The Dunavant Foundation
The Dunavant Foundation is a supporting organization based in Memphis, Tennessee, established in 1984. It operates as a subordinate organization under the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, serving as a vehicle for philanthropic giving in the Memphis and Shelby County region. The foundation is also known as the William B. "Billy" Dunavant Jr. Foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
-7.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$157K
-93.0% YoY
Grant Count
6
-33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
-89.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary exempt purpose is to assist the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis in carrying out its charitable mission. The foundation accepts property for use exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes that primarily benefit Memphis and Shelby County.
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on education, human services, and philanthropy. Additional giving interests include wildlife and waterfowl conservation.
Grantmaking
Recent grants made by the foundation include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. However, conservation giving has extended to Mississippi and the prairie pothole region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024):
- Total assets: $1,773,147
- Total revenues: $125,269
- Total expenses: $2,273,359
- Number of employees: 0
Previous Filing (2025):
- Total assets: $1,644,059
- Total giving: $157,000
The foundation maintains a 97% four-star rating based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,644,059 | $1,773,147 | $3,922,212 |
| Revenue | $55,053 | $125,269 | $5,251,810 |
| Expenses | $184,141 | $2,273,359 | $21,523,284 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $55,053 | $125,269 | $395,031 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
31 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Dunavant Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Tommie Dunavant oversees the foundation as a director and manages its philanthropic activities. She is a practicing psychologist and widow of William "Billy" Dunavant Jr., who established the foundation in 1984 and passed away in September 2021.
Robert M. Fockler is listed as the principal officer.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT M FOCKLER | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BARBARA S MORA | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| J MARTIN REGAN JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KELLI DUNAVANT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TOMMIE SMITH DUNAVANT | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| GARY ZWIERZYNSKI | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2022, the foundation made a transformational $5.5 million gift to the University of Memphis, Billy Dunavant's alma mater. The gift created five endowed professorships and supported academic and athletic facility projects, reflecting Tommie Dunavant's interpretation of Billy's evolving priorities toward academic excellence alongside his longtime support for sports.
The foundation has been active in waterfowl conservation, with Tommie Dunavant joining the Delta Waterfowl Board as a director at large in February 2023. The foundation's $2 million contribution to Delta Waterfowl's Million Duck Campaign represents a significant commitment to habitat restoration and waterfowl population initiatives.
U of M receives $5.5 million Dunavant gift to endow five chairsRelated Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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