The Melrose Foundation
The Melrose Foundation is a private foundation based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Its 2025 filing lists charitable support for organizations including a health center, an art museum, a food bank, and community-service organizations.
The Melrose Foundation at a glance
In short: The Melrose Foundation gave $32K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $947.059), mostly in Tennessee. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $32,200
- +11.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $947
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $401,999
- +6.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (2 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Melrose Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Application contact: Jackson G Kramer
Mailing address: C/O The Melrose Foundation, PO Box 629, Knoxville, TN 37901-0629
Phone: (865) 525-5134
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Melrose Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Interfaith Health Center ($5K). Together the top 10 received $21K.
Grant Size Distribution
169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 169 grants of 169 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in filing year 2025 went to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Melrose Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 34 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $400; repeat grants $981. How we count
Medians: $400 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 94% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 171% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $29K (2024) to $32K (2025). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $32K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Interfaith Health Center Knoxville, TN | Medical Support | $5,000 |
| Knoxville Museum of Art Knoxville, TN | Educational Support | $5,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of East TN Maryville, TN | Charitable Support | $2,000 |
| Volunteer Ministry Center Knoxville, TN | Charitable Support | $2,000 |
| Emerald Youth Foundation Knoxville, TN | Charitable Support | $1,500 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of East TN Knoxville, TN | Educational Support | $1,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of the TN Valley Knoxville, TN | Charitable Support | $1,000 |
| Fish Hospitality Pantries Knoxville, TN | Charitable Support | $1,000 |
| Shangri-La Ther Academy of Riding Lenoir City, TN | Charitable Support | $1,000 |
| Tennessee Wesleyan University Athens, TN | Educational Support | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $401,999 | $33,265 | $37,822 | $32,200 | 34 | $32,200 | $27,643 | $18,799 |
| 2024 | $376,998 | $11,922 | $37,286 | $28,950 | 33 | $28,950 | $10,104 | $18,141 |
| 2023 | $365,404 | $48,780 | $36,313 | $29,450 | 34 | $29,450 | $7,493 | $17,589 |
| 2022 | $352,937 | $10,325 | $113,806 | $30,025 | 34 | $30,025 | — | $19,929 |
| 2021 | $456,418 | $48,513 | $39,028 | $29,950 | 34 | $29,950 | $20,624 | $21,957 |
| 2020 | $446,933 | $55,439 | $37,121 | $29,800 | 33 | — | $46,061 | $20,919 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Melrose Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K for 2025 — 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 grants support organizations working in areas that include healthcare, visual arts education, food assistance, housing support, youth programs, and higher education. For example, Interfaith Health Center describes its mission as providing accessible, affordable, quality healthcare to low-income, working underserved people; Knoxville Museum of Art says it promotes public interest, awareness, knowledge, and education in the visual arts in East Tennessee. Volunteer Ministry Center says it works with homeless individuals to help them achieve housing and access supportive services, and Emerald Youth Foundation describes programs serving urban youth through faith, education, and sports.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $32,200. Grants ranged from $150 to $5,000, with a median of $500. The largest grants included $5,000 each to Interfaith Health Center for medical support and Knoxville Museum of Art for educational support; $2,000 each to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee and Volunteer Ministry Center; and $1,500 to Emerald Youth Foundation. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, FISH Hospitality Pantries, Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding, Tennessee Wesleyan University, University Health System, and Wesley House Community Center.
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its filing says to contact Jackson G. Kramer and provide the organization’s name and address, type of organization, an IRC Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt determination letter, and a brochure or other printed materials about its activities and operations. The filing lists no restrictions other than that an organization must be a 501(c)(3).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jackson G. Kramer as president, Wayne R. Kramer as vice president, secretary, and treasurer, and Cowan Rodgers III as a member.
The Melrose Foundation is led by Jackson G. Kramer, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jackson G. Kramer
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cowan Rodgers III
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wayne R. Kramer
Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Melrose Foundation
How much does The Melrose Foundation give each year?
The Melrose Foundation gave $32K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $29K across 33 grants.
What is The Melrose Foundation's typical grant size?
The Melrose Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $947, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Melrose Foundation that year got $400 on average.
Where does The Melrose Foundation give grants?
The Melrose Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Knoxville, TN (28 grants), Maryville, TN (2 grants) and Athens, TN (2 grants).
Does The Melrose Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Melrose Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Support" (26 grants) and "Educational Support" (6 grants).
Who are The Melrose Foundation's largest grantees?
The Melrose Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Interfaith Health Center ($5,000), Knoxville Museum of Art ($5,000) and Second Harvest Food Bank of East TN ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Melrose Foundation?
The Melrose Foundation reported $402K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $32K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $19K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Melrose Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support organizations working in areas that include healthcare, visual arts education, food assistance, housing support, youth programs, and higher education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Melrose Foundation?
The Melrose Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines.
What is The Melrose Foundation's EIN?
The Melrose Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6037984. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Melrose 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 20, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
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