Metta Tree Foundation concentrates its giving on alleviating immediate material needs in the Southeast (notably hunger relief in Chattanooga/Atlanta region) while also investing in biomedical and consciousness research into serious brain illness and psychedelics. They fund a mix of regional service providers (food banks, YMCAs) and academic/research institutions, and occasionally support direct cash transfer experiments. Grants tend to be sizable and focused on a handful of organizations doing frontline service delivery or specialized research.
Metta Tree Foundation’s giving shows a split between immediate hunger relief in the Southeast and research on serious brain illness and consciousness. On the service side, the foundation has supported food banks, community kitchens, and YMCAs in Chattanooga, Atlanta, Maryville, and Rome. On the research side, it has funded Brain Chemistry Labs, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, Duke University, and Harvard Medical School for work tied to serious brain illness, psychedelics, neurodegenerative retinal imaging, and educational programs aimed at alleviating human suffering. The pattern is not limited to one year or one type of organization. Grants recur to the same regional food security groups and to the same research institutions, suggesting a steady portfolio rather than one-off awards. GiveDirectly also appears in the recent record, indicating that the foundation sometimes backs direct financial assistance as a poverty-alleviation tool. The organization’s recent grants are typically substantial, and the named recipients range from local service providers to major academic medical institutions. Taken together, the portfolio points to a funder that supports both frontline relief for food-insecure communities and specialized inquiry into health and suffering.
In hunger relief, the foundation has backed several organizations serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. It gave $75,000 to Chattanooga Area Food Bank for “the effort to end hunger in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia,” and $75,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank in Maryville for general support. It also supported YMCA Rome and Floyd County with $75,000 for an anti-hunger program. Its research grants point to a second theme: biomedical and consciousness research. The foundation awarded $75,000 to Brain Chemistry Labs for research efforts focused on serious brain illness, and $75,000 to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine for psychedelics and consciousness research. Duke University also received $75,000 for general support, while Duke University School of Medicine received $50,000 for innovative clinical research related to neurodegenerative retinal imaging. A third thread is mental health access. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing received $50,000 to ensure equitable access to high-quality mental health treatment.
The recent grant record is highly clustered around a single size: the typical grant size is $50,000, and the p25, median, and p75 are all $50,000. That suggests a very consistent award level, even though the top of the recent list includes larger grants such as $200,000 and $150,000. Recipients also recur across multiple years, including food banks, YMCAs, Brain Chemistry Labs, GiveDirectly, and Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, which points to repeated support rather than isolated gifts. Metta Tree Foundation is classified as a regular funder, and the giving profile is nonprofit-focused rather than individual-focused.
$1.8M
$10.9M
$1.5M
$768K
Most grants fall between $50K and $50K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 19% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Concentrated, mid-to-large grants (mostly $75k–$200k) directed to a small set of repeat and flagship grantees; mix of regional service organizations and national research institutions rather than many small one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Institute for Ethnomedicine / Brain Chemistry Labs, GiveDirectly, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, Harvard Medical School
The grants are entirely domestic, with 29 grants to U.S. recipients. By count, Massachusetts is the top giving state, even though the foundation’s headquarters are in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. Recent recipient locations cluster in a few cities: Atlanta, Chattanooga, Maryville, Rome, Durham, Baltimore, and Cambridge. Tennessee recipients account for 19% of grants, showing meaningful in-state support alongside a broader regional and national research portfolio.
The recent record shows two main groups: regional hunger-relief providers and academic or medical research institutions. Food banks, community kitchens, and YMCAs appear alongside universities and research organizations working on serious brain illness, psychedelics, consciousness research, mental health treatment, and neurodegenerative retinal imaging.
The typical grant size is $50,000, and the p25, median, and p75 are all $50,000. That makes $50,000 the clear center of the recent distribution, even though some grants are larger.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once across the recent grants list, including Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank, YMCA of Rome & Floyd County, Brain Chemistry Labs, GiveDirectly, and Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. The pattern suggests repeated support over multiple years.
By recipient state count, Massachusetts is the top state, while Tennessee recipients make up 19% of grants. The city-level record shows repeated awards in Chattanooga, Rome, Maryville, Atlanta, Durham, Cambridge, and Baltimore.
