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Yarbrough Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.0M
Grant Range
$3K - $5.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7,000,000
  • Assets: $148,000,000
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Grant Range: $3,000 - $5,270,000
  • Median Grant: $3,000
  • Geographic Focus: Tennessee with some national reach
  • Application Method: Invitation only/no public application process

Contact Details

Address: Franklin, TN

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Yarbrough Family Foundation was established in 2006 in Tennessee and has been tax-exempt since January 2008. Based in Franklin, Tennessee, this private family foundation has grown to manage assets of approximately $148 million and distributes around $7 million annually in grants. The foundation is led by Jon Yarbrough, who founded Video Gaming Technologies (VGT) in 1991 and sold the company to Australian firm Aristocrat Leisure for $1.28 billion in 2014. Since then, Yarbrough has focused on managing his wealth through his family office and philanthropic activities in Tennessee. The foundation focuses on funding initiatives in arts and culture, education, and human services, with a strong preference for organizations based in or benefitting Tennessee. In 2024, the foundation made 31 grants, with previous years showing higher grant counts (81 awards in 2023, 80 awards in 2022).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Yarbrough Family Foundation primarily provides unrestricted grants, giving organizations flexibility in how funds are used. Grant amounts vary significantly:

  • Median Grant: $3,000
  • Grant Range: From small grants around $3,000 to major gifts exceeding $5 million
  • Largest 2024 Grant: $5.27 million to Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

The foundation distributes approximately $7 million annually across 30-80 grants, depending on the year.

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three main areas:

  • Arts and Culture: Supporting cultural institutions and arts organizations
  • Education: Including K-12 schools, higher education, and youth development programs
  • Human Services: Health and human services organizations, both local and national

The foundation tends to prioritize organizations based in or benefitting Tennessee, though it does support some national organizations.

Notable Recipients

Recent grant recipients have included:

  • Battle Ground Academy (significant support, including funding for the Yarbrough Family Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership)
  • Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
  • Nashville Entrepreneur Center
  • Vanderbilt University
  • High Hopes Development Center
  • American Red Cross
  • UNICEF USA
  • United Way of Greater Nashville
  • American Cancer Society
  • Autism Speaks
  • Mercy Community Healthcare
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness
  • Heifer International
  • African Leadership

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from organizations they have not previously identified or with whom they do not have an existing relationship.

Governance and Leadership

President: Jon Yarbrough
Secretary: Kathy Lee Campbell Yarbrough

Both leaders work on a voluntary basis without compensation (each working approximately 1 hour per week as reported on IRS filings). Jon Yarbrough graduated from Tennessee Technological University in 1981 with a degree in industrial engineering. He ranked No. 327 on the Forbes 400 list of America's richest people in 2020. Beyond the family foundation, Yarbrough has supported various Tennessee organizations including the Tennessee Equality Project and the Beacon Center of Tennessee. He currently runs his family office, Yarbrough Capital, LLC, in Franklin, TN.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Yarbrough Family Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The foundation identifies and selects grant recipients through the discretion of its trustees, Jon and Kathy Yarbrough.

Organizations cannot apply for funding unless they have been specifically invited or selected by the foundation's leadership. The foundation is not involved in any direct charitable activities; its primary purpose is to support other charitable organizations exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(3) through grants.

Getting on Their Radar

The Yarbrough Family Foundation has demonstrated strong ties to the Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee communities. Based on their giving patterns, the foundation appears to support organizations through:

  • Board and Personal Connections: The Yarbroughs' significant support for Battle Ground Academy (including a named facility, the Yarbrough Family Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership) suggests they support institutions where they have personal involvement or connection.

  • Community Foundation Partnership: Their major $5.27 million grant to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in 2024 indicates they may work through community foundations to identify worthy causes. Organizations working with CFMT or similar community foundations may have indirect access to Yarbrough Family Foundation support.

  • Entrepreneurship Focus: The Nashville Entrepreneur Center appears among their recipients, aligning with Jon Yarbrough's background as an entrepreneur. Organizations supporting entrepreneurship and business development in Tennessee may be of interest.

  • Franklin/Nashville Focus: The foundation shows strong geographic loyalty to Middle Tennessee, particularly the Franklin and Nashville areas where the family is based.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable. The foundation operates on trustee discretion without public application deadlines or decision cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. The foundation does not accept applications from organizations they have not preselected.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable. Organizations cannot apply or reapply unless specifically invited by the foundation's trustees.

Application Success Factors

Since the Yarbrough Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analyzing their giving patterns reveals preferences that may be relevant for organizations hoping to be noticed:

  • Geographic Connection to Tennessee: The foundation shows strong preference for Tennessee-based organizations or those benefitting Tennessee residents, particularly in the Franklin and Nashville areas.

  • Unrestricted Grant Model: The foundation primarily provides unrestricted grants, indicating they prefer to support organizations they trust to use funds where most needed rather than funding specific projects.

  • Range of Grant Sizes: The foundation makes both small grants (median of $3,000) and transformational gifts (up to $5.27 million), suggesting they calibrate support based on the organization's scale and their relationship.

  • Focus on Core Mission Areas: Arts and culture, education, and human services consistently appear in their giving, with particular emphasis on youth development and education.

  • Entrepreneurship Interest: Given Jon Yarbrough's background and support for the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, organizations promoting entrepreneurship and innovation may align with family interests.

  • Long-term Relationships: The foundation appears to build sustained relationships with key organizations (such as Battle Ground Academy) rather than making one-time grants to many different organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Do not submit applications unless specifically invited.

  • Preselected Organizations Only: The foundation works exclusively with organizations they have identified through trustee discretion and personal relationships.

  • Strong Tennessee Focus: Geographic connection to Middle Tennessee, particularly Franklin and Nashville, appears to be a significant factor in their giving.

  • Wide Grant Range: While the median grant is $3,000, the foundation has made grants exceeding $5 million, indicating capacity for transformational support to organizations within their sphere of interest.

  • Unrestricted Giving Philosophy: The foundation primarily provides unrestricted grants, suggesting they prefer to empower trusted organizations rather than direct specific program outcomes.

  • Personal Connection Matters: The significant support for Battle Ground Academy (including a named facility) demonstrates the importance of personal connection and involvement in their philanthropic decisions.

  • Entrepreneurship Alignment: Organizations supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and business development may align with the founder's background and interests.

References

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