Foundations & Grantmakers in Tennessee
2,295 grantmakers in Tennessee reported grants on their latest 990s. The 901 that made at least 5 grants gave $1.5B. The largest by giving are Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc, Christian Community Foundation of Memphis and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Tennessee grants
Foundation giving in Tennessee at a glance
Active grantmakers
2,295
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$1.5B
from the 901 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$18K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$76K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Tennessee by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc | Memphis | $134.3M | 761 |
| 2 | Christian Community Foundation of Memphis | Memphis | $109.7M | 636 |
| 3 | The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc | Nashville | $107.1M | 2,450 |
| 4 | The Frist Foundation | Nashville | $58.2M | 174 |
| 5 | Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation | Chattanooga | $36.4M | 567 |
| 6 | The Bill Gatton Foundation | Bristol | $27.1M | 9 |
| 7 | The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga Inc | Chattanooga | $25.8M | 810 |
| 8 | HCA Healthcare Foundation | Nashville | $25.4M | 999 |
| 9 | The Maclellan Foundation Inc | Chattanooga | $21.5M | 161 |
| 10 | The Haslam 3 Foundation Inc | Knoxville | $21.4M | 28 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 10 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 110 · 22%
- Human Services 63 · 13%
- Religion Related 52 · 11%
- Health 51 · 10%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 42 · 9%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 25 · 5%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (43% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Tennessee
- Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc $134.3M · 761 grants
- Christian Community Foundation of Memphis $109.7M · 636 grants
- The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc $107.1M · 2,450 grants
- Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation $36.4M · 567 grants
- The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga Inc $25.8M · 810 grants
- Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County $2.3M · 49 grants
- Lifepoint Community Foundation $986K · 33 grants
- United Community Foundation $25K · 20 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Tennessee
Foundations based in Tennessee whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christy-Houston Foundation Inc | 71% (17) | 24 in 2024 | $215K |
| 2 | Dreambuilders Foundation Inc | 70% (33) | 47 in 2025 | $17K |
| 3 | Pedigree Foundation | 67% (62) | 92 in 2024 | $13K |
| 4 | United Way of South Central Tennessee | 67% (32) | 48 in 2025 | $8K |
| 5 | Burgess Family Charitable | 65% (15) | 23 in 2025 | $10K |
| 6 | Bauchiero Family Foundation | 64% (23) | 36 in 2025 | $2K |
| 7 | Athens Federal Foundation | 62% (26) | 42 in 2025 | $8K |
| 8 | The Churchill Foundation | 61% (38) | 62 in 2024 | $3K |
| 9 | Vitalogy Foundation | 61% (31) | 51 in 2024 | $26K |
| 10 | Lamberth Foundation of Mississippi | 58% (14) | 24 in 2025 | $3K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 901 grantmakers in Tennessee with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc
Memphis, TN
Assets
$953.1M
Grants
761
Total Given
$134.3M
Christian Community Foundation of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Assets
$229.0M
Grants
636
Total Given
$109.7M
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc
Nashville, TN
Assets
$832.0M
Grants
2,450
Total Given
$107.1M
The Frist Foundation
Nashville, TN
Assets
$195.6M
Grants
174
Total Given
$58.2M
Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation
Chattanooga, TN
Assets
$136.1M
Grants
567
Total Given
$36.4M
The Bill Gatton Foundation
Bristol, TN
Assets
$930.7M
Grants
9
Total Given
$27.1M
The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga Inc
Chattanooga, TN
Assets
$245.3M
Grants
810
Total Given
$25.8M
HCA Healthcare Foundation
Nashville, TN
Assets
$192.7M
Grants
999
Total Given
$25.4M
The Maclellan Foundation Inc
Chattanooga, TN
Assets
$167.4M
Grants
161
Total Given
$21.5M
The Haslam 3 Foundation Inc
Knoxville, TN
Assets
$88.7M
Grants
28
Total Given
$21.4M
United Way of Middle Tennessee Inc
Nashville, TN
Assets
$68.1M
Grants
347
Total Given
$19.7M
Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
20
Total Given
$19.6M
Seniortrust of Florida Inc
Nashville, TN
Assets
—
Grants
11
Total Given
$19.1M
Living Legacy Foundation
Franklin, TN
Assets
$164.8M
Grants
48
Total Given
$18.7M
Gary Sinise Foundation
Franklin, TN
Assets
$89.0M
Grants
169
Total Given
$17.0M
Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation
Knoxville, TN
Assets
$171.4M
Grants
159
Total Given
$16.8M
Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Goodlettsville, TN
Assets
$84.6M
Grants
564
Total Given
$14.5M
East Tennessee Foundation
Knoxville, TN
Assets
$282.5M
Grants
298
Total Given
$14.4M
Dettwiller Foundation
Nashville, TN
Assets
$251.3M
Grants
152
Total Given
$14.1M
Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Nashville, TN
Assets
$37.8M
Grants
69
Total Given
$13.0M
Jr Hyde III Family Foundation
Memphis, TN
Assets
$256.5M
Grants
141
Total Given
$12.9M
SOLES4SOULS Inc
Old Hickory, TN
Assets
$42.8M
Grants
63
Total Given
$12.5M
Habitat for Humanity of TN Inc
Murfreesboro, TN
Assets
$2.4M
Grants
21
Total Given
$12.0M
The Assisi Foundation of Memphis Inc
Memphis, TN
Assets
$233.5M
Grants
48
Total Given
$11.5M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Tennessee
What are the largest foundations in Tennessee?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc ($134.3M across 761 grants), Christian Community Foundation of Memphis ($109.7M) and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc ($107.1M). Together the top 10 account for 37% of the $1.5B given by the 901 grantmakers in Tennessee that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Tennessee?
The typical grant is about $18K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $76K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Tennessee?
Yes. We found 8 community foundations in Tennessee with grant activity. The largest by giving are Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc, Christian Community Foundation of Memphis and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Tennessee foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Tennessee from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.