Great Oaks Foundation
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.
Key facts about Great Oaks Foundation
- EIN
- 58-6163005
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,323,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- Average grant
- $60,136
- Median grant
- $9,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (5 of 22, 2024)
- Total assets
- $27,817,157
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (76% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Great Oaks Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Great Oaks Foundation's 22 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (76%), Tennessee (8%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (5 grants), San Francisco, CA (3 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants). None of its 22 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Various" (22 grants).
Is Great Oaks Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 22 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $75K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 271% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Great Oaks Foundation
- How to evaluate Great Oaks Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Great Oaks Foundation with AI
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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
22
-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.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
**: $100 to $150,000
Average Grant
**: Approximately $24,603
Ready to take the next step with Great Oaks Foundation?
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
Share of all 22 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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%
| 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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 recipients include Massachusetts General Hospital ($1,000,000), The Olympic Club Foundation ($75,000), St Mary's School ($60,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL Boston, MA | VARIOUS | $1,000,000 |
| THE OLYMPIC CLUB FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | VARIOUS | $75,000 |
| ST MARY'S SCHOOL Memphis, TN | VARIOUS | $60,000 |
| KENYON COLLEGE Gambier, OH | VARIOUS | $25,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS Memphis, TN | VARIOUS | $25,000 |
| ARKANSAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Little Rock, AR | VARIOUS | $25,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY Providence, RI | VARIOUS | $10,000 |
| COLBY COLLEGE Waterville, ME | VARIOUS | $10,000 |
| MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL Memphis, TN | VARIOUS | $10,000 |
| NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Raleigh, NC | VARIOUS | $10,000 |
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS 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.
What is Great Oaks Foundation's EIN?
Great Oaks Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6163005. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.