The Melkus Family Foundation
The Melkus Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. Its 2024 filing reports 75 grants totaling $7,332,734 to charitable organizations, including recipients in Tennessee and New York.
The Melkus Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Melkus Family Foundation gave $7.3M across 75 grants in 2024 (avg $98K), mostly in Tennessee. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,332,734
- +31.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 75
- +4.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $97,770
- +26.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $61,375,549
- -3.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (21 of 75, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (53% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Melkus Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 102 Woodmont Blvd 110, Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: (646) 285-4430
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Melkus Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was International Rescue Committee ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
325 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 195 grants of 325 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee and 37% to recipients in New York. The remaining reported shares went to Florida (4%), North Carolina (3%), and Massachusetts (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 75 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Melkus Family Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 21 of 75 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $101K; repeat grants $97K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 49% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $4.3M (2020) to $7.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 75 grants totaling $7.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $1,000,000 |
| Belmont University Nashville, TN | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $989,184 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $500,000 |
| Ancora TN Nashville, TN | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $400,000 |
| City Harvest New York, NY | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $300,000 |
| Martha O'Bryan Center Nashville, TN | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $294,940 |
| Community Foundation of Collier County Naples, FL | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $270,000 |
| National Resources Defense Council New York, NY | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $250,000 |
| Renewal House Nashville, TN | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $250,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Nashville, TN | To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity | $250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Melkus Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation files Form 990-PF. In 2024 it reported 75 grants; it reported 72 in 2023 and 62 in 2022.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $61,375,549 | $5,675,356 | $8,189,441 | $7,332,734 | 75 | $7,587,190 | $4,704,894 | $7,589,798 |
| 2023 | $63,861,503 | $29,790,597 | $5,811,785 | $5,570,540 | 72 | $5,696,025 | $29,674,863 | $6,519,543 |
| 2022 | $39,234,849 | $1,158,794 | $5,224,401 | $5,056,848 | 62 | $5,118,777 | $1,677,627 | $5,991,265 |
| 2021 | $43,300,456 | $4,646,776 | $5,084,853 | $4,924,639 | 56 | $4,942,598 | $4,515,548 | $5,441,921 |
| 2020 | $43,738,533 | $9,356,735 | $4,972,646 | $4,348,745 | 60 | — | $8,881,585 | $3,876,305 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Melkus Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the International Rescue Committee says it responds to humanitarian crises and helps people affected by conflict and disaster; Belmont University describes itself as a Christ-centered, student-focused Christian community providing education; and Martha O’Bryan Center says it empowers people in poverty through work, education, employment, and fellowship.
Other 2024 grantees include Renewal House, which says it treats and provides housing to women and children affected by substance use disorders; MANNA FoodBank, whose mission is to help end hunger in western North Carolina; and the Sexual Assault Center, which provides healing services and works to end sexual violence through counseling, education, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 75 grants totaling $7,332,734. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $25,000. Among the largest were $1,000,000 to the International Rescue Committee, $989,184 to Belmont University, $500,000 to Doctors Without Borders, $400,000 to ANCORA TN, and $300,000 to City Harvest. Other large awards included $294,940 to Martha O’Bryan Center and $250,000 each to National Resources Defense Council, Renewal House, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kenneth J. Melkus as chairman and treasurer, Barbara L. Melkus as vice president and secretary, and Lauren E. Melkus as president.
The Melkus Family Foundation is led by Lauren E. Melkus, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lauren E. Melkus
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$34K (2020) → $110K (2024)
Kenneth J. Melkus
Chairman & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara L. Melkus
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $110K, to Lauren E Melkus (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Melkus Family Foundation
How much does The Melkus Family Foundation give each year?
The Melkus Family Foundation gave $7.3M across 75 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.6M across 72 grants.
What is The Melkus Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Melkus Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $97,770, across 75 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Melkus Family Foundation that year got $101K on average.
Where does The Melkus Family Foundation give grants?
The Melkus Family Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (37%). The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (32 grants), New York, NY (14 grants), Naples, FL (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Who are The Melkus Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Melkus Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include International Rescue Committee ($1,000,000), Belmont University ($989,184) and Doctors Without Borders ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Melkus Family Foundation?
The Melkus Family Foundation reported $61.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Melkus Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Melkus Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Melkus Family Foundation's EIN?
The Melkus Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1518285. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Melkus Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Melkus Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-melkus-family-foundation-morg_d801a12f88d94a6baeae67e40cfd518d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_621518285_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Melkus Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-melkus-family-foundation-morg_d801a12f88d94a6baeae67e40cfd518d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Melkus Family Foundation'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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