Memorial Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Memorial Foundation funds work in access to quality health care services, human and social services, education, youth and childhood development, senior citizen enrichment services and community services, within its stated geographic focus of Davidson, Sumner and Robertson.
- Typical grants to organisations run from $5,000 to $55,000, with a median of $20,000, so a modest request in that range is realistic, though the largest grant was about $625,000.
- The foundation requires a brief meeting with its staff to establish potential eligibility before any application is made, and giving is rolling rather than tied to a single deadline.
- A large share (85%) of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations also funded in the two prior filings, so this looks like a relationship-led funder where building contact over time matters.
- It does not fund individuals, newsletters or magazines, churches' projects that primarily benefit their own members (unless the church-based programme has broad community support and separate financial statements), disease-specific organisations seeking support for national research projects, advertising or sponsorship of events, legislative lobbying or other political purposes, retirement of accumulated debt, bricks and mortar capital projects for colleges, universities or private/public school education, or multi-year grants for operating funds.
Overview
Memorial Foundation is a US private foundation based in Madison, 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
Memorial Foundation partners with nonprofit organisations to improve quality of life in its community and to help create a community where all people are healthy, whole and safe. It focuses on access to quality health care services; human and social services; education; youth and childhood development; senior citizen enrichment services; and community services. It prefers grants with significant and lasting impact on individuals and communities, with special emphasis on data-driven, trauma-informed organisations. It also strives to respond to immediate, critical needs in the community and supports ongoing work as well as responses to crises.
Themes
- Access to Quality Health Care Services
- Human & Social Services
- Education
- Youth and Childhood Development
- Senior Citizen Enrichment Services
- Community Services
Geographic Focus
Davidson; Sumner; Robertson.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Newsletters, magazines
- Churches and religious organizations for projects that primarily benefit their own members (exception: church-based programs with broad community support and separate financial statements)
- Disease-specific organizations seeking support for national research projects and programs
- Advertising or sponsorship of events
- Legislative lobbying or other political purposes
- Retire accumulated debt
- Bricks and mortar capital projects for colleges, universities, and private/public school education
- Multi-year grants for operating funds
How to apply
Before each grant request, the organisation must contact Memorial Foundation and arrange a brief meeting to establish potential eligibility; Foundation staff explain the application procedure at the meeting.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 85% 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 562 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation prefers grants that will have a significant and lasting impact on individuals and communities.
- It places special emphasis on data-driven, trauma-informed organisations.
- An organisation should demonstrate a broad base of financial support before requesting a grant.
- Start-up projects may be considered for new initiatives addressing unmet community needs and showing potential for ongoing support from other sources.
- Foundation staff may schedule meetings and site visits with an applicant organisation as appropriate.
- Trustees base decisions on staff findings and recommendations; applicants do not need to contact trustees.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 4% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations Memorial Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 182 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- FiftyForward Madison Station · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$200,0002024 tax year
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$100,0002024 tax year
- Ywca Of Nashville And Middle TN · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$90,0002024 tax year
- Operation Stand Down Tennessee · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$85,0002024 tax year
- Siloam Health · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$80,0002024 tax year
- Stars Nashville · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$80,0002024 tax year
- Sexual Assault Center · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$75,0002024 tax year
- Agape · To further one or more of the exempt purposes of the charity$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Will Morrow — Director
- Melvin J Malone — Director
- Kim Crane Mallory — Director
- Beth Little — Director
- Shanna L Jackson — Director
- Frank Grace JR — Director
- Frank E Gordon — Director
- Alfonzo Alexander — Secretary
- Varina F Buntin — Vice Chair
- David E McKee — Chair
- Jackson Routh — Vice President, Programs And Grants
- Scott S Perry — President
- Fleming Wilt — Director
- I Michele Williams — Director
- Barbara Springer — Director
- V Seenu Reddy — Director
- Gini Pupo-Walker — Director
- Emily Pruett — Director
- Eddie Phillips — Director
- J Edward Pearson JR — Director
and 1 more
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $8,664,985 | $6,053,424 | $128,755,477 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,278,328 | $5,330,020 | $136,429,313 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $6,348,865 | $4,374,880 | $135,065,021 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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