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Joe C. Davis Foundation

Annual Giving
$7.1M
Grant Range
$1K - $2.8M
Decision Time
1mo

Joe C. Davis Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $7.1 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $2,750,000
  • Median Grant: $20,000
  • Number of Grants: 104-122 grants per year
  • Assets: $112.5 million
  • Geographic Focus: Davidson County, TN (Nashville area)
  • Application Deadlines: February 15 and August 1

Contact Details

Address: 104 Woodmont Blvd., Suite 310, Nashville, Tennessee 37205

Website: www.joecdavisfoundation.org

Executive Director: Angela Moretti Goddard
Phone: 615.352.9036

Application Contact: Contact Angela Goddard to initiate the application process

Overview

Established in 1976 by coal industry entrepreneur Joseph Columbus Davis Jr., the Joe C. Davis Foundation has contributed over $100 million to Nashville-area nonprofits. With assets of $112.5 million and annual giving of approximately $7.1 million, the foundation awards 100+ grants annually across education, healthcare, and social services. The foundation's mission is "to help people help themselves, while encouraging and maintaining individual initiative and responsibility"—a philosophy deeply rooted in Davis's own life story. Davis attended Montgomery Bell Academy on a need-based scholarship and earned a tennis scholarship to Vanderbilt University, experiences that shaped his belief in combining education with personal effort and commitment. The foundation is managed by family member trustees who continue Davis's legacy of strategic, empowering philanthropy focused on the Nashville community.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates two grant cycles annually:

  • March Grant Cycle: Applications due February 15; maximum request $25,000
  • September Grant Cycle: Applications due August 1; grants over $25,000 considered in this cycle only

Grant amounts range from $500 to $2,750,000, with a median award of $20,000.

Priority Areas

Education

  • K-12 public education programs, including charter schools
  • Recruitment and development of top educational talent
  • Increasing supply of high-performing charter schools
  • Need-based scholarships at Montgomery Bell Academy and Harpeth Hall School (limited support for private schools)
  • Early childhood education programs
  • After-school programs
  • Adult education and workforce development
  • Limited support for post-secondary institutions, primarily Vanderbilt University and specialized training programs

Healthcare

  • Medical training programs
  • Health and wellness initiatives
  • Medical clinics serving the underinsured
  • Addiction services
  • Mental health services and crisis intervention

Community and Social Services

  • Programs helping children reach their highest potential
  • Services supporting adult self-sufficiency
  • Youth mentoring programs
  • Parent education
  • Workforce development
  • Affordable housing initiatives
  • Community resource centers

What They Don't Fund

  • Arts programs
  • Environmental causes
  • Religious activities (except as incidental to other programs)
  • Grants to individuals
  • Fundraising events or dinner tickets

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The foundation is governed by four co-trustees, all family members of Joe C. Davis who serve without compensation:

Nancy Graves Beveridge (Joe C. Davis's cousin)

  • Pediatrician at The Children's Clinic of Nashville
  • Graduated from University of North Carolina and Wake Forest Medical School
  • Pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital
  • Board leadership with Harpeth Hall School and Eating Disorders Coalition of TN

Delta Anne Davis (Joe C. Davis's niece)

  • Civil and criminal litigation attorney
  • Graduated from Denison University and Vanderbilt Law School
  • Former Managing Attorney at Southern Environmental Law Center
  • Board leadership with multiple Nashville nonprofits

William R. DeLoache, Jr. (Joe C. Davis's nephew)

  • Private investor in consumer products companies
  • Graduated from Vanderbilt University and University of Chicago Business School
  • Worked with Joe C. Davis as Treasurer of Davis Coals, Inc. (1979-1989)
  • Founded Beacon Education Management, a charter school management company
  • Board leadership with multiple Nashville organizations

Frances DeLoache Ellison (Joe C. Davis's niece)

  • Former healthcare attorney in Greenville, SC
  • Graduated from Vanderbilt University and University of South Carolina Law School
  • Served on boards of various Greenville nonprofits

