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The Frist Foundation

Annual Giving
$18.2M
Grant Range
$1K - $5.0M
Decision Time
3mo

The Frist Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $18,211,653 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $200,236,459 (2024)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $5,000,000
  • Average Grant: $106,501
  • Number of Grants: 171 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Davidson County, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Decision Time: Quarterly board meetings (January, April, July, October for larger grants)

Contact Details

Address: 3100 West End Avenue, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37203-1348
Phone: (615) 292-3868
Email: askfrist@fristfoundation.org
Letter of Intent: loi@fristfoundation.org
Website: https://fristfoundation.org/

Overview

The Frist Foundation was established in 1982 by HCA Healthcare as the HCA Foundation, honoring the philanthropic legacy of its founding directors, Dr. Thomas F. Frist Sr. and Dr. Thomas F. Frist Jr., co-founders of Hospital Corporation of America. The foundation became legally independent in 1985 and was renamed The Frist Foundation in 1997. For over 40 years, the foundation has been dedicated to sustaining and improving the quality of life in Nashville and the broader Middle Tennessee area by investing in nonprofit organizations that serve Davidson County residents. With assets exceeding $200 million and annual giving of approximately $18.2 million through 171 grants, the foundation carries forward the Frist family's vision of making people's lives "just a little bit better." The foundation prioritizes collaborative community efforts and enhancing nonprofit capacity, advising organizations on engagement, development, talent acquisition, and strategic growth. Notable achievements include establishing the Frist Art Museum and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Operating Support: The foundation makes dozens of operational grants each year, with the most significant grant going to The Frist Art Museum. Other major operational support recipients include The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, United Way of Greater Nashville, Hands On Nashville, Community Resource Center, and Young Leaders Council. Note: The Foundation is not currently making new grants for operating or programmatic expenses.

Technology Grants: Maximum of $10,000 awarded to successful applicants, though most grants fall in the range of $500 to $5,000. These grants support software implementation and agency collaboration tools for Nashville nonprofit organizations to acquire technology aimed at improving their capacity to deliver services. Hardware upgrades are excluded. The foundation recommends consulting with Hands On Nashville's GeekCause program first.

Management Excellence Grants: An annual competition offering unrestricted grants of up to $25,000 to Nashville-based organizations that best exemplify innovation, productivity, and revenue development.

General Grants: Support projects that increase service capacity or ensure long-term organizational sustainability through capital improvements, earned revenue streams, or consulting for strategic planning. Recent significant grants include $5 million to the Nashville Early Education Coalition and $3 million to YWCA's Weaver Domestic Violence Center.

Priority Areas

The Frist Foundation partners with agencies serving Davidson County residents in six focus areas:

  • Arts & Culture
  • Food Insecurity
  • Health Disparities
  • Immigrants & Refugees
  • Nonprofit Infrastructure
  • Unhoused Neighbors

Preference is given to agencies focused on underserved communities and organizations impacting large numbers of Nashvillians. The foundation supports agencies that address significant community challenges in comprehensive and collaborative ways.

What They Don't Fund

  • Operational or programmatic expenses, including salaries (except for designated operational grant partners)
  • Endowment or scholarship funding
  • Event sponsorships
  • Individual schools, hospitals, or nursing homes
  • Religious organizations for religious purposes
  • Statewide initiatives (focus is Davidson County)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

  • Billy Frist
  • Jennifer Frist
  • Tommy Frist III
  • Julie Frist
  • Trisha Elcan
  • Chuck Elcan
  • Lauren Elcan Ingram

The foundation is governed by its board of directors and represents the philanthropic legacy of the Frist family.

Staff Leadership

  • Corinne Bergeron - Executive Director & CEO: Leads day-to-day operations of Middle Tennessee's largest private foundation with a $25 million+ annual giving budget. Collaborates closely with the board to guide and refine the foundation's giving strategy and cultivate new opportunities that connect this strategy to Nashville's most pressing needs.
  • Colette Easter - Treasurer
  • Julia Lin - Director, Finance & Operations
  • Kate Sorestad - Program Director
  • Annie Axe - Program Manager

Leadership Quotes

Corinne Bergeron has articulated the foundation's commitment to transformative giving:

  • On early childhood education: "We believe this grant has the potential to transform the future of early childhood education in Nashville."
  • On literacy initiatives: "The Frist Foundation believes in bold, transformative efforts that create lasting benefits for our community. Ensuring children can read is foundational to the health and success of a city."
  • On domestic violence services: "The Weaver Domestic Violence Center is a beacon of hope for women and children fleeing violence, and we are proud to support YWCA in ensuring that every person who comes through its doors feels safe and protected."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Note: As of 2025, the foundation has concluded its grantmaking cycle for the year. Applicants should check the website for 2026 updates.

