Footprint Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 27-5486356 · since 2011footprintfoundation.org·California, Chattanooga·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.1M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $100k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$10,000

Typical grant (median)

51 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

Footprint Foundation accepts requests only by invitation, and it invites applications after relationships have been established, so the sensible first step is to build contact with the foundation before making any request.
Its stated support is for efforts specific to Chattanooga and Northern California, and it looks for work in its four focus areas (creative culture, environment, learning and social justice) that could affect more than one of them.
Typical grants fall between $1,000 and $100,000, with a median of $10,000 and half of its grants to organisations at $10,000 or less, though its largest grant was $125,000, so that band is not a ceiling; a modest, well-costed request fits its usual pattern.
Most of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, so its giving leans on existing ties, and the foundation does not fund capital campaigns, capital projects, annual campaigns or fundraising events, so those requests should not be made.

Overview

Footprint Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chattanooga, TN.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

Footprint Foundation centres relationships in its grantmaking, cultivating relationships, convening partners, investing in leadership and encouraging collaboration with people and organisations working in its four focus areas: creative culture, environment, learning and social justice. It sees its grants as investments in people with new ideas for strengthening community. It values efforts that attract, retain and grow talent, generate new leadership, take risks, explore new ideas and approaches, support collaborations, engage under-served populations, enrich public spaces and build community. Grant requests are by invitation, following established relationships and an opportunity for a grant to affect more than one focus area. Its stated grant geography is Chattanooga and Northern California.

Themes

Creative culture
Environment
Learning
Social justice

Geographic Focus

Priority: Chattanooga; Northern California.

What They Don't Fund

Capital campaigns
Capital projects
Annual campaigns
Fundraising events

How to apply

Requests are by invitation only. The foundation invites applications after relationships have been established and when a grant could affect more than one focus area; it supports efforts specific to Chattanooga and Northern California.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 78% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 165 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

It values efforts that attract, retain and grow talent.
It values efforts that generate new leadership.
It values efforts that take risks.
It values efforts that explore new ideas and approaches.
It values efforts that support collaborations.
It values efforts that engage under-served populations.
It values efforts that enrich public spaces.
It values efforts that build community.
Its grantmaking approach puts relationships at the centre of the process.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Tennessee71%

New York17%

California8%

North Carolina2%

Texas<1%

District of Columbia<1%

3 other states: <1%

The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 78% of grant dollars went to organisations Footprint Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
13% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

51 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $10,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 51 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k6%

$1k–$2.5k24%

$2.5k–$5k6%

$5k–$10k14%

$10k–$25k29%

$25k–$50k10%

$50k–$100k2%

$100k–$250k10%

Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Teach for America · To support operations of the Nashville-Chattanooga office for tfa chattanooga corp members
$125,0002024 tax year
ArtsBuild · General & Unrestricted
$111,0002024 tax year
Open Space Institute Land Trust · Cradle of Southern Appalachia Fund and Thriving Communities natural treasures
$100,0002024 tax year
East Bay Community Foundation · For programs and activities supported by the Footprint foundation
$100,0002024 tax year
Urban League of Greater Chattanooga · General & Unrestricted
$100,0002024 tax year
Chattanoogans in Action for Love Equality and Benevolence · General & Unrestricted
$72,8252024 tax year
Ella Library · General & Unrestricted
$38,0002024 tax year
Beloved Asheville · Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts
$25,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Alice Smith — Director, President
Alfred Smith — Director, VP
L Thomas Montague — Director, Secretary
Kristina Montague — Director
John P Montague — Director, Treasurer
Jessica Montague — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$2,415,314	$1,636,000	$25,762,031	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$1,872,093	$1,176,999	$27,238,450	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$1,836,771	$1,081,525	$27,865,617	Filing for 2024 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.