The Clayton Family Foundation
The Clayton Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1991 and based in Knoxville, Tennessee. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission centered on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors and geographic regions throughout the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$92.6M
-1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.1M
-8.9% YoY
Grant Count
47
-6.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$237K
-3.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Clayton Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Higher education
- Health associations and health organizations
- Youth development
- The arts
- Social services
- Protestant churches
- Community and civic engagement
- Local government initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation made 33 documented grants in 2024, including:
Grant Range
$1,000
Average Grant
$1,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports a wide range of U.S. locations, with particular emphasis on:
Primary States: Tennessee, Washington, North Carolina, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia
Major Cities Supported: Boston, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, and numerous locations throughout Tennessee
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total assets: $92,556,283
- Total revenues: $9,844,424
- Total expenses: $11,347,848
- Annual grants made: $6,858,510 to $12,200,000
Staffing: The foundation operates with zero employees; all work is conducted by volunteer leadership.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $92,556,283 | $94,064,345 | $96,725,946 |
| Revenue | $9,844,424 | $9,700,499 | $7,593,536 |
| Expenses | $11,347,848 | $12,362,550 | $1,780,785 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,119,700 | $12,206,600 | $1,077,924 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,790,344 | $9,571,877 | $7,334,598 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,943,801 | $8,604,257 | $8,402,770 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
247 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($10,000,000), Knoxville Science Museum ($270,000), United Way of Greater Knoxville ($255,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| APPALACHIAN BALLET COMPANY MARYVILLE, TN | DANCE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION | $2,500 |
| BEECH PARK BAPTIST CHURCH OLIVER SPRINGS, TN | CHURCH GENERAL FUND | $5,000 |
| BRYANT'S BRIDGE INC KNOXVILLE, TN | AFFORDABLE HOUSING | $5,000 |
| CLAYTON-BRADLEY STEM ACADEMY MARYVILLE, TN | K-12 SCHOOL | $2,500 |
| EAST TENNESSEE COMMUNITY DESIGN CTR KNOXVILLE, TN | COMMUNITY PLANNING SERVICES | $5,000 |
| EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE KNOXVILLE, TN | CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN | $100,000 |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND BOSTON, MA | DONOR ADVISED FUND | $10,000,000 |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH KNOXV KNOXVILLE, TN | CHURCH GENERAL FUND | $10,000 |
| GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY KNOXVILLE, TN | K-12 SCHOOL | $5,000 |
| GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN COUNCIL BSA KNOXVILLE, TN | CAMP BUCK TOMS, AT-RISK YOUTH | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- James L. Clayton – President
- Michell B. Clayton – Managing Director
All personnel work without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES L CLAYTON | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MICHELL B CLAYTON | MANAGING DIR | 30 | — |
| KEVIN T CLAYTON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| KEVIN S WILDER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| TRAVIS K EDMONDSON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| FLYNT H GRIFFIN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| CHRISTINA C SULLIVAN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| CHUCK JUSTICE | SECRETARY | 0.25 | — |
| RAJA JUBRAN | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
- Website: www.clayton.org
- Email: CF.Connect@clayton.org
- Phone: 865-525-2858
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Clayton Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Higher education • Health associations and health organizations • Youth development • The arts • Social services • Protestant churches • Community and civic engagement • Local government initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from The Clayton Family Foundation?
**Financial Capacity:** • Total assets: $92,556,283 • Annual giving: Approximately $11-12 million • Average grant size: $1,000 • Typical award range: $100 to $11,000,000 **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** The foundation made 33 documented grants in 2024, including: • Knoxville Science Museum: $270,000 (Site Demolition for New Building) • United Way of Greater Knoxville: $255,000 (Improving Lives in the Community) • Episcopal School of Knoxville: $100,000 (Capital Building Campaign) **Application…
Where does The Clayton Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports a wide range of U.S. locations, with particular emphasis on: **Primary States:** Tennessee, Washington, North Carolina, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia **Major Cities Supported:** Boston, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, and numerous locations throughout Tennessee
What size grants does The Clayton Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Clayton Family Foundation awarded 47 grants totaling $11.1M — an average of about $237K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Clayton Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Clayton Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Clayton Family Foundation's EIN?
The Clayton Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1970851. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Clayton 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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