Great Oaks Foundation

MEMPHIS, TN EIN: 58-6163005

Great Oaks Foundation is a private foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee, established in 1981. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity and functions primarily as a grantmaking foundation supporting various charitable organizations across the United States.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$27.8M

+178.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.3M

+306.5% YoY

Grant Count

-4.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$60K

+325.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Great Oaks Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Grantmaking

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:

Grant Range

**: $100 to $150,000

Average Grant

**: Approximately $24,603

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations across multiple states and cities throughout the United States, including:

States: California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and others
Cities: Bismarck, Boston, Charlotte, San Francisco, and numerous additional locations

Grant Distribution by State

Tennessee $1.3M (41%)

Massachusetts $1.1M (36%)

North Carolina $208K (7%)

Ohio $188K (6%)

California $160K (5%)

Delaware $40K (1%)

Arkansas $25K (1%)

Maine $20K (1%)

+7 more states

States

Arkansas California Connecticut Delaware Georgia Massachusetts Maine Minnesota North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Rhode Island Tennessee Vermont Wyoming

Cities

BakersvilleBismarckBostonCastro ValleyCharlotteChathamCincinnatiDurhamGambierGermantownGrotonHyannisKennesawLakevilleLanderLittle RockMemphisMiddleburyMiddletownNeedham Heights

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year 2023:

Total Assets: $9,974,095
Total Revenue: $1,591,152
Total Expenses: $416,966
Total Liabilities: $0

Revenue Breakdown (2023):

Grants and contributions: $1,399,360
Investment income and dividends: $121,446
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $70,346

Year-over-Year Changes (2023 vs. 2022):

Total grants and contributions decreased 59%
Investment income and dividends increased 138.7%

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$27,817,157	$9,974,095	$8,800,515
Revenue	$19,520,199	$1,591,152	$3,454,070
Expenses	$1,711,202	$416,966	$812,431
Qualifying Distributions	$1,323,000	$325,475	$794,500
Net Investment Income	$208,457	$122,594	$39,484
Distributable Amount	$1,287,200	$437,237	$305,077

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

103 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Massachusetts General Hospital ($1,000,000), The Olympic Club Foundation ($75,000), St Mary's School ($60,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI	VARIOUS	$10,000
CHURCH OF THE HOLY COMMUNION MEMPHIS, TN	VARIOUS	$8,000
COLBY COLLEGE WATERVILLE, ME	VARIOUS	$10,000
DELTA WATERFOWL MEMPHIS, TN	VARIOUS	$5,000
DUKE UNIV - THE FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS DURHAM, NC	VARIOUS	$5,000
KENYON COLLEGE GAMBIER, OH	VARIOUS	$25,000
MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL MEMPHIS, TN	VARIOUS	$10,000
NOLS LANDER, WY	VARIOUS	$5,000
NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RALEIGH, NC	VARIOUS	$10,000
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN FRANCISCO, CA	VARIOUS	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is managed by three volunteer trustees who serve without compensation:

Catherine S. Fogelman - Trustee, President, and Secretary
Robert F. Fogelman II - Trustee
Fran Hyde - Trustee

The foundation is also known as the Martha and Robert Fogelman Foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
FRAN HYDE	TRUSTEE	1	—
ROBERT F FOGELMAN II	TRUSTEE	1	—
CATHERINE S FOGELMAN	TRUSTEE/PRES. & SEC.	1	—

Contact Information

Address: 744 South White Station Road, Memphis, TN 38117

Phone: (901) 761-0906

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for a grant from Great Oaks Foundation?

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics: • **Grant Range**: $100 to $150,000 • **Average Grant Size**: Approximately $24,603 • **Annual Grant Activity**: Made 48 grants in 2023, with 23 grants awarded in 2024 • **Total Annual Giving**: $325,475 (2024) • **Giving Rate**: 3.5% of total assets Recent grantees have included Memphis Jewish Federation ($125,000), Olympic Club Foundation ($25,000), and Middlebury College ($20,000). The foundation suppo…

Where does Great Oaks Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports organizations across multiple states and cities throughout the United States, including: • **States**: California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and others • **Cities**: Bismarck, Boston, Charlotte, San Francisco, and numerous additional locations

What size grants does Great Oaks Foundation award?

In 2024, Great Oaks Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $60K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Great Oaks Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Great Oaks Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.