Kennedy Foundation Inc
Kennedy Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It reported 15 grants totaling $2,262,000 in filing year 2025, including support for a nursing school building and a professorship at the University of Chattanooga Foundation.
Kennedy Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Kennedy Foundation Inc gave $2.3M across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $151K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,262,000
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $150,800
- -12.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $56,303,319
- +6.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Kennedy Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that there is no prescribed form or application deadline. Contributions are restricted to qualified 501(c) organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: R Wayne Peters General Counsel
Mailing address: 320 Mccallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 756-5171
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Kennedy Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Chattanooga Foundation ($1.7M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 48 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee and 3% to recipients in Georgia. Iowa and Texas each accounted for 0% of grant dollars as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
How Kennedy Foundation Inc gives
- 21% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1332% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 88% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $158K (2022) to $15.7M (2023). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Chattanooga Foundation Chattanooga, TN | To fund a new building for the nursing school | $1,600,000 |
| Memorial Health Care System Foundation Inc Chattanooga, TN | To Support a Public Charity | $200,000 |
| Houston Museum of Decorative Arts Chattanooga, TN | To Support a Public Charity | $100,000 |
| University of Chattanooga Foundation Chattanooga, TN | To Provide Funding for a Professorship | $100,000 |
| Skyuka Hall Chattanooga, TN | To Support a Public Charity | $84,000 |
| The Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center Chattanooga, TN | To Support a Public Charity | $50,000 |
| Friends of Special Children Chattanooga, TN | To Support a Public Charity | $25,000 |
| Erlanger Health Chattanooga, TN | To Support a Public Charity | $20,000 |
| United Way of Central Georgia Macon, GA | To Support a Public Charity | $20,000 |
| Saint Annes Episcopal Church Atlanta, GA | To Support a Public Charity | $20,000 |
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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 | $56,303,319 | $1,580,390 | $2,603,215 | $2,262,000 | 15 | $2,318,074 | $1,157,186 | $2,628,276 |
| 2024 | $53,044,998 | $1,950,215 | $2,421,223 | $2,076,272 | 12 | $2,145,756 | $1,134,504 | $2,497,276 |
| 2023 | $48,830,196 | $4,333,769 | $15,958,756 | $15,679,505 | 13 | $15,726,106 | $998,731 | $2,180,274 |
| 2022 | $56,023,937 | $16,674,303 | $386,934 | $158,000 | 5 | $181,911 | $1,157,592 | $2,041,178 |
| 2021 | $45,378,651 | $20,867,983 | $2,867,153 | $2,702,000 | 3 | $2,710,530 | $1,125,085 | $1,776,461 |
| 2020 | $21,048,321 | $295,700 | $1,033,045 | $902,000 | 3 | — | $389,475 | $965,188 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kennedy Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included funding for a nursing school building and a professorship, as well as support for organizations whose stated missions include higher education, individualized student learning, assistance for children with special needs, community financial stability and homelessness, free medical care for uninsured low-income adults, and service dogs for people with disabilities. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $2,262,000. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $1,600,000, with a median of $20,000.
The largest reported grants included $1,600,000 to the University of Chattanooga Foundation for a new nursing school building; $200,000 to Memorial Health Care System Foundation; $100,000 to the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts; and $100,000 to the University of Chattanooga Foundation for a professorship. Other listed grants included $84,000 to Skyuka Hall, $50,000 to the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, and $25,000 to Friends of Special Children.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James D Kennedy III as president, Molly K Kennedy as secretary and treasurer, and Elizabeth K Spratlin as chairman.
Kennedy Foundation Inc is led by James D. Kennedy III, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James D. Kennedy III
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth K. Spratlin
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Molly K. Kennedy
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jane K. Greene (2020–2022) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Kennedy Foundation Inc
How much does Kennedy Foundation Inc give each year?
Kennedy Foundation Inc gave $2.3M across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.1M across 12 grants.
What is Kennedy Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Kennedy Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $150,800, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Kennedy Foundation Inc give grants?
Kennedy Foundation Inc gives mostly in Tennessee: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chattanooga, TN (8 grants) and Atlanta, GA (2 grants).
Does Kennedy Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Kennedy Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support a Public Charity" (12 grants).
Who are Kennedy Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Kennedy Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of Chattanooga Foundation ($1,700,000 across 2 grants), Memorial Health Care System Foundation Inc ($200,000) and Houston Museum of Decorative Arts ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Kennedy Foundation Inc?
Kennedy Foundation Inc reported $56.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Kennedy Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kennedy Foundation Inc?
The filing states that there is no prescribed form or application deadline. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Kennedy Foundation Inc's EIN?
Kennedy Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1296643. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 22, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kennedy Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kennedy-foundation-inc-morg_0915fc97b6344664bb02a33a51e75564
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_621296643_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kennedy Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kennedy-foundation-inc-morg_0915fc97b6344664bb02a33a51e75564},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Kennedy Foundation Inc'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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