Hearn Charitable Foundation
Hearn Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Brentwood, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports 10 grants totaling $217,000, including support for Nashville-area arts organizations, charitable events, and other nonprofits. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 12 grants totaling $269,600.
Hearn Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Hearn Charitable Foundation gave $270K across 12 grants in 2026 (avg $22K), mostly in Tennessee. 50% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $269,600
- +24.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 12
- +20.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $22,467
- +3.5% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $8,050
- Total assets
- $485,050
- -10.2% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (6 of 12, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (92% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Hearn Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1869, Brentwood, TN 37024-1869
Phone: (615) 309-2313
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Hearn Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Nashville Symphony ($138K). Together the top 10 received $266K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 47 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants were distributed among recipients in Tennessee (94% of grant dollars), Iowa (5%), and Florida (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Hearn Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 6 of 12 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 50% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 160% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 421% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $65K (2022) to $270K (2026). In 2026 it made 12 grants totaling $270K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville Symphony Nashville, TN | Contribution | $138,000 |
| Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum Nashville, TN | Contribution | $53,000 |
| Nashville Wine Auction Nashville, TN | Contribution | $19,000 |
| Nashville Ballet Nashbille, TN | Contribution | $15,000 |
| The Nashville Repertory Theatre Nashville, TN | Contribution | $10,000 |
| American Red Cross Boone, IA | Contribution | $10,000 |
| Lung Cancer Research Foundation New York, NY | Contribution | $6,100 |
| Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Miramar Beach, FL | Contribution | $5,000 |
| The New Beginnings Center Nashville, TN | Contribution | $5,000 |
| Porter's Call Franklin, TN | Contribution | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $485,050 | $238,332 | $293,356 | $269,600 | 12 | $277,070 | $226,570 | $65,757 |
| 2025 | $540,074 | $174,844 | $236,763 | $217,000 | 10 | $221,282 | $159,363 | $67,777 |
| 2024 | $601,993 | $48,416 | $90,116 | $70,700 | 8 | $75,276 | $33,576 | $69,097 |
| 2023 | $643,693 | $24,400 | $122,102 | $103,550 | 8 | $112,541 | $14,839 | $65,888 |
| 2022 | $739,337 | $28,924 | $83,112 | $64,800 | 9 | $71,650 | $19,061 | $74,692 |
| 2021 | $793,461 | $28,766 | $82,536 | $65,500 | 11 | — | $19,001 | $68,990 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hearn Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $66K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include arts organizations such as Nashville Ballet, whose stated mission is to create, perform, teach, and promote dance, and the Nashville Repertory Theatre. Other recipients include Nashville Wine Auction, which says its wine-related events raise money to fight cancer; The New Beginnings Center, which describes its work as improving Tennessee health statistics with a focus on women’s health; and Barefoot Republic Inc, whose mission is to facilitate Christ-centered relationships across diverse backgrounds through artistic, athletic, and team-building programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $217,000 across 10 grants. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $147,000, with a median grant of $7,500. The largest awards were $147,000 to Nashville Symphony and $22,000 to Nashville Wine Auction. Other grants included $10,000 each to Nashville Ballet, American Red Cross-Tiffany Circle, and The New Beginnings Center; $5,000 each to Barefoot Republic Inc and The Nashville Repertory Theatre; and $3,500 each to Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation and Cheekwood Swan Ball. Friends of Warner Park received $1,000. Its 2026 filing, the latest on this page, reports 12 grants totaling $269,600.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Vicki Joan Hearn Horne as president and Holly Hearn Whaley as secretary.
Hearn Charitable Foundation is led by Vicki Joan Hearn Horne, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Vicki Joan Hearn Horne
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Holly Hearn Whaley
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 Hearn Charitable Foundation
How much does Hearn Charitable Foundation give each year?
Hearn Charitable Foundation gave $270K across 12 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $217K across 10 grants.
What is Hearn Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Hearn Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $8,050, and its average grant was $22,467, across 12 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Hearn Charitable Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does Hearn Charitable Foundation give grants?
Hearn Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (6 grants).
Does Hearn Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Hearn Charitable Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (12 grants).
Who are Hearn Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Hearn Charitable Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Nashville Symphony ($138,000), Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum ($53,000) and Nashville Wine Auction ($19,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Hearn Charitable Foundation?
Hearn Charitable Foundation reported $485K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $277K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $66K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Hearn Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include arts organizations such as Nashville Ballet, whose stated mission is to create, perform, teach, and promote dance, and the Nashville Repertory Theatre. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Hearn Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Hearn Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Hearn Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3527172. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does Hearn Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS September 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Hearn Charitable Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hearn Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Hearn Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/hearn-charitable-foundation-morg_cda623a50752408d99d14e7edfb84680
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263527172_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Hearn Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/hearn-charitable-foundation-morg_cda623a50752408d99d14e7edfb84680},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-06. 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 Hearn Charitable 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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