, TN (4 grants) and Erie, PA (2 grants).
Does Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 49 grants with a stated purpose on Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donor Advised Distributions" (49 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's largest 2024 grantees include University of TN at Chattanooga ($765,000), City Fields ($175,176) and Trousdale School ($124,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County reported $15.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.2M.
What does Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to facilitate ethical stewardship of philanthropic resources by helping connect those resources with the needs of Cleveland and Bradley County.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check clevelandbradleyfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's EIN?
Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2101084. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County by hand.
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