The Chilton Foundation
The Chilton Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. It supports charitable organizations through grants for the assistance and promotion of the welfare of humanity, with a stated preference for residents of Texas and Arkansas.
The Chilton Foundation at a glance
In short: The Chilton Foundation gave $425K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in Texas. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $425,350
- -30.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,446
- -36.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,275
- Total assets
- $9,092,143
- -0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Chilton Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Contact Patti Lu Bell Brown with a letter and appropriate attachments. There is no stated deadline. Awards are restricted to the assistance and promotion of the welfare of humanity, with preference given to residents of Texas and Arkansas.
- Contact
Application contact: Patti Lu Bell Brown
Mailing address: 40 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37215
Phone: (615) 783-1437
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Chilton Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Children's Medical Center Foundatio ($200K). Together the top 10 received $419K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 58 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grants were directed to recipients in Texas (87% of grant dollars) and Arkansas (13%). Its filing states a preference for residents of those two states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Chilton Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $38K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% 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 $425K (2025) to $616K (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $425K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Medical Center Foundatio Dallas, TX | Charity | $200,000 |
| University of Arkansas Empower Prog Fayetteville, AR | Charity | $53,300 |
| Baylor Healthcare System Foundation Dallas, TX | Charity | $50,000 |
| Crystal Charity Ball Dallas, TX | Charity | $45,000 |
| Salesmanship Club Charity Golf of D Dallas, TX | Charity | $37,500 |
| American Cancer Society Dallas, TX | Charity | $11,550 |
| Equest Women's Auxillary Dallas, TX | Charity | $7,000 |
| Miss Fran's Teaching Garden Tool, TX | Charity | $5,000 |
| Junior League of Dallas Dallas, TX | Charity | $5,000 |
| Salvation Army Dallas, TX | Charity | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chilton Foundation?
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 | $9,092,143 | $665,892 | $681,750 | $425,350 | 12 | $593,201 | $577,363 | $590,050 |
| 2024 | $9,108,102 | $699,322 | $860,922 | $616,000 | 11 | $784,057 | $622,457 | $568,074 |
| 2023 | $9,272,132 | $464,231 | $762,196 | $520,500 | 11 | $688,435 | $390,595 | $525,958 |
| 2022 | $9,572,141 | $297,038 | $796,839 | $521,500 | 12 | $716,689 | $216,888 | $553,459 |
| 2021 | $10,073,075 | $1,051,840 | $789,050 | $539,200 | 12 | $726,500 | $989,290 | $622,956 |
| 2020 | $9,964,160 | $439,341 | $695,962 | $449,167 | 10 | — | $369,427 | $531,811 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chilton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $590K 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 stated purpose is “the assistance and promotion of the welfare of humanity.” Its 2025 filing gives preference to residents of Texas and Arkansas.
Among its 2025 grantees, the American Cancer Society says its mission is to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support. The Junior League of Dallas says it advances women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 12 grants totaling $425,350 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $200,000, with a median of $9,275. In 2024, it reported 11 grants totaling $616,000; in 2023, it reported 11 grants totaling $520,500.
The largest 2025 grants included $200,000 to Children’s Medical Center Foundatio in Dallas, $53,300 to University of Arkansas Empower Prog in Fayetteville, and $50,000 to Baylor Healthcare System Foundation in Dallas. Other grants included $45,000 to Crystal Charity Ball and $37,500 to Salesmanship Club Charity Golf of D, both in Dallas.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Patti Lu B Brown and Bonnie M B Harding on the Distribution Committee, and Cumberland Trust as Trustee.
The Chilton Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cumberland Trust
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$25K (2021) → $25K (2025)
Bonnie M B Harding
Dstr Committee
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$75K (2023) → $75K (2025)
Patti Lu B Brown
Dstr Committee
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$75K (2023) → $75K (2025)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Bonnie M. B. Harding Co Cumberland (2020–2022) — Distribution Committee
- Former: Patti Lu B. Brown Co Cumberland (2020–2022) — Distribution Committee
- Former: Bok Financial (2020) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $75K, to Patti Lu B Brown (Dstr Committee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Chilton Foundation
How much does The Chilton Foundation give each year?
The Chilton Foundation gave $425K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $616K across 11 grants.
What is The Chilton Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chilton Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $9,275, and its average grant was $35,446, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chilton Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Chilton Foundation give grants?
The Chilton Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Arkansas (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (10 grants).
Does The Chilton Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Chilton Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charity" (12 grants).
Who are The Chilton Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chilton Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Children's Medical Center Foundatio ($200,000), University of Arkansas Empower Prog ($53,300) and Baylor Healthcare System Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chilton Foundation?
The Chilton Foundation reported $9.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $593K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $590K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Chilton Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is “the assistance and promotion of the welfare of humanity.” Its 2025 filing gives preference to residents of Texas and Arkansas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chilton Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chilton Foundation's EIN?
The Chilton Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6006996. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chilton Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chilton-foundation-morg_543ba838d37342beb720671d4907a2d6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_756006996_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chilton Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chilton-foundation-morg_543ba838d37342beb720671d4907a2d6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 The Chilton 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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