William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation
The William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation is a private foundation based in Franklin, Tennessee. In its 2024 filing, it reported giving $78,400 through 13 grants to organizations in several states.
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation at a glance
In short: William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation gave $78K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Tennessee. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $78,400
- -38.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +8.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,031
- -43.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $803,686
- +93.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (79% 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 William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says applications may be submitted by letter or telephone and must include the charitable need. The foundation reports no restrictions on awards and says applications are considered as needed.
- Review Cycle
- No deadlines; applications are considered on an as-needed basis.
- Deadline
- No deadlines; applications are considered on an as-needed basis.
- Contact
Application contact: Charles Mcmahan
Mailing address: 7001 Sunrise Circle, Franklin, TN 37067
Phone: (615) 744-3774
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Freed-Hardeman University ($31K). Together the top 10 received $77K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 77 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee, 13% to Florida, 3% each to California and New York, and 1% to Illinois. The listed grants also included recipients in South Dakota, Virginia, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 29% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 389% 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 $78K (2024) to $170K (2022). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $78K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Freed-Hardeman University Memphis, TN | Contribution to University - Assistance to Students | $31,400 |
| Crieve Hall Church of Christ Nashville, TN | Assistance to Needy Families | $17,400 |
| Mt Dora Children's Home Mt Dora, FL | General Fund | $10,000 |
| Faith Family Medical Center Nashville, TN | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Sycamore View Church of Christ Memphis, TN | General Fund | $4,750 |
| Bridge Ministry Nashville, TN | General Fund | $3,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | General Fund | $2,000 |
| Global Christian Relief Santa Ana, CA | General Fund | $1,000 |
| Prager U Sherman Oaks, CA | General Fund | $1,000 |
| The Thomas More Society Chicago, IL | General Fund | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $803,686 | $616,525 | $227,512 | $78,400 | 13 | $149,007 | $540,137 | $38,302 |
| 2023 | $416,431 | $241,869 | $270,301 | $127,350 | 12 | $182,108 | $155,676 | $48,891 |
| 2022 | $442,802 | $218,440 | $294,964 | $170,055 | 18 | $230,670 | $156,192 | $62,812 |
| 2021 | $519,336 | $171,903 | $224,477 | $111,038 | 19 | $173,725 | $123,960 | $76,495 |
| 2020 | $571,914 | $166,686 | $273,368 | $162,550 | 15 | — | $122,880 | $64,992 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K 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 show support for varied organizations and purposes. Among the recipients described in their own words, Freed-Hardeman University says it prepares students for lives of community service through physical and spiritual development; Faith Family Medical Center says it provides hope and healing to neighbors in need; and the National Center for Police Defense says it supports law enforcement officers after on-duty catastrophes. Revelation Media says its primary focus is producing and distributing Christian and Biblical content for the next generation and the global missions community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $78,400. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $31,400, with a median of $2,000. Larger awards included $31,400 to Freed-Hardeman University, $17,400 to Crieve Hall Church of Christ for assistance to needy families, and $10,000 to Mt Dora Children’s Home for its general fund. Other grants included $5,000 to Faith Family Medical Center, $4,750 to Sycamore View Church of Christ, $3,000 to Bridge Ministry, and $2,000 to Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Revelation Media received $100.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Charles McMahan is listed as president on the 2024 filing.
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation is led by Charles McMahan, President on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charles McMahan
President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$42K (2020) → $48K (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 $48K, to Charles McMahan (President).
Frequently asked questions about William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation
How much does William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation give each year?
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation gave $78K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $127K across 12 grants.
What is William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's typical grant size?
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $6,031, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation give grants?
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (3 grants) and Memphis, TN (2 grants).
Does William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 85% of William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's largest grantees?
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Freed-Hardeman University ($31,400), Crieve Hall Church of Christ ($17,400) and Mt Dora Children's Home ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation?
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation reported $804K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $149K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $38K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for varied organizations and purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation?
The filing says applications may be submitted by letter or telephone and must include the charitable need. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's EIN?
William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8721865. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
Live grants for the work William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William H & Ella W McMahan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-h-and-ella-w-mcmahan-foundation-morg_92b886e4a0ce4ba29ff352c9aa5e9c2f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208721865_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William H \& Ella W McMahan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-h-and-ella-w-mcmahan-foundation-morg_92b886e4a0ce4ba29ff352c9aa5e9c2f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 William H & Ella W McMahan 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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