John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust
The John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee. In its 2024 filing, the foundation stated that one-half of the trust’s income is intended for needy causes that benefit children.
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust gave $1.4M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $74K), mostly in Tennessee. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,398,040
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- -5.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $73,581
- +9.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $20,920,031
- -0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (100% 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 John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust
- Contact
Application contact: Mrs Leigh Lawyer Trust Officer
Mailing address: 4385 Poplar Ave, Memhis, TN 38117
Phone: (901) 681-2349
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Jude Childrens Research Hospl ($349K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
99 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 99 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Tennessee. The listed recipients were primarily in Memphis, with one listed recipient, Hope House, in Kingsport.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 19 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $80K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 84% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2023) to $1.4M (2021). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospl Memphis, TN | Benefit Children | $349,020 |
| Le Bonheur Childrens Medical Ctr Memphis, TN | Benefit Children | $349,020 |
| Saint Paul Catholic School Memphis, TN | Benefit Charity | $100,000 |
| Dixon Gallery & Gardens Memphis, TN | Benefit Children | $75,000 |
| The Dennis Price Jr Foundation Memphis, TN | 2023 Grant Request | $60,000 |
| Christian Brothers High School Memphis, TN | Public Benefit | $55,000 |
| St Agnes Academy Memphis, TN | Charity | $55,000 |
| Memphis Teacher Residency Inc Memphis, TN | 2023 Grant Request | $50,000 |
| Emmanuel Center Inc Memphis, TN | 2023 Grant Request | $50,000 |
| Catholic Charities of West Tennessee Memphis, TN | Benefit Children | $40,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,920,031 | $1,411,439 | $1,577,356 | $1,398,040 | 19 | $1,478,063 | $1,312,147 | $1,352,753 |
| 2024 | $21,084,407 | $1,195,859 | $1,532,504 | $1,345,686 | 20 | $1,422,398 | $1,084,066 | $1,286,321 |
| 2023 | $21,437,901 | $1,690,455 | $1,425,937 | $1,261,204 | 19 | $1,334,200 | $1,597,478 | $1,203,178 |
| 2022 | $21,180,469 | $1,024,757 | $1,566,444 | $1,368,706 | 20 | $1,448,971 | $907,283 | $1,326,061 |
| 2021 | $21,744,564 | $2,465,466 | $1,645,051 | $1,449,984 | 21 | — | $2,351,868 | $1,390,118 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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’s own filing describes an intention to direct one-half of trust income to needy causes benefiting children. Its 2025 grants included support for children’s hospitals, schools, and organizations serving young people.
Grantee missions offer examples of the work represented among recipients. The Memphis Child Advocacy Center says it serves children who are victims of sexual and severe physical abuse through prevention, education, and intervention. Memphis Teacher Residency says it works to provide students in low-income Memphis neighborhoods with quality education by recruiting, training, and supporting teachers. The Dennis Price Jr Foundation says it raises awareness and provides resources related to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, including cardiovascular testing and education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $1,398,040. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $349,020, with a median of $40,000. Its largest grants were $349,020 each to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, both for the benefit of children. Other notable awards included $100,000 to Saint Paul Catholic School, $75,000 to Dixon Gallery & Gardens, and $60,000 to the Dennis Price Jr Foundation.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants are asked to provide a brief statement of the organization’s purpose and intended use of funds. The filing identifies Mrs. Leigh Lawyer, trust officer, as the application contact.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's only listed officer is First Horizon Bank, Trustee on every filing since 2021 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
First Horizon Bank
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$163K (2021) → $160K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $160K, to First Horizon Bank (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust
How much does John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust give each year?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust gave $1.4M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 20 grants.
What is John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $73,581, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust that year got $20K on average.
Where does John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust give grants?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (19 grants).
Does John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Benefit Children" (8 grants) and "2023 Grant Request" (5 grants).
Who are John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include St Jude Childrens Research Hospl ($349,020), Le Bonheur Childrens Medical Ctr ($349,020) and Saint Paul Catholic School ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust reported $20.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation’s own filing describes an intention to direct one-half of trust income to needy causes benefiting children. Its 2025 grants included support for children’s hospitals, schools, and organizations serving young people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's EIN?
John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6155483. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-dustin-buckman-charitable-trust-morg_02afc23d9d094d2ba63d0d748f483ff2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_626155483_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-dustin-buckman-charitable-trust-morg_02afc23d9d094d2ba63d0d748f483ff2},
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 John Dustin Buckman Charitable Trust'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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