Staff

Angela Moretti Goddard, Executive Director

  • Native of Watertown, TN
  • Graduated from Middle Tennessee State University
  • Previously worked with Turner Family Foundations
  • Completed Southeastern Council of Foundations' Hull Fellowship program
  • Responsible for strategic direction, gathering background information for trustee grant decisions, coordinating with applicants throughout the process, and following up with grantees

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Organizations must be 501(c)(3) charitable organizations
  • Must be based in Davidson County, TN
  • No grants to individuals

Application Requirements:

  1. Organization overview
  2. Project/program description
  3. Financial summary
  4. Current GivingMatters.com profile confirmation

Additional Documentation (if GivingMatters.com profile not current):

  • List of executive managers and board members
  • Latest audited financial statements
  • IRS determination letter
  • Form 990 tax filing

Submission Process:

  • Contact Angela Goddard at 615.352.9036 to initiate the application
  • Use the foundation's secure online grant application system
  • Applicants may include supplemental information to provide additional context

Decision Timeline

March Cycle:

  • Application deadline: February 15
  • Grant decisions: March
  • Maximum request: $25,000

September Cycle:

  • Application deadline: August 1
  • Grant decisions: September
  • Grants over $25,000 considered in this cycle

Reapplication Policy

The foundation notes that "requests for grants in multiple consecutive years are carefully reviewed," suggesting that while repeat funding is possible, applicants should demonstrate why multi-year support is necessary rather than assuming automatic renewal.

Application Success Factors

Foundation Philosophy and Values

The foundation seeks organizations that exemplify Joe C. Davis's core values: personal initiative, perseverance, hard work, education, and entrepreneurship. As stated on their website, they make contributions to "charitable organizations exemplifying the core values of Joe C. Davis."

The foundation's mission—"to help people help themselves, while encouraging and maintaining individual initiative and responsibility"—reflects Davis's belief in "helping motivated individuals help themselves." He "appreciated and recognized the impact of education but only when combined with real personal effort and commitment."

What the Foundation Prioritizes

According to their grant-making policies, the foundation looks for:

  • Strong leadership: Organizations with effective, committed leadership
  • Sustainable financial models: Programs with long-term financial viability
  • Leading expertise: Organizations recognized as experts in their service area
  • Larger grants require extensive interaction: The foundation notes that larger grant requests involve more engagement and relationship-building

Grant Types and Preferences

  • Preference for one-time grants: The foundation prefers supporting specific initiatives rather than ongoing operational support
  • Program enhancement or creation: Grants that enhance existing programs or create new sustainable programs
  • Capital and facility requests considered: The foundation will review requests for buildings, renovations, or equipment
  • Limited operating support: Small operating cost grants are possible but not preferred

Strategic Focus in Education

In recent years, education funding has focused specifically on:

  • Recruitment and development of top talent in the education sector
  • Increasing the supply of high-performing charter schools
  • Need-based scholarships for academically promising students at MBA and Harpeth Hall

This targeted approach reflects the foundation's commitment to scalable impact and quality over quantity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Demonstrate alignment with core values: Emphasize how your organization embodies personal initiative, perseverance, hard work, and entrepreneurship—the values Joe C. Davis exemplified throughout his life
  • Show you're helping people help themselves: Programs that empower individuals and promote self-sufficiency will resonate more strongly than those creating dependency
  • Highlight strong leadership and sustainability: The foundation explicitly seeks organizations with effective leadership and sustainable financial models
  • Be strategic about timing and amount: Requests under $25,000 can be submitted for the March cycle (faster turnaround), while larger requests must wait for the September cycle
  • Emphasize expertise and impact: Position your organization as a recognized leader in your field with measurable outcomes
  • Consider one-time project funding: Frame your request as a specific initiative rather than general operating support, as the foundation prefers time-limited, outcome-focused grants
  • Build relationships for larger grants: The foundation notes that larger grants require "extensive interaction," so invest time in relationship-building with Executive Director Angela Goddard before submitting substantial requests

References

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