Esme Foundation
Esme Foundation is a private foundation based in Cookeville, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports $190,000 in grants to 17 organizations, including organizations involved in church activities, services for children and families, and support for people experiencing poverty or loss.
Esme Foundation at a glance
In short: Esme Foundation gave $190K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Tennessee. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $190,000
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- +21.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,176
- -14.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,858,736
- +4.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (4 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (79% 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 Esme Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 999, Cookeville, TN 38503
Phone: (931) 526-9726
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Esme Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was 1ST United Methodist Church ($45K). Together the top 10 received $167K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 66 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee, 13% to Ohio, 5% to Virginia, and 3% to Arkansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Esme Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 16 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 77% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $183K (2024) to $253K (2021). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $190K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1ST United Methodist Church Cookeville, TN | Church activitieschurch activitieschurch activitieschurch activitiesreligious church activitiesdonation for church activities | $45,000 |
| Mustard Seed Ranch Cookeville, TN | Home for Abused Children | $30,700 |
| Smiles of Hope Sidney, OH | Ministry of Dental Services to Needy | $25,000 |
| Hope House of Tennessee Nashville, TN | Provide housing & resources to homeless pregnant teens and children | $20,000 |
| Young Life Cookeville, TN | Church Activites | $11,000 |
| Crisis Pregnancy Center Cookeville, TN | Support Pregnancy Crisis | $10,700 |
| International Justice Mission Arlington, VA | Provide for people in poverty from violence and slavery | $10,000 |
| Hope 27 Searcy, AR | Support orphaned and abused childreneducation, food, spiritual needs for young boyseducation, spiritual needs for young boys | $5,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $5,000 |
| Game on Cookeville, TN | Programs for handicapped adults and children to play tennis | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Esme Foundation?
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 | $3,858,736 | $345,369 | $191,149 | $190,000 | 17 | $190,000 | $295,369 | $245,606 |
| 2024 | $3,704,516 | $251,852 | $183,020 | $183,000 | 14 | $183,000 | $151,852 | $232,531 |
| 2023 | $3,635,684 | $270,762 | $239,951 | $225,000 | 14 | $225,000 | $145,762 | $217,114 |
| 2022 | $3,604,873 | $568,878 | $222,752 | $221,000 | 10 | $221,000 | $543,878 | $204,687 |
| 2021 | $3,258,747 | $414,499 | $307,592 | $252,500 | 11 | $252,500 | $109,407 | $196,271 |
| 2020 | $3,151,840 | $110,078 | $258,321 | $186,500 | 12 | — | $20,492 | $183,763 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Esme Foundation reported a distributable amount of $246K 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 does not state a separate mission in the supplied information. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable activities, including church activities, a home for children, housing and resources for homeless pregnant teens and children, dental services for people in need, and programs for people affected by violence, grief, or homelessness.
Grantee descriptions provide further examples of the work supported. Mustard Seed Ranch describes its mission as providing a Christ-centered home for children who are neglected, abused, orphaned, or in need of a healthy family environment. Hope House of Tennessee describes a two-year residential program intended to support personal and educational growth and economic self-sufficiency. International Justice Mission describes work to protect people in poverty from violence, including rescuing victims and helping survivors. Heart of the Cumberland describes facilitating peer support groups for people who have lost a loved one. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $190,000 in 17 grants. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $45,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $45,000 to 1st United Methodist Church in Cookeville for church activities; $30,700 to Mustard Seed Ranch in Cookeville for a home for abused children; $25,000 to Smiles of Hope in Sidney, Ohio, for dental services to people in need; and $20,000 to Hope House of Tennessee in Nashville to provide housing and resources to homeless pregnant teens and children. Other grants included $11,000 to Young Life, $10,700 to Crisis Pregnancy Center, and $10,000 to International Justice Mission.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lisa L. Jones as director and president; Sarah Auville as director and secretary; and Gary D. Leftwich as director and treasurer.
Esme Foundation is led by Lisa L. Jones, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lisa L. Jones
Director & President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary D. Leftwich
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Auville
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Emma Jones (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Matthew Jones (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Melinda Mott Leftwich (2020–2023) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Ethan Jones (2021–2023) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Esme Foundation
How much does Esme Foundation give each year?
Esme Foundation gave $190K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $183K across 14 grants.
What is Esme Foundation's typical grant size?
Esme Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $11,176, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Esme Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Esme Foundation give grants?
Esme Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Ohio (13%) and Virginia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cookeville, TN (10 grants) and Nashville, TN (2 grants).
Does Esme Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Esme Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Esme Foundation's largest grantees?
Esme Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include 1ST United Methodist Church ($45,000), Mustard Seed Ranch ($30,700) and Smiles of Hope ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Esme Foundation?
Esme Foundation reported $3.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $190K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $246K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Esme Foundation fund?
The foundation does not state a separate mission in the supplied information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Esme Foundation?
The foundation 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 Esme Foundation's EIN?
Esme Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-2294558. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Esme 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 17, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Esme Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/esme-foundation-morg_7872696cfda448d884e56eb53d680281
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_842294558_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Esme Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/esme-foundation-morg_7872696cfda448d884e56eb53d680281},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Esme 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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