32 private foundations reported arts & culture grants in Tennessee on their IRS Form 990-PF filings for tax years 2023–2024. Historical giving records — not an open application portal.
Themes are derived from the free-text purpose each foundation wrote on its own Part XV filing, so a grant is classified by what the funder said it was for. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from recipient counts and tables.
Across tax years 2023–2024, 32 private foundations reported 54 grants for arts & culture totaling $2,333,923 to 48 organizations in Tennessee. The most-funded Tennessee communities were Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville. Robert F Stone Foundation AKA Bobby Stone Foundation reported the most arts & culture giving — $800,000 across 2 grants. The median grant was $5,500.
Foundation filings are a record of past giving. The UseGrants eligibility check matches you to federal and state opportunities accepting applications today.
| Foundation | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Robert F Stone Foundation AKA Bobby Stone Foundation | 2 | $800,000 |
| The Kresge Foundation | 1 | $500,000 |
| William Randolph Hearst Foundation | 1 | $150,000 |
| Stowers Machinery Foundation Inc | 4 | $137,000 |
| Ford Philanthropy | 1 | $130,000 |
| The Henry Luce Foundation Inc | 2 | $125,000 |
| The Blue Waters Foundation | 1 | $122,284 |
| Scheidt Family Foundation Inc | 3 | $50,000 |
| The William Stamps Farish Fund | 1 | $50,000 |
| Benwood Foundation Inc | 2 | $35,000 |
| Mantz Foundation | 1 | $35,000 |
| Virginia G Piper Charitable Trust | 1 | $25,000 |
| Recipient | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| The Tivoli Theatre Foundation Inc | 2 | $800,000 |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art | 5 | $780,000 |
| Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation | 1 | $130,000 |
| Blues Foundation | 1 | $122,284 |
| University of Tennessee Foundation Inc | 2 | $105,000 |
| Frist Center for the Visual Arts Inc | 1 | $50,000 |
| Providence Academy | 1 | $35,000 |
| Artists for Community Transformation Intl Inc | 1 | $25,000 |
| Chattanooga Neighborhoods Arts Partnership | 1 | $25,000 |
| Germantown Performing Arts Center | 1 | $25,000 |
| Dixon Gallery and Garden | 1 | $20,000 |
| Museum Center at 5IVE Points | 1 | $20,000 |
| The Mend House Sober Living Community | 1 | $20,000 |
| OZ Arts Nashville | 1 | $16,500 |
| Indie Memphis | 1 | $15,000 |
32 private foundations reported arts & culture grants in Tennessee on their IRS Form 990-PF filings, totaling $2,333,923. The largest by reported dollars were Robert F Stone Foundation AKA Bobby Stone Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, William Randolph Hearst Foundation. These are historical filings, not open application portals — check each foundation's own guidelines before approaching them.
48 distinct organizations appear as recipients in Tennessee, led by The Tivoli Theatre Foundation Inc, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation. Grants paid directly to named individuals are excluded from these figures.
The median reported arts & culture grant in Tennessee was $5,500, and the largest single reported grant was $750,000. Amounts are as reported by the filing foundation for a historical tax year.
The UseGrants feed tracks federal and state opportunities that are open today, each with the eligibility explained in plain English.
Source: public IRS Form 990-PF Part XV filings (tax years 2023–2024). Theme classification is derived from the funder’s own purpose text and is a summary, not a legal categorization. UseGrants is an independent aggregator, not affiliated with any foundation listed.
