Oak Ridge Foundation
Oak Ridge Foundation is a private foundation based in Knoxville, Tennessee. It supports and fosters scientific and educational endeavors, and its 2025 grants went to organizations in Tennessee.
Oak Ridge Foundation at a glance
In short: Oak Ridge Foundation gave $84K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $84,354
- -96.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +1200.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,489
- -99.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $2,269,461
- +10.6% vs 2024
- 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 September 2026.
How to apply to Oak Ridge Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 550 West Main Street 400, Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: (865) 546-7311
Website: https://oakridgefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Oak Ridge Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was UT-Battelle Development Corporation ($72K). Together the top 10 received $82K.
Grant Size Distribution
15 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 12 grants of 15 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in filing year 2025 went to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Oak Ridge Foundation gives
- In 2025 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $84K (2025) to $2.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $84K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UT-Battelle Development Corporation Oak Ridge, TN | STEM Education and Outreach | $72,254 |
| Gatlinburg Pittman High School Gatlinburg, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $2,000 |
| Education Foundation for Clinton City and Anderson Schools Clinton, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| Gay Hardin Academy Sevierville, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| L&N STEM PSTA Knoxville, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| Roane County Schools Education Foundation Kingston, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| Fellowship of the Saints Ministry Inc New Colossus Academy Cookeville, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| Oliver Springs High School Oliver Springs, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| Partners in Education Foundation Knoxville, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
| Rhea County High School Evensville, TN | Classroom Materials/Equipment | $1,000 |
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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 | $2,269,461 | $328,756 | $113,277 | $84,354 | 13 | $108,938 | $78,613 | $92,270 |
| 2024 | $2,051,215 | $396,041 | $2,713,575 | $2,689,808 | 1 | $2,713,428 | $145,894 | $134,500 |
| 2023 | $4,368,613 | $813,331 | $258,535 | $221,000 | 1 | — | $113,331 | — |
| 2022 | $3,813,921 | $1,403,051 | $22,266 | — | — | — | $3,051 | — |
| 2021 | $2,425,000 | $2,425,000 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Oak Ridge Foundation reported a distributable amount of $92K 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 website describes its purpose as “supporting and fostering scientific and educational endeavors.” Its 2025 grants included STEM education and outreach and classroom materials or equipment.
Among its 2025 grantees was the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, which received $100. The clinic says its mission is to provide no-charge primary care to low-income and uninsured residents of Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties in Tennessee and to support partnerships related to its medical programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $84,354. Grants ranged from $100 to $72,254, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest award was $72,254 to UT-Battelle Development Corporation for STEM education and outreach. Other listed awards included $2,000 to Gatlinburg Pittman High School for classroom materials and equipment, and $1,000 each to several Tennessee schools and education organizations for classroom materials and equipment.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists James Roberto as president; Sylvia Davis as secretary and treasurer; Robert Van Hook as chairman; and William Stair, Nicole Porter, Mark Keck, and David Keim as directors.
Oak Ridge Foundation is led by James Roberto, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James Roberto
President
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Van Hook
Chairman
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Porter
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Stair
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Keck
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Keim
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvia Davis
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jeff Smith (2022–2023) — Director · Filing note: Thru 32823
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.
Frequently asked questions about Oak Ridge Foundation
How much does Oak Ridge Foundation give each year?
Oak Ridge Foundation gave $84K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 1 grant.
What is Oak Ridge Foundation's typical grant size?
Oak Ridge Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $6,489, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Oak Ridge Foundation give grants?
Oak Ridge Foundation 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 Oak Ridge, TN (2 grants) and Knoxville, TN (2 grants).
Does Oak Ridge Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Oak Ridge Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Classroom Materials/Equipment" (11 grants).
Who are Oak Ridge Foundation's largest grantees?
Oak Ridge Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include UT-Battelle Development Corporation ($72,254), Gatlinburg Pittman High School ($2,000) and Education Foundation for Clinton City and Anderson Schools ($1,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Oak Ridge Foundation?
Oak Ridge Foundation reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $109K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $92K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Oak Ridge Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its purpose as “supporting and fostering scientific and educational endeavors.” Its 2025 grants included STEM education and outreach and classroom materials or equipment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Oak Ridge Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Oak Ridge Foundation's EIN?
Oak Ridge Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3183278. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Oak Ridge Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 12, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Oak Ridge Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Oak Ridge Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/oak-ridge-foundation-morg_7e31bf9f92a04ce397bed4ba6eed835a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853183278_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Oak Ridge Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/oak-ridge-foundation-morg_7e31bf9f92a04ce397bed4ba6eed835a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Oak Ridge Foundation'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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