The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland is a private foundation based in Union City, Tennessee. Its 2024 filing reports support for education, childcare scholarships for qualifying applicants through the Promethean Foundation, and other charitable organizations, with most reported grant dollars going to Tennessee recipients.
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland at a glance
In short: The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland gave $11.2M across 46 grants in 2024 (avg $244K), mostly in Tennessee. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,211,385
- +9.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 46
- +12.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $243,726
- -2.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $301,097,450
- +5.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (8 of 46, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (99% 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 Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 624 Reelfoot Avenue, Union City, TN 38261
Phone: (615) 310-0648
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Discovery Park of America ($8.7M). Together the top 10 received $11.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
199 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 184 grants of 199 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee. The filing also lists recipients in Ohio, Florida, California, and Kentucky, each accounting for 0% of grant dollars when rounded as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 46 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 46 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $294K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $8.2M (2020) to $11.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 46 grants totaling $11.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery Park of America Union City, TN | Education | $8,664,085 |
| Charitable - Promethean Foundation Union City, TN | Provide Daycare for at Risk Children | $2,288,300 |
| Union City Rotary Foundation Union City, TN | Scholarships and other service proj | $59,000 |
| The Cincinnati Tennis Foundation Mason, OH | Make tennis accessible & change lives | $48,000 |
| Univ of TN Foundation Knoxville, TN | Scholarships | $15,000 |
| Boca Grande Women's Scholarship Club Boca Grande, FL | Make a difference through community service | $12,000 |
| Cumberland University Lebanon, TN | Provide quality/affordable education | $10,000 |
| Imagine Worldwide Mill Valley, CA | Empowering children around the globe to build literacy & numeracy skills | $10,000 |
| Preston Taylor Ministries Nashville, TN | Christian Youth Ministry | $10,000 |
| Inland Waterways Museum Paducah, KY | Stimulate curiousity & understanding of our Nations river system | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $301,097,450 | $18,742,183 | $15,216,896 | $11,211,385 | 46 | $11,211,385 | $12,413,398 | $11,211,385 |
| 2023 | $285,400,021 | $16,870,044 | $13,353,299 | $10,268,774 | 41 | $10,268,774 | $9,711,786 | $10,277,188 |
| 2022 | $270,455,265 | $10,828,232 | $12,865,428 | $10,041,429 | 31 | $10,041,429 | $4,012,537 | $10,041,429 |
| 2021 | $287,925,102 | $17,113,043 | $12,005,085 | $9,855,652 | 40 | $9,855,652 | $10,211,358 | $9,846,413 |
| 2020 | $268,692,547 | $7,555,622 | $10,059,927 | $8,215,032 | 41 | — | $842,649 | $8,215,032 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland reported a distributable amount of $11.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available filing does not state an overarching mission for the foundation. Its reported activities and grants include educational institutions and programs, childcare scholarships, scholarships for higher education, youth services, and tennis access.
Discovery Park of America describes its mission as creating and serving the public as a premier museum and educational institution, with exhibits and collections emphasizing Northwest Tennessee’s cultural heritage and natural history. The funder’s filing also describes Discovery Park’s educational mission and focus on nature, science, technology, history, and art. The Cincinnati Tennis Foundation says it uses racquet sports and educational opportunities to build “Life Champions” and create opportunities for play and development. Union City Rotary Foundation says its mission is to award scholarships to advance higher education. Preston Taylor Ministries describes its work as mentoring and after-school programming for at-risk youth.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 46 grants totaling $11,211,385. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $8,664,085, with a median of $2,500.
The largest reported grants were $8,664,085 to Discovery Park of America for education and $2,288,300 to Charitable - Promethean Foundation to provide day care for at-risk children. Other reported grants included $59,000 to Union City Rotary Foundation for scholarships and service projects, $48,000 to The Cincinnati Tennis Foundation to make tennis accessible, and $15,000 to the University of Tennessee Foundation for scholarships. The foundation also reported grants of $10,000 each to Cumberland University, Imagine Worldwide, and Preston Taylor Ministries.
The filing describes Promethean Foundation’s direct charitable activity as providing day care scholarships to qualifying applicants in the local area. These scholarships are for the foundation’s participants and are not described as a grant program for outside applicants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Christopher Kirkland as president and director, Macy D Kirkland as director, and Bedford F Kirkland as secretary and director.
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland is led by Christopher Kirkland, President & Director on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christopher Kirkland
President & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $100K (2024)
Bedford F Kirkland
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $100K (2024)
Macy D Kirkland
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $100K (2024)
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 $100K, to Christopher Kirkland (Pres/Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland
How much does The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland give each year?
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland gave $11.2M across 46 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $10.3M across 41 grants.
What is The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's typical grant size?
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $243,726, across 46 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland give grants?
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland gives mostly in Tennessee: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Union City, TN (12 grants), Nashville, TN (12 grants), Lebanon, TN (11 grants) and Paducah, KY (2 grants).
Does The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 46 grants with a stated purpose on The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Homes for Low Income" (3 grants).
Who are The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's largest grantees?
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's largest 2024 grantees include Discovery Park of America ($8,664,085), Charitable - Promethean Foundation ($2,288,300) and Union City Rotary Foundation ($59,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland?
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland reported $301.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland fund?
The available filing does not state an overarching mission for the foundation. Its reported activities and grants include educational institutions and programs, childcare scholarships, scholarships for higher education, youth services, and tennis access. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland?
The foundation contributes 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 Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's EIN?
The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4228589. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland 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 October 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 Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-robert-e-and-jenny-d-kirkland-morg_e034ebfd7c2f4525986edb11a158e07a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134228589_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Robert E \& Jenny D Kirkland funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-robert-e-and-jenny-d-kirkland-morg_e034ebfd7c2f4525986edb11a158e07a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland'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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