The Jackson Foundation Inc

DICKSON, TN EIN: 62-0788376

The Jackson Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Dickson, Tennessee. Established in 1969, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a focus on educational programming and community learning initiatives. The foundation operates the Renaissance Center, a community-based learning facility with classroom capacity exceeding 1,110 students.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$82.2M

+10.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.7M

-2.7% YoY

Grant Count

-16.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$271K

+16.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jackson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.3M 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 Jackson Foundation is conceived with the conviction that educational motivation and learning involvement are the keys to society's future. The foundation's primary function is organizing and operating educational classes in art, computer technology, and computer programming. Through these classes, the foundation provides students of all ages with access to creative learning programs and interactive environments designed to stimulate, strengthen, and secure success, while serving as a national model for the development of educational programs.

Grantmaking

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Tennessee, with recent activity noted in Nashville and other regional areas.

Grant Distribution by State

Tennessee $11.3M (100%)

Indiana $4K (0%)

States

Indiana Tennessee

Cities

BloomingtonBrentwoodBurnsCharlotteCottontownDicksonHendersonNashvilleSpringvilleVanleerWhite Bluff

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total assets: $74.7-82.2 million (as of 2023-2024)

Total revenues: $4.6 million (2023)

Total expenses: $4.5-4.6 million (2023)

Number of employees: 7 (as of 2023)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$82,218,020	$74,715,253	$68,901,710
Revenue	$5,856,638	$4,607,793	$2,056,131
Expenses	$4,501,179	$4,554,723	$4,726,705
Qualifying Distributions	$2,881,581	$3,005,361	$3,181,205
Net Investment Income	$5,747,696	$4,512,163	$1,967,738
Distributable Amount	$3,298,813	$2,944,892	$3,039,203

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

95 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Nashville State Community College ($2,619,305), Friends of Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge ($15,000), Carenet Pregnancy Services of Middle Tennessee ($10,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CARENET PREGNANCY SERVICES OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE DICKSON, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
CASA OF DICKSON DICKSON, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
CLEMENT RAILROAD HOTEL MUSEUM DICKSON, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
DICKSON COMMUNITY CLINIC DICKSON, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY NASHVILLE, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
NASHVILLE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE NASHVILLE, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$2,619,305
THE QUEST CENTER DICKSON, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
TENNESSEE WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY NASHVILLE, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
READ DICKSON, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$10,000
FRIENDS OF TENNESSEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SPRINGVILLE, TN	TO FURTHER EXEMPT PURPOSE	$15,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MIKE LEGG	FORMER CHAIRMAN - FINANCE	1.67	—
JOE YOUREE	VICE-CHAIRMAN	1.25	—
SARA CAUDILL	SECRETARY	1.67	$9,000
JOHN JACKSON	TRUSTEE	1.67	$750
DAVID SHEPARD	TRUSTEE	1.67	—
TED WILLIAMS	TRUSTEE	1.67	$9,000
ROBERT SPENCER	CHAIRMAN - FINANCE	2.5	$60,544
DOUG JACKSON	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	2.5	$295,055
ERNESTINE ADAMS	TRUSTEE	1.67	$9,000
LARRY REDDEN	TRUSTEE	1.67	$9,000
MARTHA SHEPARD	TRUSTEE	1.67	$9,000
REGINA CATHEY	TRUSTEE	1.67	$9,000
VENK MANI	TRUSTEE	1.67	$9,000
PAT WRIGHT	TRUSTEE	1.67	$7,500
TIMOTHY V POTTER	TRUSTEE	1.67	$7,500

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2025

The foundation awarded $730,000 in grants to nonprofits across multiple regions including Lansing, Nashville, and Chicago in December 2025.

Jackson Awards $730,000 in Grants to Nonprofits Across Lansing, Nashville

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Education

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Jackson Foundation Inc fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Jackson Foundation Inc?

The foundation makes grants with a median award of $10,000 and a range from $4,000 to $2.7 million. Recent grant activity shows 10-12 grants distributed annually. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. **Total giving:** $2.7-2.8 million annually (based on 2023-2024 filings) **Giving rate:** Approximately 3.7% of assets

Where does The Jackson Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Tennessee, with recent activity noted in Nashville and other regional areas.

What size grants does The Jackson Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Jackson Foundation Inc awarded 10 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $271K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jackson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.