Dettwiller Foundation
The Dettwiller Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. It makes grants in support of Fred Dettwiller’s charitable legacy, focusing on religious, educational, arts, health and human services, and law enforcement and first-responder initiatives, with a focus on Tennessee.
Dettwiller Foundation at a glance
In short: Dettwiller Foundation gave $14.1M across 152 grants in 2024 (avg $93K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $14,130,968
- +64.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 152
- +100.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $92,967
- -17.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $251,279,506
- +1.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Dettwiller Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website says that, beginning in 2026, first-time applicants and organizations returning after at least 18 months without funding must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) and wait for an invitation before submitting a full application. The LOI should summarize the organization’s mission, proposed project or funding purpose, population served, alignment with the foundation’s mission, and annual operating budget. Eligible applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits operating in Tennessee for at least three years with an annual operating budget of at least $300,000. Applications may be submitted through the foundation’s website or by sending a Word or PDF application with supporting documents. Follow-up visits or in-person meetings may be required.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists 2026 application periods of February 2–May 15 and July 1–October 15. As of September 28, 2026, the first period has passed; the second period is scheduled to close October 15, 2026.
- Deadline
- The website lists 2026 application periods of February 2–May 15 and July 1–October 15.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 281017, Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: (615) 244-4113
Website: https://dettwillerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Dettwiller Foundation
Who Dettwiller Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tpac ($2.0M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $7.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
336 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 244 grants of 336 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its work focuses on Tennessee. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee; the listed remainder included Kentucky (1%) and Georgia, Montana, and Maryland (each reported as 0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 152 itemized grants.
Cities
How Dettwiller Foundation gives
- 32% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 1471% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $572K (2020) to $14.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 152 grants totaling $14.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tpac Nashville, TN | General Fund | $2,000,000 |
| Centerstone Nashville, TN | General Fund | $1,000,000 |
| Cumberland Heights Nashville, TN | General Fund | $1,000,000 |
| Nashville Police & Public Safety Alliance Nashville, TN | General Fund | $1,000,000 |
| Nashville Symphony Nashville, TN | General Fund | $1,000,000 |
| YMCA Nashville, TN | General Fund | $375,000 |
| Gilda's Club of Middle TN Nashville, TN | General Fund | $333,333 |
| Shelby Commons Nashville, TN | General Fund | $333,333 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Middle TN Nashville, TN | General Fund | $250,000 |
| Friends of Warner Parks Nashville, TN | General Fund | $250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Dettwiller Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts below are reported by filing year.
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes its program activity as pass-through income from Kemm ons Wilson Hospitality Partners II LP.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $251,279,506 | $18,767,963 | $15,380,170 | $14,130,968 | 152 | $14,130,968 | $11,143,089 | $12,878,194 |
| 2023 | $247,860,875 | $35,857,802 | $9,457,289 | $8,573,833 | 76 | $8,573,833 | $9,029,804 | $12,045,462 |
| 2022 | $221,816,696 | $199,508,488 | $1,707,110 | $1,520,500 | 50 | $1,520,500 | $3,298,007 | $2,246,848 |
| 2021 | $18,740,807 | $2,654,559 | $1,063,362 | $899,700 | 52 | $899,700 | $2,490,897 | $1,118,640 |
| 2020 | $17,260,489 | $4,536,780 | $686,251 | $572,000 | 6 | — | $1,422,529 | $795,783 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dettwiller Foundation reported a distributable amount of $12.9M for 2024 — 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 mission is to foster Fred Dettwiller’s charitable legacy through grantmaking across five areas: religious; health and human services; the arts; law enforcement and first responders; and education.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. The Nashville Public Library Foundation says it funds programs that help the library empower the community, encourage children’s imaginations, and foster lifelong learning. Men of Valor describes its work as discipling men who have experienced incarceration and equipping them to re-enter society. Other grantees describe work in public parks and community connection (Centennial Park Conservancy), early education and food access (St. Luke’s Community House), youth mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters), and food access and community agriculture (Nashville Food Project).
The foundation says it does not support individuals or their projects, private foundations, disease-specific organizations seeking support for national research projects or programs, political activities, other grantmaking organizations, projects or organizations with a limited audience, or individual schools.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 152 grants totaling $14,130,968. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $2,000,000, with a median of $25,000. Largest awards included $2,000,000 to TPAC; $1,000,000 each to Centerstone, Cumberland Heights, Nashville Police & Public Safety Alliance, and Nashville Symphony; and $375,000 to the YMCA. All were listed for general fund support.
Other 2024 grants included $333,333 each to Gilda’s Club of Middle TN and Shelby Commons; $250,000 each to Boys & Girls Club of Middle TN, Friends of Warner Parks, Nashville Public Library Foundation, and Nashville Symphony; $200,000 to Men of Valor; $150,000 to Centennial Park Conservancy; $120,000 to St. Luke’s Community House; and $100,000 each to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Nashville Food Project, East Tennessee Foundation, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John Curley as director/president, Leslie Wood as director/secretary, and Victoria Victory as director.
Dettwiller Foundation is led by John Curley, Director & President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Curley
Director & President
Director → Director & President, 2021
On filings since 2020
32.5 hrs/week
$31K (2023) → $187K (2024)
Leslie Wood
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
32.5 hrs/week
$10K (2022) → $212K (2024)
Victoria Victory
Director
On filings since 2021
32.5 hrs/week
$130K (2023) → $212K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: G. Frederick Dettwiller Dod (2021–2022) — Director & President
- Former: G. Frederick Dettwiller II (2020) — Director & President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $212K, to Leslie Wood (Director/Secretary). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Dettwiller Foundation
How much does Dettwiller Foundation give each year?
Dettwiller Foundation gave $14.1M across 152 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.6M across 76 grants.
What is Dettwiller Foundation's typical grant size?
Dettwiller Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $92,967, across 152 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Dettwiller Foundation give grants?
Dettwiller Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (115 grants), Franklin, TN (8 grants), Brentwood, TN (6 grants) and Antioch, TN (2 grants).
Does Dettwiller Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Dettwiller Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (152 of 152) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Dettwiller Foundation's largest grantees?
Dettwiller Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Tpac ($2,010,000 across 2 grants), Nashville Symphony ($1,250,000 across 2 grants) and Centerstone ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Dettwiller Foundation?
Dettwiller Foundation reported $251.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $14.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dettwiller Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to foster Fred Dettwiller’s charitable legacy through grantmaking across five areas: religious; health and human services; the arts; law enforcement and first responders; and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dettwiller Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Dettwiller Foundation's EIN?
Dettwiller Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4954786. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Dettwiller Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Dettwiller Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dettwiller Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dettwiller-foundation-morg_75d0f74c2a7541f3a92db56e4551ba75
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_474954786_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dettwiller Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dettwiller-foundation-morg_75d0f74c2a7541f3a92db56e4551ba75},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Dettwiller Foundation'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.
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