Scarlett Family Foundation
The Scarlett Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 2005 by Joe and Dorothy Scarlett. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, the Foundation operates as a grantmaking organization dedicated to advancing educational opportunity and excellence in Middle Tennessee. The Foundation combines two primary funding mechanisms: a college scholarship program for students and a grants initiative supporting nonprofit organizations working in education.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$249.3M
+3.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.2M
+21.6% YoY
Grant Count
258
-25.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
+64.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Scarlett Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Vision: Every student receives a high-quality education to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient.
Mission: Advocate, invest, and work to ensure that all students in Middle Tennessee have access to a high-quality education.
The Foundation's work is organized around four key initiatives:
- College and Career Readiness — fostering pathways to postsecondary opportunity and workforce preparation
- Principal and Teacher Leadership — developing talent among school leaders and educators
- Literacy — improving literacy rates across the region
- Mentorship — supporting mentoring programs and relationships
Grantmaking
The Foundation's scholarship program provides merit and need-based college scholarships to Middle Tennessee students. Originally focused on business degrees, the program expanded in 2015 to include STEM majors and in 2025 to include education majors.
Grant Range
$2,500–$30,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation focuses exclusively on Middle Tennessee, serving 40 counties across the region. The eligible service area includes Davidson and Williamson Counties as well as 38 additional counties in Middle Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $249.3 million (2024)
Annual Giving: $7.6–$10.7 million (varies by fiscal year)
Total Revenues: $20.9 million (2025)
Total Expenses: $12.3 million (2025)
Total Distributions: $10 million (2024)
The Foundation's financial position reflects significant growth since its establishment, with assets and annual giving capacity supporting both its scholarship and grants initiatives.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $249,341,853 | $240,277,580 | $162,450,430 |
| Revenue | $20,931,117 | $86,776,319 | $11,491,025 |
| Expenses | $12,293,053 | $10,743,840 | $10,717,274 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,469,295 | $8,488,450 | $9,360,610 |
| Net Investment Income | $19,707,085 | $85,519,100 | $10,199,361 |
| Distributable Amount | $13,023,789 | $8,948,750 | $8,533,546 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Scarlett Family Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Lipscomb University ($443,700), Nashville Classical ($395,000), Teach for America Nashville-chattanooga ($375,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AVENTURA COMMUNITY SCHOOL NASHVILLE, TN | SUPPORT FOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT | $230,000 |
| AYERS FOUNDATION TRUST PARSONS, TN | STUDENT SUPPORT IN MEMORIUM TO JIM AYERS | $8,400 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN | SUPPORT FOR LITERACY AND E-MENTORING PROGRAMS | $148,500 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN | MNPS IN-SCHOOL LITERACY PROGRAM | $186,350 |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF TENNESSEE NASHVILLE, TN | SUPPORT FOR MIDDLE TENN RURAL COUNTIES INITIATIVES AND COLLEGE READINESS | $120,000 |
| CONEXION AMERICA NASHVILLE, TN | SUPPORT FOR ESCALERA & PARENTS AS PARTNERS | $280,000 |
| DIVERSE LEARNERS COOPERATIVE BRENTWOOD, TN | SUPPORT FOR PROGRAM SPECIALISTS | $175,000 |
| EDUCATION TRUST OF TENNESSEE WASHINGTON, DC | RESEARCH AND CONVENING ON K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY | $50,000 |
| EQUAL CHANCE FOR EDUCATION NASHVILLE, TN | SUPPORT FOR PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND MENTOR PROGRAM | $105,000 |
| GALLATIN SHALOM ZONE GALLATIN, TN | SUPPORT FOR YOUTH PROGRAM | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Joseph H. Scarlett Jr. — Chairman
- Tara Anne Scarlett — President and Chief Executive Officer
- Tom Parrish — Secretary
- Jennifer Scarlett — Treasurer
- Dorothy F. Scarlett — Director
- Andrew S. Scarlett — Director
- Michael Peacock — Director
- Karla Jackson — Director
- Keri Randolph — Director
- Jamie Woodson — Director
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TARA ANNE SCARLETT | PRESIDENT/CEO | 50 | $37,346 |
| DOROTHY F SCARLETT | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOSEPH H SCARLETT JR | CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| ANDREW S SCARLETT | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JENNIFER SCARLETT | TREASURER | — | — |
| TOM PARRISH | SECRETARY | 50 | $293,749 |
| MICHAEL PEACOCK | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| KARLA JACKSON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| KERI RANDOLPH | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JAMIE WOODSON | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 4117 Hillsboro Pike # 103255, Nashville, TN 37215-2728
- Phone: 615-679-2007
- Website: www.scarlettfoundation.org
- Scholarship Email: ScarlettScholars@applyISTS.com
- Scholarship Portal: scarlettscholars.applyists.net
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Scarlett Family Foundation fund?
**Vision:** Every student receives a high-quality education to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient. **Mission:** Advocate, invest, and work to ensure that all students in Middle Tennessee have access to a high-quality education. The Foundation's work is organized around four key initiatives: • **College and Career Readiness** — fostering pathways to postsecondary opportunity and workforce preparation • **Principal and Teacher Leadership** — developing talent among school leade…
How do I apply for a grant from Scarlett Family Foundation?
The Foundation's scholarship program provides merit and need-based college scholarships to Middle Tennessee students. Originally focused on business degrees, the program expanded in 2015 to include STEM majors and in 2025 to include education majors. **Scholarship Details:** • Grant range: $2,500–$30,000 • Application method: Online application portal (scarlettscholars.applyists.net) • Number of awards (2024): 216 scholarships • Total scholarships awarded since 2006: Over $27 million to more th…
Where does Scarlett Family Foundation make grants?
The Foundation focuses exclusively on Middle Tennessee, serving 40 counties across the region. The eligible service area includes Davidson and Williamson Counties as well as 38 additional counties in Middle Tennessee.
What size grants does Scarlett Family Foundation award?
In 2025, Scarlett Family Foundation awarded 258 grants totaling $9.2M — an average of about $36K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Scarlett Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Scarlett Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Scarlett Family Foundation's EIN?
Scarlett Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1980932. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Scarlett Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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