Sharpe Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it an unsolicited application.
- Its recorded recipients cover a wide mix, including churches, schools and universities, camps, youth and family services, health-related organisations, community groups and libraries, but the filings name no funding fields, so fit is hard to judge from the work alone.
- Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $1,000 – $7,000 and the median is about $2,000, so a request of that order is realistic, though the largest grant was about $260,000 and that band is typical, not a ceiling.
- Repeat giving is meaningful, with 29% of grant dollars in the latest filing going to organisations the foundation had also funded earlier, which suggests that relationships carry weight.
- The filings show most grant dollars going to Tennessee organisations, but no geographic focus is stated, so that is an observation rather than a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Sharpe Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Soddy Daisy, TN.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation’s filings describe its grants only as programme assistance and do not identify specific funding fields. Its recorded recipients span churches, schools and universities, camps, youth and family services, health-related organisations, community groups, and libraries. They also include organisations working in housing and adult literacy. The filings do not state who is eligible or describe a preferred funding approach. Giving is reported across several states, with the great majority of recorded grant dollars going to organisations in Tennessee.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Tennessee.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing gives no further application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 29% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 92 grants to organisations were about $2,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 46% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 29% of grant dollars went to organisations Sharpe Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 46% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 44 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $4,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Generosity Trust · Program assistance$259,9892025 tax year
- New Union Baptist Church · Program assistance$15,0002025 tax year
- Exceptional Bean · Program assistance$15,0002025 tax year
- North River Methodist Church · Program assistance$15,0002025 tax year
- Camp Horizon · Program assist$13,5002025 tax year
- OnPoint · Program assistance$10,0002025 tax year
- Kelcurt Foundation · Program assistance$8,8052025 tax year
- Rhea County Isaiah House · Program assistance$8,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- J Richard Sharpe — Vice Chairman
- Larry Sharpe — Treasurer
- David Sharpe — Chairman
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $56,203 | $49,505 | $847,616 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $82,481 | $49,505 | $10,155,874 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $508,047 | $469,696 | $11,956,030 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Sharpe Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Soddy Daisy, TN
Applying to Sharpe Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Soddy Daisy, TN