The Frist Foundation reviews grants on an ongoing, rolling basis with no fixed deadlines.

For First-Time Applicants:

  1. Review the Grants Overview page at https://fristfoundation.org/grants/
  2. Email a letter of intent to loi@fristfoundation.org including:
    • Organization's mission statement
    • Number of clients served annually
    • Description of agency need with relevant quotes/scope details
    • Estimated project cost
    • 501(c)(3) status confirmation
  3. Next steps will be determined by staff and might include a phone call, site visit, and/or a formal application

For Existing Grant Partners:

  1. Review the Grantmaking Guidelines
  2. Email a letter of intent to loi@fristfoundation.org with:
    • Annual client count
    • Agency need summary with quotes/scope documentation
    • Anticipated cost

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Serve primarily Davidson County residents
  • Hold 501(c)(3) status
  • Operate for minimum three years
  • Maintain updated profile on GivingMatters.com
  • Focus on one of the foundation's six target areas

Decision Timeline

While there are no deadlines for requests, larger grants are typically approved at board meetings taking place in January, April, July, and October. This quarterly schedule means applicants should plan submissions well in advance of their funding needs. The foundation operates with a rolling review process for smaller requests, providing flexibility for applicants.

Success Rates

Specific success rate statistics are not publicly available. In 2023, the foundation awarded 171 grants totaling $18,211,653, with an average grant size of $106,501.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not publicly state a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. For clarification on reapplication timelines or restrictions, contact the foundation directly at askfrist@fristfoundation.org.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and recent grants, successful applications demonstrate:

  1. Geographic Focus on Davidson County: The foundation explicitly serves Davidson County residents. Projects must primarily benefit this geographic area.

  2. Impact on Underserved Communities: Preference is given to agencies focused on underserved communities and organizations impacting large numbers of Nashvillians. Recent grants reflect this commitment, including support for immigrants and refugees, food insecurity, and unhoused neighbors.

  3. Collaborative Approaches: The foundation values agencies that address significant community challenges in comprehensive and collaborative ways. Examples include the $5 million grant to the Nashville Early Education Coalition, which brings together multiple stakeholders.

  4. Bold, Transformative Vision: As CEO Corinne Bergeron stated, "The Frist Foundation believes in bold, transformative efforts that create lasting benefits for our community." Successful applications demonstrate how funding will create lasting, systemic change.

  5. Organizational Capacity and Sustainability: The foundation supports projects that increase service capacity or ensure long-term organizational sustainability. This includes capital improvements, earned revenue streams, or consulting for strategic planning.

  6. Measurable Outcomes: The foundation works with Nashville nonprofits to help them "optimally direct their missions with measurable outcomes." Applications should clearly articulate expected results.

  7. Technology for Service Delivery: For technology grants, focus on how software implementation and collaboration tools will improve capacity to deliver services. Hardware requests are not funded; the foundation recommends consulting with Hands On Nashville's GeekCause program for hardware needs.

  8. Alignment with Current Priorities: Recent significant grants demonstrate priorities in early education ($5 million to Nashville Early Education Coalition), domestic violence services ($3 million to YWCA), and support for HCA Healthcare colleagues affected by disasters ($1 million to HCA Healthcare Hope Fund).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Davidson County only: Ensure your project primarily serves Davidson County residents; statewide initiatives are not funded.
  • Rolling applications with quarterly decisions: Submit letters of intent at any time, but understand that larger grants are approved quarterly (January, April, July, October).
  • Start with a concise letter of intent: Both first-time and returning applicants begin with a brief LOI to loi@fristfoundation.org before being invited to submit a formal application.
  • Emphasize collaboration and scale: The foundation prioritizes organizations that impact large numbers of Nashvillians and work collaboratively to address community challenges.
  • Think capacity-building over operations: With exceptions for major institutional partners, the foundation prefers to fund capital improvements, technology, strategic planning, and revenue development rather than ongoing operational expenses.
  • Update your GivingMatters profile: This is an eligibility requirement that demonstrates your organization's commitment to transparency and community engagement.
  • Demonstrate bold, transformative impact: Frame your request in terms of lasting community benefit and systemic change, not just incremental program expansion.

References

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