The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc is a private foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations working in health, religion, education, and youth development, among other areas.
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc at a glance
In short: The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc gave $3.0M across 61 grants in 2025 (avg $49K), mostly in Tennessee. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,996,600
- +76.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 61
- -6.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $49,125
- +87.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $30,924,954
- -2.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (14 of 61, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (70% 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 Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2023 filing lists Shana R South as the contact and requests a letter detailing the full background and financial statements. The filing lists no award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- N/A, as stated on the 2023 filing.
- Deadline
- N/A, as stated on the 2023 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Shana R South
Mailing address: 4515 Poplar Avenue Ste 324, Memphis, TN 38117
Phone: (901) 682-6201
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Church Health ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
290 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 245 grants of 290 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee, 17% to Alabama, 5% to Ohio, and 3% each to Florida and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 61 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $58K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 51% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 198% 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 $1.7M (2024) to $3.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 61 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Church Health Memphis, TN | Health, General | $1,000,000 |
| Bellevue Baptist Church Cordova, TN | Religion | $301,000 |
| University of North Alabama Foundation Florence, AL | Educational | $185,000 |
| Lifewise Inc Hilliard, OH | Youth Devel | $150,000 |
| Union University Jackson, TN | Educational | $125,000 |
| Bellevue Foundation Inc Cordova, TN | Religion | $109,000 |
| ARISE2READ Memphis, TN | Educational | $100,000 |
| Favor International Inc Valrico, FL | International | $100,000 |
| First Baptist Church of Florence Florence, AL | Religion | $100,000 |
| The Mailbox Club Valdosta, GA | Educational | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc?
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 | $30,924,954 | $2,375,690 | $3,347,954 | $2,996,600 | 61 | $2,996,600 | $1,824,617 | $1,510,802 |
| 2024 | $31,854,145 | $2,463,001 | $2,031,376 | $1,702,335 | 65 | $1,702,335 | $1,797,257 | $1,548,459 |
| 2023 | $32,094,250 | $476,406 | $2,349,852 | $2,148,000 | 63 | $2,148,000 | $676,090 | $1,620,067 |
| 2022 | $34,214,951 | $1,330,944 | $2,382,218 | $1,989,984 | 49 | $1,989,984 | $885,039 | $1,791,224 |
| 2021 | $39,021,076 | $3,475,833 | $2,174,822 | $2,021,100 | 52 | — | $3,251,515 | $1,729,231 |
| 2020 | $33,250,500 | $1,194,494 | $1,807,198 | $1,707,770 | 49 | — | $829,925 | $1,667,613 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available filing information does not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions include education, religious ministry, youth development, and health.
For example, Arise2Read describes its work as enhancing public education for children, teachers, families, and communities. Union University says it provides Christ-centered education that promotes excellence and character development. Bellevue Foundation says it helps fund the spread of the Gospel through Bellevue Baptist Church and compatible ministries. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 61 grants totaling $2,996,600. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $1,000,000, with a median of $10,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $1,000,000 to Church Health for general health purposes, $301,000 to Bellevue Baptist Church for religion, and $185,000 to the University of North Alabama Foundation for educational purposes. Other notable awards included $150,000 to LifeWise Inc for youth development; $125,000 to Union University for education; and $109,000 to Bellevue Foundation Inc for religion.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Harry L Smith as chairman of the board, Mary Elizabeth Smith as vice chairman of the board, Leslie Jones as secretary/treasurer, Shana R South as chief financial officer, and B Rex Jones as president/chief executive.
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc is led by B. Rex Jones, President & Chief Executive on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
B. Rex Jones
President & Chief Executive
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Harry L. Smith
Chairman of the Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Jones
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Elizabeth Smith
Vice Chairman of the Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shana R. South
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc
How much does The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc give each year?
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc gave $3.0M across 61 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.7M across 65 grants.
What is The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's typical grant size?
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $49,125, across 61 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc that year got $21K on average.
Where does The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc give grants?
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc gives mostly in Tennessee: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Alabama (17%) and Ohio (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Memphis, TN (28 grants), Florence, AL (5 grants), Birmingham, AL (5 grants) and Cordova, TN (3 grants).
Does The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 11% of The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 61) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Religion" (21 grants), "Educational" (12 grants) and "Program Support" (7 grants).
Who are The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's largest grantees?
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Church Health ($1,000,000), Bellevue Baptist Church ($301,000) and University of North Alabama Foundation ($185,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc?
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc reported $30.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc fund?
The available filing information does not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions include education, religious ministry, youth development, and health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc?
The 2023 filing lists Shana R South as the contact and requests a letter detailing the full background and financial statements. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's EIN?
The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1469984. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 29, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-grace-foundation-of-memphis-inc-morg_c8e77a98cc6c49b8a1a51d33153512ee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_621469984_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-grace-foundation-of-memphis-inc-morg_c8e77a98cc6c49b8a1a51d33153512ee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Grace Foundation of Memphis Inc'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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