Kharis Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. The organization was established in 2009 and originated from the proceeds of the sale of Park Manor Retirement Center, an independent retirement community in Nashville that continues to serve seniors with assisted living and Alzheimer's care services.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.7M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$733K
+32.1% YoY
Grant Count
23
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
+32.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kharis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $920K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission states: "Having received the gift of grace, our mission is to respond by enhancing and supporting charitable endeavors that serve people in need in middle Tennessee."
The name "Kharis" derives from the Greek word meaning "grace" or a gift which cannot be repaid. The foundation was founded on the principle of responding to a gift of grace by serving people in need.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Food Pantries
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Poverty Alleviation
The foundation prioritizes serving Presbyterian churches and their missions, as well as addressing broader community needs in middle Tennessee. The foundation's first grants in 2010 supported flood relief following the historical Middle Tennessee flood.
Grantmaking
Based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2025), the foundation distributed $733,000 in total giving. In the 2023 tax year, the foundation made 23 grants with a maximum grant of $85,000.
Average Grant
amount: Not specified in available data
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily serves middle Tennessee and Georgia, with a particular emphasis on middle Tennessee communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving (as of most recent filing):
- Total assets: $19,734,878
- Total giving: $733,000
- IRS ruling year: 1972 (tax-exempt status established August 1972)
Contact Information:
- Address: 401 Church Street, Suite 2323, Nashville, TN 37219-2211
- Telephone: 615-736-5580
- EIN: 62-0640228
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,734,878 | $18,866,662 | $17,627,410 |
| Revenue | $1,561,237 | $1,030,970 | $761,917 |
| Expenses | $1,392,580 | $867,551 | $1,210,236 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,030,306 | $865,353 | $952,156 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,389,456 | $872,740 | $615,933 |
| Distributable Amount | $920,399 | $850,135 | $804,396 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee ($133,500), Nourish Food Bank ($85,000), Inspiritus ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BEGIN ANEW NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| CROSSROAD CAMPUS NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $30,000 |
| EDGEHILL NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $20,000 |
| ENDURE ATHLETICS FOUNDATION MURFREESBORO, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $25,000 |
| INSPIRITUS ATLANTA, GA | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $50,000 |
| JUSTICE INDUSTRIES INC NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $10,000 |
| LEARNING MATTERS NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $1,500 |
| MATTHEW 25 INC NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $30,000 |
| NASHVILLE ADULT LITERACY COUNCIL NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $12,000 |
| NATIONS MINISTRY CENTER NASHVILLE, TN | TO FURTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members and Officers:
- Melinda Lawrence Sanders - President (40 hours/week, $171,000 compensation)
- Cristi Scott - Vice Chair
- George Crawford III - Secretary
- John LaGrasse - Treasurer (10 hours/week)
- Francis Daniel - Board Member
- Kathy Corlew - Board Member
- Pat Bridges - Board Member
- Tom Frye - Board Member
- Anders Hall - Board Member
- Jimmy Pickel - Board Member
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELINDA LAWRENCE SANDERS | PRESIDENT | 40 | $164,084 |
| CRISTI SCOTT | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| GEORGE CRAWFORD III | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| KATHY CORLEW | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| PAT BRIDGES | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| FRANCIS DANIEL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN LAGRASSE | BOARD MEMBER | 10 | — |
| TOM FRYE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ANDERS HALL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JIMMY PICKEL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Kharis Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission states: "Having received the gift of grace, our mission is to respond by enhancing and supporting charitable endeavors that serve people in need in middle Tennessee." The name "Kharis" derives from the Greek word meaning "grace" or a gift which cannot be repaid. The foundation was founded on the principle of responding to a gift of grace by serving people in need. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services…
How do I apply for a grant from Kharis Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** • Typical awards range from $1,000 to $133,500 • Average grant amount: Not specified in available data • Median grant amount: $20,000 **Recent Activity:** Based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2025), the foundation distributed $733,000 in total giving. In the 2023 tax year, the foundation made 23 grants with a maximum grant of $85,000.
Where does Kharis Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily serves middle Tennessee and Georgia, with a particular emphasis on middle Tennessee communities.
What size grants does Kharis Foundation award?
In 2025, Kharis Foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $733K — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Kharis Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Kharis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $920K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Kharis Foundation's EIN?
Kharis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-0640228. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kharis Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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