The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell
The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Established in 2004, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with no employees and focuses its philanthropic efforts on education, human services, and voluntarism.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$174K
-59.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$169K
-54.1% YoY
Grant Count
27
-50.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-6.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell reported a distributable amount of $15K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, its grantmaking activities demonstrate primary focus areas in:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- STEM Education
- Science Education
- Arts
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes grants ranging from $100 to $114,100. Recent grantmaking activity shows the foundation making multiple grants annually across diverse recipients.
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Tennessee, Virginia, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (Fiscal Year Ending June 2024):
- Total Assets: $429,032
- Total Revenues: $296,451
- Total Expenses: $374,446
- Total Grants, Contributions: $294,000
- Investment Income and Dividends: $3,281
Prior Year (Fiscal Year Ending June 2023):
- Total Grants, Contributions: $369,700
The foundation experienced a 20.5% decrease in grant contributions from 2023 to 2024.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $173,752 | $429,032 | $498,982 |
| Revenue | $-39,077 | $296,451 | $363,750 |
| Expenses | $183,516 | $374,446 | $485,425 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $178,952 | $371,639 | $455,359 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $515 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $14,508 | $23,066 | $27,072 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
183 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Stove Works ($67,504), Hunter Museum of American Art ($42,500), Winous Point Marsh Conservancy ($24,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A STEP AHEAD CHATTANOOGA CHATTANOOGA, TN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE PLATEAU CASHIERS, NC | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,000 |
| CASTLETON FESTIVAL CASTLETON, VA | VOCAL IMMERSION PROGRAM | $1,000 |
| CHATTANOOGA FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES HIXSON, TN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $250 |
| CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, TN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $4,000 |
| CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY ITHACA, NY | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $250 |
| GIRLS PREPARATORY SCHOOL CHATTANOOGA, TN | ANNUAL FUND ON BEHALF OF KATE CALDWELL NEVIN | $1,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GREATER CHATTANOOGA CHATTANOOGA, TN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $750 |
| HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART CHATTANOOGA, TN | LINDY HOP | $42,500 |
| KAVOD DENVER, CO | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| L HARDWICK CALDWELL III | PRESIDENT/BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHERINE S CALDWELL | SECRETARY/BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHERINE C NEVIN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHARLOTTE H CALDWELL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH C CAKE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH HARDWICK CALDWELL | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 736 Market Street, Suite 1400 Chattanooga, TN 37402-4815
Telephone: 423-267-1430
EIN: 20-1245843
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell fund?
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, its grantmaking activities demonstrate primary focus areas in: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • STEM Education • Science Education • Arts
How do I apply for a grant from The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell?
**Grant Sizes & Activity:** The foundation distributes grants ranging from $100 to $114,100. Recent grantmaking activity shows the foundation making multiple grants annually across diverse recipients. **Recent Grants (2024):** • The McCallie School: $60,000 (General Operations) • Stove Works: $42,502 (General Operations) • Hunter Museum of American Art: $36,000 (Chairman's Circle) The foundation made 43 grants totaling $325,976 in the fiscal year ending June 2024. **Special Initiatives:** The f…
Where does The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Tennessee, Virginia, and Utah.
What size grants does The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell award?
In 2025, The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell awarded 27 grants totaling $169K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell reported a distributable amount of $15K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell's EIN?
The Hacker and Kitty Caldwell's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1245843. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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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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