The Morris Family Foundation
The Morris Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. It supports individuals facing hardship and makes grants to organizations conducting charitable work that aligns with its values.
The Morris Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Morris Family Foundation gave $121K across 54 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Tennessee. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $120,900
- +20.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 54
- +54.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,239
- -21.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $2,090,329
- -1.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (10 of 54, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (43% 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 Morris Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Brenda Hardison as the contact and says application-process details and required information are available online. Awards are limited to 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Review Cycle
- November 1.
- Deadline
- November 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Brenda Hardison
Mailing address: 104 Woodmont Blvd Suite 122, Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: (615) 665-4448
Website: https://morris-family.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Morris Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Comma Catalyst ($17K). Together the top 10 received $91K.
Grant Size Distribution
228 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 225 grants of 228 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee (43%), New York (34%), Connecticut (10%), Maryland (8%), and Rhode Island (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Morris Family Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 54 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 40% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 69% 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 (2020–2025). 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 $100K (2024) to $200K (2022). In 2025 it made 54 grants totaling $121K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Comma Catalyst Nashville, TN | Donation | $17,250 |
| Oak Hill School Nashville, TN | Donation | $15,000 |
| Estonian American Fund Rockville, MD | Donation | $10,000 |
| Fordham University Bronx, NY | Donation | $10,000 |
| American Foundation for the Courtauld Institute of Art New York, NY | Donation | $10,000 |
| University School of Nashville Nashville, TN | Donation | $10,000 |
| The Society of MSK New York, NY | Donation | $6,000 |
| Voices for a Safer Tennessee Nashville, TN | Donation | $5,000 |
| Harpeth Hall School Nashville, TN | Donation | $4,500 |
| New Canaan Land Trust Inc New Canaan, CT | Donation | $3,100 |
Ready to take the next step with The Morris Family Foundation?
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 | $2,090,329 | $119,129 | $150,836 | $120,900 | 54 | $123,967 | $92,260 | $179,976 |
| 2024 | $2,122,036 | $79,400 | $131,691 | $100,125 | 35 | $109,146 | $56,855 | $163,205 |
| 2023 | $2,174,327 | $62,610 | $184,182 | $159,501 | 46 | $164,614 | $43,042 | $139,130 |
| 2022 | $2,296,399 | $68,609 | $228,095 | $200,000 | 49 | $200,000 | $47,786 | $135,810 |
| 2021 | $2,455,885 | $337,386 | $233,656 | $197,000 | 44 | $197,000 | $314,197 | $160,371 |
| 2020 | $2,352,155 | $-106,251 | $204,273 | $177,400 | 48 | — | $16,451 | $142,271 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Morris Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $180K 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
The foundation’s mission is to create a lasting impact in people’s lives by supporting the community. It also supports a range of causes and nonprofit organizations aligned with its values.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the variety of organizations it supports. Oak Hill School describes its mission as building character and integrity in a Christian environment for lifelong learning and service. Fordham University says it is committed to discovering wisdom and transmitting learning through research and education. Voices for a Safer Tennessee describes its work as firearm safety education for social welfare. Other 2024 grantees included organizations focused on theater, ballet, adult and family literacy, and the conservation of objects related to horse racing.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 54 grants totaling $120,900. Awards ranged from $100 to $17,250, with a median of $500. Its largest listed grants included $17,250 to Comma Catalyst and $15,000 to Oak Hill School, both in Nashville; $10,000 each to the Estonian American Fund, Fordham University, the American Foundation for the Courtauld Institute of Art, and University School of Nashville; and $6,000 to The Society of MSK.
The foundation made 35 grants totaling $100,125 in 2024 and 46 grants totaling $159,501 in 2023. Among its 2024 grants were $10,000 to Oak Hill School, $8,000 to Fordham University, and $7,125 each to Voices for a Safer Tennessee and University School of Nashville.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John A. Morris and Alfred H. Morris as trustees.
The Morris Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alfred H. Morris
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John A. Morris
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/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 Morris Family Foundation
How much does The Morris Family Foundation give each year?
The Morris Family Foundation gave $121K across 54 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $100K across 35 grants.
What is The Morris Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Morris Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $2,239, across 54 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Morris Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Morris Family Foundation give grants?
The Morris Family Foundation's top state is Tennessee, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (34%) and Connecticut (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (17 grants), New Canaan, CT (13 grants), Nashville, TN (5 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Morris Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 54 grants with a stated purpose on The Morris Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (54 grants).
Who are The Morris Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Morris Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Comma Catalyst ($17,250), Oak Hill School ($15,000) and Estonian American Fund ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Morris Family Foundation?
The Morris Family Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $124K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $180K (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 Morris Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to create a lasting impact in people’s lives by supporting the community. It also supports a range of causes and nonprofit organizations aligned with its values. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Morris Family Foundation?
The filing lists Brenda Hardison as the contact and says application-process details and required information are available online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Morris Family Foundation's EIN?
The Morris Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1913577. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Morris Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-morris-family-foundation-morg_c575e7a609a24b3aa400c1fa8742b138
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_581913577_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Morris Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-morris-family-foundation-morg_c575e7a609a24b3aa400c1fa8742b138},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Morris 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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