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Formanek Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.6M
Grant Range
$30K - $1.8M

Formanek Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7,600,000 (approx.)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $30,000 - $1,780,000
  • Median Grant: $206,500
  • Geographic Focus: Tennessee (primary), with select U.S. and international projects
  • Total Assets: $155 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: 6075 Poplar Ave, Suite 726, Memphis, TN 38119-4750

Phone: 901-616-1529

Website: No public website

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or publicly listed email address.

Overview

The Formanek Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2008 and based in Memphis, Tennessee. With total assets of approximately $155 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed $7.6 million in charitable grants during its most recent fiscal year. The foundation's mission focuses on two primary areas: promoting public education and academic progress for Tennessee students, and providing healthcare to underinsured working people. The foundation operates with a relatively lean structure led by experienced nonprofit professionals and maintains a low profile with no public website. Over recent years, the foundation has expanded its geographic reach beyond Tennessee to support select initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and international locations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Formanek Foundation makes grants through a single program with no designated sub-programs. In 2023, the foundation awarded 23 grants with a median grant size of $206,500.

Grant Size Range:

  • Minimum: $30,000
  • Maximum: $1,780,241
  • Median: $206,500
  • Average: $323,247

Geographic Scope: While focused primarily on Tennessee, the foundation has supported projects in multiple locations including Austin, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, as well as international locations such as Fort Portal and Nairobi, and projects in Alabama, California, and Connecticut.

Priority Areas

The foundation's stated funding priorities are:

  1. Public Education: Promoting public education and supporting academic progress for Tennessee students
  2. Healthcare Access: Providing healthcare services to underinsured working people in Tennessee

The foundation appears to support both direct service organizations and systemic initiatives within these two focus areas.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though the foundation's narrow focus on education and healthcare for underserved populations in Tennessee suggests limited interest in projects outside these areas.

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team:

  • Walter W. Rotchild - President and Director (serves without compensation)
  • J. Michael Howard II - Secretary-Treasurer and Director (serves without compensation)
  • Eric Robertson - Executive Director (2024 compensation: $210,000)

Eric Robertson joined the Formanek Foundation around 2021, bringing experience from his previous role as founder, president, and CEO of Community LIFT, a Memphis-based organization focused on disinvested neighborhoods. His background in community development and work with underserved populations aligns with the foundation's mission.

The foundation operates with a board of directors who serve without compensation, reflecting a commitment to maximizing grant dollars for charitable purposes.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Formanek Foundation accepts unsolicited applications. According to available information, the initial approach is by proposal with no specific deadline, suggesting a rolling application process.

However, the foundation has no public website, published application guidelines, or online portal. Interested applicants should:

  1. Submit written proposals by mail to the foundation's Memphis office
  2. Contact the foundation by phone (901-616-1529) to inquire about current application procedures and requirements

Given the foundation's low public profile and lack of published guidelines, prospective applicants may benefit from making initial contact by phone before submitting a full proposal.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly available. With 23 grants awarded in 2023 and no fixed deadlines, the foundation likely reviews applications on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However, with 23 grants awarded in 2023 and relatively substantial grant sizes (median $206,500), the foundation appears to be selective in its grantmaking.

Historical Grant Activity:

  • 2023: 23 awards
  • 2022: 20 awards
  • 2021: 18 awards
  • 2020: 41 awards

The decline in number of grants from 2020 to subsequent years may reflect a strategic shift toward fewer, larger grants rather than reduced giving capacity.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not publicly documented. Interested applicants should inquire directly with the foundation.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information available about the Formanek Foundation's specific preferences and evaluation criteria, success factors must be inferred from the foundation's stated mission and grant patterns:

Alignment with Mission Focus:

  • Projects must clearly align with either public education advancement for Tennessee students OR healthcare access for underinsured working people
  • Tennessee-based organizations appear to have the strongest fit, though select out-of-state and international projects have been funded

Grant Size Considerations:

  • The foundation appears to favor substantial grants (median $206,500), suggesting preference for organizations with capacity to manage larger awards
  • Projects seeking small grants under $30,000 may not align with the foundation's giving patterns

Geographic Considerations:

  • While Tennessee is the primary focus, the foundation has demonstrated willingness to fund select projects in other U.S. cities and internationally
  • Organizations outside Tennessee should be prepared to articulate a compelling connection to the foundation's mission

Organizational Capacity:

  • With an average grant size of over $300,000, the foundation likely seeks established organizations with demonstrated track records and financial stability

Personal Relationships:

  • Without published guidelines or a public website, personal connections and relationships within the Memphis philanthropic community may play a role in awareness of the foundation

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Narrow Mission Focus: Strictly align your proposal with public education for Tennessee students OR healthcare for underinsured working people
  • Substantial Grant Sizes: The foundation makes significant grants (median $206,500) to a limited number of organizations; ensure your organization has capacity to manage grants of this magnitude
  • Tennessee Priority: Tennessee-based organizations receive priority, though exceptional projects elsewhere may be considered
  • Limited Public Information: With no website or published guidelines, consider making initial phone contact before investing substantial time in proposal development
  • Relationship Development: Given the foundation's low public profile, networking within Memphis philanthropic circles may help build awareness
  • Rolling Applications: No fixed deadlines suggest proposals are reviewed throughout the year, though timing of decisions is unpredictable
  • Selective Grantmaking: With only 23 grants awarded in 2023 from likely many more applications, competition is significant

References

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