Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable is a private foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Tennessee.
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable at a glance
In short: Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable gave $299K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $298,977
- -40.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +120.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,180
- -73.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,332,475
- -1.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 382 Ripplebrook Rd, Memphis, TN 38120
Phone: (901) 216-1111
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Memphis University School ($200K). Together the top 10 received $296K.
Grant Size Distribution
20 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 20 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, recipients in Tennessee received 81% of grant dollars. Recipients in Virginia received 10%, Arkansas 5%, California 2%, and South Carolina 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
How Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable gives
- 9% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 134% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 535% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $56K (2020) to $502K (2023). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $299K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis University School Memphis, TN | General Donation | $200,000 |
| Gordie Foundation Charlottesville, VA | General Donation | $28,977 |
| Hutchison School Memphis, TN | General Donation | $25,000 |
| Trinity Episcopal Church of Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, AR | General Donation | $15,000 |
| TN Shakespeare Company Cordova, TN | General Donation | $5,000 |
| Brooks Museum of Art Memphis, TN | General Donation | $5,000 |
| Turning Point Ministries San Diego, CA | General Donation | $5,000 |
| Carnival Memphis Memphis, TN | General Donation | $5,000 |
| Tucker Hipps Foundation Piedmont, SC | General Donation | $5,000 |
| Delta Waterfowl Bismarck, ND | General Donation | $2,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,332,475 | $290,252 | $304,920 | $298,977 | 11 | $301,799 | $87,111 | $56,369 |
| 2023 | $1,347,143 | $285,105 | $521,965 | $502,436 | 5 | $511,045 | $45,066 | $67,819 |
| 2022 | $1,584,003 | $212,664 | $72,892 | $60,800 | 2 | $65,444 | $20,030 | $70,436 |
| 2021 | $1,444,231 | $443,773 | $137,004 | $127,512 | 1 | $131,853 | $203,544 | $60,799 |
| 2020 | $1,137,462 | $111,852 | $70,170 | $56,424 | 1 | — | $38,429 | $51,807 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable reported a distributable amount of $56K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included support for a college-preparatory school, arts and cultural organizations, a church, and other charitable organizations. Memphis University School describes its mission as academic excellence, service and leadership, and developing well-rounded young men of strong moral character consistent with its Christian tradition. Germantown Performing Arts Center says it presents artistic endeavors to educate, engage, enrich, and transform the community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $298,977. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $200,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards were $200,000 to Memphis University School, $28,977 to Gordie Foundation, $25,000 to Hutchison School, and $15,000 to Trinity Episcopal Church of Pine Bluff. Other listed grants included $5,000 each to TN Shakespeare Company, Brooks Museum of Art, Turning Point Ministries, Carnival Memphis, and Tucker Hipps Foundation, and $2,500 each to Delta Waterfowl and Germantown Performing Arts Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Deborah Dunklin Tipton was listed as a trustee on the 2024 filing.
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable is led by Deborah Dunklin Tipton, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Deborah Dunklin Tipton
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable
How much does Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable give each year?
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable gave $299K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $502K across 5 grants.
What is Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's typical grant size?
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $27,180, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable give grants?
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable gives mostly in Tennessee: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (10%) and Arkansas (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (4 grants).
Does Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's largest grantees?
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include Memphis University School ($200,000), Gordie Foundation ($28,977) and Hutchison School ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable?
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $302K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $56K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for a college-preparatory school, arts and cultural organizations, a church, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's EIN?
Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6183536. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-e-tipton-jr-charitable-morg_cf6561677b6f4e128e1d36453d7df996
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_816183536_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-e-tipton-jr-charitable-morg_cf6561677b6f4e128e1d36453d7df996},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Robert E Tipton Jr Charitable'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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