Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Bristol, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in Tennessee and Virginia, including arts and cultural organizations, food programs, and organizations serving children and students.
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc gave $225K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Tennessee. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $224,795
- +6.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- -25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $14,986
- +41.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $6,007,278
- +12.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (3 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (61% 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 Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing names C Thomas Davenport as the contact and instructs applicants to submit a one- or two-page letter. It specifies no additional information or materials and no restrictions on awards. The filing says there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: C Thomas Davenport
Mailing address: 836 State Street, Bristol, TN 37620
Phone: (423) 989-6500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Rocky Mount Museum ($46K). Together the top 10 received $200K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 82 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee and 39% to recipients in Virginia. Listed grant locations include Bristol and other communities in both states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 15 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 $166K (2023) to $225K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $225K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount Museum Piney Flats, TN | Ex Director Salary | $46,295 |
| Paramount Theater Bristol, TN | New Concession Space | $35,000 |
| Theatre Bristol Bristol, TN | Seating | $30,000 |
| Barter Theater Abingdon, VA | ARTS | $25,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Gray, TN | COVID | $14,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Mountain Empire Bristol, VA | After-School Program | $10,000 |
| Bristol Food Pantry Bristol, VA | Operations | $10,000 |
| Bristol Speech and Hearing Bristol, VA | Assistance Programs | $10,000 |
| Communities in Schools Bristol, VA | Student Coordinators | $10,000 |
| Feeding America Southwest Virginia Salem, VA | FOOD | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reports 15 grants; the 2024 filing reports 20, and the 2023 filing reports 15.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,007,278 | $147,637 | $292,106 | $224,795 | 15 | $287,931 | $92,870 | $278,571 |
| 2024 | $5,360,570 | $239,464 | $278,357 | $212,090 | 20 | $272,234 | $187,920 | $250,135 |
| 2023 | $4,906,889 | $163,748 | $224,944 | $166,050 | 15 | $221,531 | $117,064 | $226,605 |
| 2022 | $4,368,312 | $215,505 | $249,922 | $189,100 | 15 | $245,155 | $168,091 | $237,644 |
| 2021 | $5,381,389 | $390,965 | $280,000 | $211,600 | 17 | $273,969 | $342,873 | $247,517 |
| 2020 | $4,842,386 | $112,980 | $247,122 | $199,450 | 17 | — | $67,782 | $231,653 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $279K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for arts and culture, food assistance, youth programs, student support, and literacy. Theatre Bristol Inc. describes its mission as developing and producing theatrical performances to educate the public on the arts. Sullivan County Imagination Library says it increases literacy by providing books to children. Kingsport Ballet describes its work as promoting and fostering professional-quality dance through education, performance, outreach, advocacy, and marketing. Communities in Schools of Petersburg says it surrounds students with a community of support to help them stay in school and achieve in life.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $224,795. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $46,295, with a median of $10,000. Notable awards included $46,295 to Rocky Mount Museum for “EX DIRECTOR SALARY,” $35,000 to Paramount Theater for a new concession space, $30,000 to Theatre Bristol for seating, and $25,000 to Barter Theater for arts. Other reported grants included $14,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank for COVID; $10,000 each to Boys & Girls Club of Mountain Empire, Bristol Food Pantry, Bristol Speech and Hearing, Communities in Schools, and Feeding America Southwest Virginia; $7,500 to Birthplace of Country Music Museum for a songwriter exhibit; and $6,000 to Sullivan County Imagination Library for books for preschool.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists C Thomas Davenport Jr as president; Polly Wills as secretary/treasurer; and C Richard Hagerstrom Jr, Paul E Defriece, Chet Sikorski, Stephen L Everhart, Ronan King, Kate Defriece, and Drew Wills as directors.
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc is led by C. Thomas Davenport Jr., President on every filing since 2020; none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
C. Thomas Davenport Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
C. Richard Hagerstrom Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chet Sikorski
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Drew Wills
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kate Defriece
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul E. Defriece
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ronan King
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen L. Everhart
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Polly Wills
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc
How much does Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc give each year?
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc gave $225K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $212K across 20 grants.
What is Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,986, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc that year got $12K on average.
Where does Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc give grants?
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc gives mostly in Tennessee: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (39%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bristol, VA (6 grants), Bristol, TN (3 grants) and Kingsport, TN (2 grants).
Does Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Rocky Mount Museum ($46,295), Paramount Theater ($35,000) and Theatre Bristol ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc?
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $288K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $279K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for arts and culture, food assistance, youth programs, student support, and literacy. Theatre Bristol Inc. describes its mission as developing and producing theatrical performances to educate the public on the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc?
The 2025 filing names C Thomas Davenport as the contact and instructs applicants to submit a one- or two-page letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's EIN?
Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6044873. 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/massengill-defriece-foundation-inc-morg_690ad77709e7425cab44f60e87749862
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_626044873_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Massengill-Defriece Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/massengill-defriece-foundation-inc-morg_690ad77709e7425cab44f60e87749862},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Massengill-Defriece 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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