The Danner Foundation

NASHVILLE, TN EIN: 58-1803926

The Danner Foundation is a private foundation established in 1988 and based in Nashville, Tennessee. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on grantmaking to nonprofit organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$8.1M

-2.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$445K

-13.8% YoY

Grant Count

-9.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$15K

-5.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Danner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $488K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation provides giving for the following areas of interest:

Arts and culture
Education
Christian organizations
Social services
Health
Community development
Sports, with an emphasis on bicycling
Children, youth, and families, including those at risk
Homelessness

Types of support include general operating support and project support.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 21 grants totaling approximately $413,150 in 2024.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily provides support to nonprofit organizations in Tennessee, with some giving extending to Texas and Alabama.

Grant Distribution by State

Tennessee $1.9M (88%)

Alabama $189K (9%)

Texas $40K (2%)

Arkansas $22K (1%)

Georgia $5K (0%)

Washington $5K (0%)

States

Alabama Arkansas Georgia Tennessee Texas Washington

Cities

BentonvilleBrentwoodFranklinFriscoHuntsvilleKnoxvilleMaconNashvilleOld HickoryPegramSeattle

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (as of 2024):

Total assets: $8,131,670
Total revenues: $330,295
Total expenses: $523,933
Investment income and dividends: $407,003

Historical Assets (2023):

Total assets: $8.34 million
Total liabilities: $1,000

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$8,131,670	$8,343,607	$8,619,788
Revenue	$330,295	$302,807	$382,188
Expenses	$523,933	$590,729	$572,670
Qualifying Distributions	$444,500	$515,650	$496,650
Net Investment Income	$332,221	$236,611	$324,414
Distributable Amount	$487,693	$441,066	$456,288

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

189 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Harpeth Conservancy ($50,000), YMCA Nashville and Middle Tennessee ($50,000), Hub Youth Cycling Incorporated ($40,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
PENCIL Foundation Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$5,000
Second Harvest Food Bank Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$10,000
Middle Tennessee Council BSA Nashville, TN	Scoutreach program	$25,000
Nashville Symphony Association Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$15,000
Nashville Zoo Inc Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$10,000
Studio Tenn Theatre Company Franklin, TN	General Purposes	$10,000
The Ensworth School Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$5,000
Nashville Ballet Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$5,000
New Dialect Nashville, TN	General Purposes	$5,000
University School of Nashville Nashville, TN	To support high school debate program	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Raymond L. Danner Jr. is listed as a contact person for the foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Raymond L Danner Jr	Director and President	0.25	—
Gail Greil	Director	0.25	—
Claiborne K McLemore III	Secretary	0.25	—

Contact Information

Address: 1211 16th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212

Phone: 615-242-2000

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Danner Foundation fund?

The foundation provides giving for the following areas of interest: • Arts and culture • Education • Christian organizations • Social services • Health • Community development • Sports, with an emphasis on bicycling • Children, youth, and families, including those at risk • Homelessness Types of support include general operating support and project support.

How do I apply for a grant from The Danner Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: $444,500 (2024) • Typical award range: $1,000–$100,000 • Recent grants include: • Harpeth River Watershed Association: $50,000 (2024) • Tennessee Performing Arts Center: $25,000 (2024) • Harpeth Youth Cycling Club: $25,000 (2024) The foundation made 21 grants totaling approximately $413,150 in 2024.

Where does The Danner Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily provides support to nonprofit organizations in Tennessee, with some giving extending to Texas and Alabama.

What size grants does The Danner Foundation award?

In 2024, The Danner Foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $445K — an average of about $15K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Danner Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Danner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $488K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.