Pencil Foundation
Pencil's mission is linking community resources to metro nashville public schools (MNPS) to help young people achieve academic success and prepare for life. At pencil, we are committed to enriching student success through tangible, active, and robust community partnerships.
Pencil Foundation at a glance
In short: Pencil Foundation gave $3.0M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $3.0M), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,000,602
- -68.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,000,602
- -68.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000,602
- Total assets
- $9,046,408
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Pencil Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools ($3.0M).
Grant Size Distribution
5 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 3 grants of 5 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How Pencil Foundation gives
- Giving fell 35% from 2022 to 2025. 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.6M (2021) to $9.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Nashville, TN | Literacy Grant, Summer/Fall Tutor Stipends, Reimagining Community Spaces | $3,000,602 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,046,408 | $7,693,557 | $6,588,555 | $3,000,602 | 1 | $131,389 |
| 2024 | $8,489,906 | $12,624,104 | $12,717,186 | $9,388,257 | 1 | $47,801 |
| 2023 | $4,033,458 | $8,888,077 | $8,612,032 | $5,150,713 | 1 | $31,576 |
| 2022 | $3,991,693 | $7,143,023 | $6,815,670 | $4,624,876 | 1 | $42,337 |
| 2021 | $2,535,381 | $5,178,254 | $4,636,775 | $2,579,470 | 1 | $17,366 |
About Pencil Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Pencil Foundation is a public charity focused on Education, based in Nashville, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $9.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $3.0M. Net investment income was $131K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Pencil Foundation is led by Christiane Buggs, President & CEO on every filing since 2024; 5 of 58 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christiane Buggs
President & CEO
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$155K (2025)
Robyn Williams
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Lagos
Director of Finance
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$5K (2025)
Blake McDaniel
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Abbott
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Colleen Hoy
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Herman Hicks
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Gregg
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Doerge
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Josh Depriest
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Juan Williams
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kendrick Robinson
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lila Hall
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Norman L. Merrifield
Director
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2023
Immediate Past Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rachael Terrell
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sue Spickard
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd Figler
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wesley Payne
Director
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2024
Immediate Past Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Devin Lintzenich
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenny Crapse
Director
Director → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Britney Cline
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brittany Adams Davis
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Flynne Dowdy
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Herbert Brown
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacqueline Hayes
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Wade
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kfir Alexandroni
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kirsten Dodson
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meredith Jones-Long
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Keefe
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Robinson-Hamilton
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Hill
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Garza Bumpas
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessie Garcia Knowles
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Johari Matthews
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Cowell
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Libby Berman
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
P. Danielle Nellis
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Yanet Rodriguez
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brent Binns
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christina Feagins
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emmanuel Legrair
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James McIntyre
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kia Goodwin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lamar Allen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lillian Blackshear
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Cornejo-Nell
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Minh Le
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Reed
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Taneisha Harvey
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Will Parrott
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Rolf
Chief Strategy Officer
Chief Philanthropy Officer → Chief Strategy Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$100K (2023) → $104K (2025)
Jane Grimes Meneely
Chief Administrator Officer
Chief Administrative Officer → Chief Administrator Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$94K (2024) → $113K (2025)
Robert Kucher
Chief Partnerships & Program Officer
Chief Partnerships & Programs Officer → Chief Partnerships & Program Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$102K (2024) → $106K (2025)
Hasina Mohyuddin
Immediate Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kaitlyn Jones
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jose Ferreira
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kason Davis
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (52)
- Former: Angie Adams (2021–2024) — President & CEO
- Former: Brandyn Payne (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Perry Moulds (2021–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Amani Kelly (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Jacky Gomez (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Olivia Hill (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Rachel Hawksworth (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Robert Fisher (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Shani Dowell (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Whitney Kalb (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Elliott Noble-Holt (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Emily Lauritson-Gruening (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Joan Fleming-Ridley (2024) — Director
- Former: Mike Harris (2024) — Director
- Former: Allen Decuyper (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Don Walker (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Papel (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Haley Eakin (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: John McCoy (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Leshane Greenhill (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Mike Russell (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Nicole Provonchee (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Raul Miranda (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Rebecca Fair (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Thomas Burns (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Zulfat Suara (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Candice McQueen (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Jacquie Thomas (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Joan Fleming (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Brittany Adams (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Christie Laird (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Cooper Jones (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Craig Bledsoe (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Frank Schriner (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kasar Abdulla (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Mark Morrison (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Meredith Jones (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Sheila Calloway (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Thomas Mulgrew (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Emily Gruening (2022) — Director
- Former: Aron Karabel (2021) — Director
- Former: Beth Brill (2021) — Director
- Former: Drew Warth (2021) — Director
- Former: Erin Coleman (2021) — Director
- Former: Lance Couch (2021) — Director
- Former: Mike Stewart (2021) — Director
- Former: Stephanie Bonner (2021) — Director
- Former: Taylor Smith (2021) — Director
- Former: Todd Batson (2021) — Director
- Former: Todd Svec (2021) — Director
- Former: Tom Feeney (2021) — Director
- Former: Whitney Haley (2021) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $155K, to Christiane Buggs (President/CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Pencil Foundation
How much does Pencil Foundation give each year?
Pencil Foundation gave $3.0M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $9.4M across 1 grant.
How large is Pencil Foundation?
Pencil Foundation reported $9.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.7M.
What is Pencil Foundation?
Pencil Foundation is a public charity focused on Education, based in Nashville, TN. It holds $9.0M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Pencil Foundation operate?
Pencil Foundation has awarded grants in Tennessee.
What is Pencil Foundation's EIN?
Pencil Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1475675. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 18, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pencil Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Pencil 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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