Lift Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker Knoxville, TN EIN: 26-0644407

Lift Foundation Inc is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Knoxville, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $228K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $29K. Net investment income was $2K.

Key facts about Lift Foundation Inc

EIN
26-0644407
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$28,638
Grants made (2024)
14
Average grant
$2,046
Median grant
$500
New grantees (estimate)
43% first-time grantees (6 of 14, 2024)
Total assets
$227,801
Primary geography
Tennessee (95% 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 Lift Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Lift Foundation Inc's 14 itemized 2024 grants were Tennessee (95%) and North Carolina (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Johnson City, TN (6 grants) and Knoxville, TN (5 grants). 93% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is Lift Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

43%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 6 of 14 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count

Medians: $500 first-time, $275 repeat.

  • 14% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 42% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 242% 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.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$228K

-6.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$29K

+435.3% YoY

Grant Count

14

+100.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

+167.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lift Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

About Lift Foundation Inc

Based on IRS filings

Lift Foundation Inc is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Knoxville, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $228K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $29K. Net investment income was $2K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of all 14 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

Johnson CityKnoxvilleBooneNashvilleArlingtonCharlotteMemphisOrlandoFederal WayJonesboroughPeachtreePowellScottsdaleXenia

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$11K$23K$34K$45K20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$227,801$243,587$218,567
Revenue$11,612$12,353$7,024
Expenses$33,537$10,109$26,844
Qualifying Distributions$28,638$5,350$21,360
Net Investment Income$1,690$1,696$1,540
Distributable Amount$11,837$11,192$12,386

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$7K$14K$21K$29K10 grants202016 grants202113 grants20227 grants202314 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Lift Foundation Donor Advised Fund: $18KLift Foundation Donor AdvisedFund$18KKnox Area Rescue Ministries: $5KKnox Area Rescue Ministries$5KSamaritan's Purse: $1KSamaritan's Purse$1KHeritage Baptist Church: $1KHeritage Baptist Church$1KRedeemer Community Church: $1KRedeemer Community Church$1KThe Restoration House of East Tennessee: $500The Restoration House of EastTennessee$500Young Life: $500Young Life$500Street Hope: $500Street Hope$500Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: $300Billy Graham EvangelisticAssociation$300Emmaus Community: $300Emmaus Community$300

Grant Size Distribution

60 grants across all recorded years

60<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Lift Foundation Donor Advised Fund ($17,738), Knox Area Rescue Ministries ($5,000), Samaritan's Purse ($1,160).

RecipientPurposeAmount
LIFT FOUNDATION DONOR ADVISED FUND Knoxville, TNCONTRIBUTION TO DONOR ADVISED FUND$17,738
KNOX AREA RESCUE MINISTRIES Knoxville, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$5,000
SAMARITAN'S PURSE Boone, NCCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$1,160
HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH Johnson City, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$1,000
REDEEMER COMMUNITY CHURCH Knoxville, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$1,000
THE RESTORATION HOUSE OF EAST TENNESSEE Knoxville, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$500
YOUNG LIFE Johnson City, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$500
STREET HOPE Powell, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$500
BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION Charlotte, NCCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$300
EMMAUS COMMUNITY Johnson City, TNCONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL FUND$300

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Penny SherwoodPresident2—
Larry SherwoodDirector2—
Stacey HallDirector2—
Steve SherwoodDirector2—
Pam SherwoodDirector2—
Jeff HallDirector2—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lift Foundation Inc?

Lift Foundation Inc is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Knoxville, TN. It holds $228K in total assets as of 2024.

How large is Lift Foundation Inc?

As of 2024, Lift Foundation Inc holds $228K in total assets with $12K in annual revenue. It awarded 14 grants totaling $29K in 2024.

Where does Lift Foundation Inc operate?

Lift Foundation Inc has awarded grants in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington.

What size grants does Lift Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Lift Foundation Inc awarded 14 grants totaling $29K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Lift Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lift Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Lift Foundation Inc's EIN?

Lift Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0644407. 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.

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