The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr
The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr Foundation, also known as the Charis Foundation, is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1997 and based in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation focuses on supporting Christian organizations and their leaders through financial, strategic, and operational support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$50.6M
+24.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-0.6% YoY
Grant Count
43
-8.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
+8.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr reported a distributable amount of $2.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The mission of the Charis Foundation is to participate in God's work in the world by offering financial, strategic and operational support in collaboration with Christian organizations and their leaders.
Primary Funding Areas:
- Christian nonprofits and churches
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains active grant-making operations with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
$30,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Tennessee, North Carolina, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $50.6 million
- Total Revenue: $7.08 million
- Total Expenses: $2.55 million
- Total Liabilities: $798
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $40.6 million
- Total Expenses: $2.47 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $50,568,990 | $40,609,949 | $34,623,901 |
| Revenue | $7,080,599 | $160,901 | $7,558,301 |
| Expenses | $2,552,825 | $2,467,718 | $2,655,291 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,086,986 | $2,048,722 | $2,071,179 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,024,767 | $216,797 | $8,404,010 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,117,921 | $1,826,342 | $1,718,891 |
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
216 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Belmont University ($100,000), Black Mountain Home for Children ($100,000), Martha O'bryan Center ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABWE FOUNDATION HARRISBURG, PA | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | $5,000 |
| ACTON INSTITUTE GRAND RAPIDS, MI | AU SCHOLARSHIPS | $30,000 |
| ARRABON RICHMOND, VA | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | $35,000 |
| BELMONT UNIVERSITY NASHVILLE, TN | BELMONT INNOVATION LABS | $100,000 |
| BIG TABLE NASHVILLE SPOKANE, WA | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | $15,000 |
| BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOC CHARLOTTE, NC | COVE PASTOR RENEWAL AND MILITARY MARRIAGE RETREATS | $40,000 |
| BLACK MOUNTAIN HOME FOR CHILDREN BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | $100,000 |
| CHALMERS CENTER LOOKOUT MTN, GA | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | $50,000 |
| CHRIST CHURCH NASHVILLE NASHVILLE, TN | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS | $50,000 |
| CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE FOR ORPHANS MCLEAN, VA | DEVELOPMENT & DISCIPLESHIP INITIATIVE | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Joseph C Cook Jr. - Board Chair, Managing Director, Mountain Group Partners
- Joseph C Cook III - Vice President/Secretary/Treasurer, Managing Director, Mountain Group Partners
- Steven Singleton - President, Managing Director, Mountain Group Partners
- Judith E Cook - Vice President, Community Volunteer
- Ashley B Cook - Vice President, Community Volunteer
- Christine Cook Singleton - Vice President, Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant
Foundation Staff:
- Steven Singleton - President ($143,000 annual compensation, 40 hours/week)
- Pam Morris - Grants Manager
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEVEN SINGLETON | PRESIDENT | 40 | $143,000 |
| JOSEPH C COOK JR | BOARD CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH C COOK III | VP/SECR/TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| CHRISTINE COOK SINGLETON | VICE-PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| JUDITH E COOK | VICE-PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| ASHLEY B COOK | VICE-PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 3835 Cleghorn Ave Ste 300 Nashville, TN 37215-2576
Phone: 615-843-9100
Website: charisfound.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr fund?
**Mission Statement:** The mission of the Charis Foundation is to participate in God's work in the world by offering financial, strategic and operational support in collaboration with Christian organizations and their leaders. **Primary Funding Areas:** • Christian nonprofits and churches • Education • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism
How do I apply for a grant from The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr?
The foundation maintains active grant-making operations with the following characteristics: **Grant Activity:** • Made 43 grants in 2024 • Median grant size: $30,000 • Grant range: $5,000 to $100,000 • Total giving in 2024: $1,790,000 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • Redeemer City To City ($115,000) - Global Faith & Work Initiative and Mexico City Hub City • Martha O'Bryan Center ($100,000) - Chaplain Program and Unrestricted Funds • Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth and Families ($100,000) …
Where does The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr make grants?
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Tennessee, North Carolina, and New York.
What size grants does The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr award?
In 2024, The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr awarded 43 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $42K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr reported a distributable amount of $2.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr's EIN?
The Judith E & Joseph C Cook Jr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-2006656. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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