The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation
The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Memphis, Tennessee, established in 1961. The foundation focuses on creating tangible and transformational changes for families in Memphis through strategic grantmaking and community partnerships.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$39.8M
+2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+34.9% YoY
Grant Count
54
-1.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$36K
+37.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to positively impact and transform the Memphis community through grantmaking in the following categories:
- Community outreach
- Youth development and advancement
- Education enrichment
- Faith-based ministries
- Health and research-related organizations
The foundation operates through three primary initiatives: Building Strong Families, Innovation Grants, and Big Bets.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
Review Cycle
January 15 and August 15
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is concentrated in Tennessee, with grant recipients primarily located in the state.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $39.8 million (as of 2023-2024)
- Total Assets (2023): $38.7 million
- Annual Income: $22.6 million
- Total Giving (2024): $1,929,177
- Revenue (2023): $801,000
- Expenses (2023): $2.29 million
- Total Liabilities (2023): $57,500
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,762,949 | $38,685,232 | $36,539,189 |
| Revenue | $7,705,366 | $801,384 | $1,181 |
| Expenses | $2,892,535 | $2,286,207 | $2,186,944 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,323,690 | $1,829,517 | $1,717,423 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,195,819 | $341,605 | $236,207 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,603,590 | $1,843,947 | $1,933,460 |
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
249 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Emmanuel Center Inc ($150,000), Knowledge Quest ($105,000), Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Inc ($102,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADVANCE MEMPHIS MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $50,000 |
| ALLMEMPHIS MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $20,000 |
| APPLE SEEDS INC GERMANTOWN, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $20,000 |
| ARISE2READ MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $15,000 |
| BLOC MINISTRIES CINCINNATI, OH | GENERAL - OPERATING | $25,000 |
| BRIARCREST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL EADS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $12,580 |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $2,500 |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $25,000 |
| CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MEMPHIS MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $50,000 |
| CITY LEADERSHIP MEMPHIS, TN | GENERAL - OPERATING | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Principal Officer: Carrie Burke
- The foundation is governed by 12 officers and trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TATE WILSON | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $50,000 |
| CAROLE WILSON WEST | CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD | 0.5 | — |
| KEVIN GESHKE | FINANCE CHAIR | 0.25 | — |
| ADRIAN C BLACKNEY | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| MARGARET W HODGES | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| WILSON MOORE | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| MCLEAN T WILSON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| ROBERT A WILSON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| STEPHANIE B WILSON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| SUSAN C WILSON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| WEBB WILSON | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 802 Rozelle Street, Memphis, TN 38104-5052
- Phone: (901) 346-8800
- Website: www.kwff.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to positively impact and transform the Memphis community through grantmaking in the following categories: • Community outreach • Youth development and advancement • Education enrichment • Faith-based ministries • Health and research-related organizations The foundation operates through three primary initiatives: Building Strong Families, Innovation Grants, and Big Bets.
How do I apply for a grant from The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Activity:** • Typical awards range from $150,000 to $650,000 • Historical median grant: $10,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $145 to $495,000, with an average award of $28,000 • The foundation has made 159 grants totaling $4.4 million across available records • Annual distribution has ranged between $1.3 million and $1.8 million from 2020 to 2022 • Highest grantmaking activity occurred in 2021 with $1.8 million distributed across 54 grants • The foundation has supported …
Where does The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation make grants?
Grantmaking is concentrated in Tennessee, with grant recipients primarily located in the state.
What size grants does The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation awarded 54 grants totaling $1.9M — an average of about $36K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6046687. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Maclellan Center for Global Christian Ed
CHATTANOOGA, TN
Assets
$592K
Grants
1
Total Given
$48K
Anne Bransford Wallace Foundation
NASHVILLE, TN
Assets
$553K
Grants
40
Total Given
$43K
Springplace Presbyterian Church 280-5019032
KNOXVILLE, TN
Assets
$140K
Grants
1
Total Given
$6K
United Way of East Tennessee
JOHNSON CITY, TN
Assets
$3.4M
Grants
12
Total Given
$202K
One Family Memphis
MEMPHIS, TN
Assets
$6.4M
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Southeast Center for Cooperative Development
NASHVILLE, TN
Assets
$388K
Grants
1
Total Given
$20K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation to a real strategy.