The Coons Foundation
The Coons Foundation is a private foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee. In its 2025 filing, it reported grants to charitable organizations including hospitals, arts and cultural organizations, schools, and human-service organizations.
The Coons Foundation at a glance
In short: The Coons Foundation gave $387K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Iowa. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $387,000
- +31.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +26.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,345
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,705,389
- -0.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (8 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (79% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Coons Foundation
- 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: 90 N Perkins Rd, Memphis, TN 38117-2426
Phone: (773) 485-2270
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Coons Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wesleylife ($80K). Together the top 10 received $307K.
Grant Size Distribution
121 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 121 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars were reported as 79% to Iowa, 16% to Tennessee, 3% to Minnesota, 2% to Missouri, and 1% to New Jersey recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Coons Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 29 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $253K (2023) to $387K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $387K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wesleylife Johnston, IA | General Operations | $80,000 |
| Blank's Children's Hospital Des Moines, IA | General Operations | $55,000 |
| Des Moines Metro Opera Indianola, IA | General Operations | $50,000 |
| LeBonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN | General Operations | $30,000 |
| Living History Farms Foundation Urbandale, IA | General Operations | $27,000 |
| Russell Fire Department Russell, IA | New Pumper/Rescue Truck | $25,000 |
| Iowa Public Television Foundation Johnston, IA | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Mid-South Soaring Foundation Collierville, TN | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Mind & Spirit Counseling Center Urbandale, IA | General Operations | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Coons 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 | $3,705,389 | $508,696 | $429,986 | $387,000 | 29 | $388,458 | $361,752 | $417,027 |
| 2024 | $3,723,412 | $513,601 | $330,518 | $295,500 | 23 | $296,879 | $326,776 | $364,921 |
| 2023 | $3,659,315 | $316,629 | $281,755 | $253,000 | 19 | $254,275 | $205,895 | $302,924 |
| 2022 | $3,678,529 | $316,530 | $352,790 | $319,325 | 24 | $320,273 | $217,474 | $315,992 |
| 2021 | $3,758,104 | $452,943 | $372,942 | $341,000 | 26 | $341,850 | $317,682 | $323,550 |
| 2020 | $3,771,904 | $306,719 | $319,997 | $295,000 | 25 | — | $215,378 | $284,432 |
| 2019 | $3,837,812 | $229,930 | $325,914 | $301,300 | 26 | — | $212,109 | $298,796 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Coons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $417K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Des Moines Metro Opera says its mission is to create theatrical experiences and learning opportunities; Living History Farms Foundation describes itself as an outdoor history museum focused on Midwestern rural heritage; and Mayo Clinic says it aims to contribute to health and well-being through care, education, and research. Other 2025 recipients include a food bank, a performing arts organization, and an organization serving unhoused people.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $387,000. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $80,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest grants included $80,000 to Wesleylife, $55,000 to Blank's Children's Hospital, $50,000 to Des Moines Metro Opera, $30,000 to LeBonheur Children's Hospital, and $27,000 to Living History Farms Foundation. The listed purposes included general operations and, for Russell Fire Department, a new pumper/rescue truck.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kevin Coons as Director/President; Kyle Coons as Director/Secretary/Treasurer; and Kenton Coons, Christine Coons, and Karen Dixson as directors.
The Coons Foundation is led by Kevin Coons, Director & President since 2022 (on filings since 2019); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kevin Coons
Director & President
Director → Director & President, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Coons
Director
Director, Secretary & Treasurer → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Dixson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenton R Coons
Director
Director & President → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Coons
Director, Secretary & Treasurer
Director → Director, Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 The Coons Foundation
How much does The Coons Foundation give each year?
The Coons Foundation gave $387K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $296K across 23 grants.
What is The Coons Foundation's typical grant size?
The Coons Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $13,345, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Coons Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Coons Foundation give grants?
The Coons Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Des Moines, IA (5 grants), Memphis, TN (3 grants), Chariton, IA (3 grants) and Johnston, IA (2 grants).
Does The Coons Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 93% of The Coons Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Coons Foundation's largest grantees?
The Coons Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wesleylife ($80,000), Blank's Children's Hospital ($55,000) and Des Moines Metro Opera ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Coons Foundation?
The Coons Foundation reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $388K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $417K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Coons Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Coons Foundation?
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 The Coons Foundation's EIN?
The Coons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1898965. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Coons Foundation 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Coons Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Coons Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-coons-foundation-morg_dcf771de09f94337b4e2214a4bb701e8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391898965_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Coons Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-coons-foundation-morg_dcf771de09f94337b4e2214a4bb701e8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Coons 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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