The Maclellan Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Because the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, requests or letters of inquiry, a small charity should first look for a link to one of its existing partners or to a funder it collaborates with, rather than sending a cold approach.
- Its themes are discipleship and leadership, community transformation, prayer and generosity, and it directs its resources to faith-based ministries, so a faith-based organisation whose work fits those themes is the natural fit.
- Do not approach it if you are a 509(a)(3) supporting organisation, a private foundation, a 501(c)(4) organisation, a for-profit organisation, or a foreign organisation without current equivalency determination status, or if you are an individual, or if your request is for a capital campaign, buildings, individual churches or schools, scholarships, or political or lobbying work.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $555 and $150,000, and the median grant was $15,000, so a modest request near that level suits most of its giving; that band is typical rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was about $5,300,000.
- The filing shows 94% of grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so expect a relationship-led path, and note that although its stated priority is worldwide, it excludes projects outside Chattanooga that focus on a narrow geographic region without a broader impact.
Overview
The Maclellan 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
The Maclellan Foundation directs financial and leadership resources to faith-based ministries, with a focus on discipleship and leadership development, community transformation, prayer and generosity. It seeks to help communities meet practical and spiritual needs, aiming for measured, transformational impact. The Foundation says it funds projects worldwide, with a strategic scope and reach, and considers requests from specified categories of public-charity organisations. Its approach centres on existing partnerships, collaboration with other funders and research on areas of interest; it does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Themes
- Discipleship and Leadership
- Community Transformation
- Prayer
- Generosity
Geographic Focus
Priority: Worldwide.
What They Don't Fund
- 509(a)(3) supporting organizations
- Private foundations
- 501(c)(4) organizations
- For-profit organizations
- Foreign organizations that do not have current equivalency determination status
- Individuals
- Capital campaigns
- Buildings
- Individual field workers
- Individual churches or schools
- Scholarships
- Projects outside of Chattanooga focused on a narrow geographic region without a broader impact
- Projects which are political in nature, including those requesting funds for lobbying
How to apply
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals, requests or letters of inquiry; it focuses on existing partnerships, collaboration with other funders and research on areas of interest.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 94% 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 813 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation weighs each partnership according to its alignment with the Foundation’s priorities and values and the funds available.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 8%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 5%
- The largest single recipient received 28% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to organisations The Maclellan Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 64% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 161 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $9,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$4,000,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$3,000,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$2,000,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$1,250,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$1,250,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$1,250,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$890,0002024 tax year
- International Generosity Foundation Trust · For various charitable purposes including spiritual formation, building capacity.$860,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Dr Reid Maclellan — Trustee
- Daryl J Heald — Associate Trustee
- Laurence Powell — Trustee
- Catherine M Heald — Trustee
- Elizabeth Lindquist — Trustee
- Christopher H Maclellan — Chairman Of The Board
- Ronald W Blue — Trustee Emeritus)
- Robert H Maclellan — Vice Chairman, Secretary And Treasurer
- Hugh O Maclellan JR — Chairman Emeritus
- David G Denmark — Executive Director
- Frances Heald Sheffield — Trustee
- Michael Tremain — Trustee
- Morgan Maclellan — Trustee
- Lucien Behar — Chief Financial Officer
- Ben Fischer — Trustee
- W Miller Welborn — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $32,010,638 | $21,978,565 | $293,128,033 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $31,235,363 | $21,546,081 | $274,994,744 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $29,774,320 | $21,453,335 | $257,546,064 | 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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At a glance
Applying to The Maclellan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (423) 755-1051
- Chattanooga, TN
- maclellan.net
Applying to The Maclellan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (423) 755-1051
- Chattanooga, TN
- maclellan.net