The named purposes point to hunger relief, mental health access, psychedelics and consciousness research, serious brain illness research, neurodegenerative retinal imaging research, and direct financial assistance to people in need. The grants also include faith-based community health promotion through YMCA Rome and Floyd County.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE INSTITUTE FOR ETHNOMEDICINE (DBA BRIAN CHEMISTRY LABS) | JACKSON, WY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GIVE DIRECTLY | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY | ROME, GA | $75,000 | 2025 | ANTI HUNGER PROGRAM |
| CHATTANOOGA AREA FOOD BANK | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | ATLANTA, GA | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK | MARYVILLE, TN | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROME FLOYD COMMUNITY SOUP KITCHEN | ROME, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHATTANOOGA AREA FOOD BANK | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $75,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT TO END HUNGER IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA |
| JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY & MEDICINE | BALTIMORE, MD | $75,000 | 2024 | TO EDUCATE AND FOSTER INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND SHARE BENEFITS DISCOVERED SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO PSYCHEDELICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH |
| BRAIN CHEMISTRY LABS | JACKSON, WY | $75,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT RESEARCH EFFORTS FOCUSED ON SERIOUS BRAIN ILLNESS |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $75,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING |
| GIVE DIRECTLY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | TO REDUCE POVERTY BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO THOSE IN NEED |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF E TN | MARYVILLE, TN | $50,000 | 2024 | TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN THE FIGHT TO END HUNGER IN EAST TENNESSSEE |
| YMCA OF ROME & FLOYD COUNTY | ROME, GA | $50,000 | 2024 | TO PROMOTE HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES THROUGH CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | DURHAM, NC | $50,000 | 2024 | TO DEVELOP, SHARE, AND IMPLEMENT KNOWLEDGE THAT IMPROVES HEALTH AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH INNOVATIVE CLINICAL RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO DR. SHARON FEKRAT'S NEURODEGENERATIVE RETINAL IMAGING RESEARCH |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MENTAL WELLBEING | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR ALL |
| ROME COMMUNITY KITCHEN | ROME, GA | $10,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY KITCHEN THAT SERVES THOSE IN NEED IN ROME |
| HARVARD MEDICINE SCHOOL | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING |
| ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO FIGHT HUNGER BY ENGAGING, EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITY |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF E TN | MARYVILLE, TN | $50,000 | 2023 | TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN THE FIGHT TO END HUNGER IN EAST TENNESSSEE |
| YMCA OF ROME & FLOYD COUNTY | ROME, GA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO PROMOTE HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES THROUGH CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES |
| BRAIN CHEMISTRY LABS | JACKSON, WY | $50,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT RESEARCH EFFORTS FOCUSED ON SERIOUS BRAIN ILLNESS |
| JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY & MEDICINE | BALTIMORE, MD | $50,000 | 2023 | TO EDUCATE AND FOSTER INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND SHARE BENEFITS DISCOVERED SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO PSHCHEDELICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH |
| GIVE DIRECTLY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | TO REDUCE POVERTY BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO THOSE IN NEED |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MENTAL WELLBEING | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR ALL |
| CHATTANOOGA AREA FOOD BANK | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $50,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT TO END HUNGER IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA |
| DUKE UNIVERISTY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | DURHAM, NC | $40,000 | 2023 | TODEVELOP, SHARE, AND IMPLEMENT KNOWLEDGE THAT IMPROVES HEALTH AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH INNOVATIVE CLINICAL RESEARCH SEPCIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO DR. SHARON FEKRAT'S NEURODEGENERATIVE RETINAL IMAGING RESEARCH |
| ROME COMMUNITY KITCHEN | ROME, GA | $10,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY KITCHEN THAT SERVES THOSE IN NEED IN ROME |
THE INSTITUTE FOR ETHNOMEDICINE (DBA BRIAN CHEMISTRY LABS)
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GIVE DIRECTLY
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
YMCA ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
$75,000ANTI HUNGER PROGRAM
CHATTANOOGA AREA FOOD BANK
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DUKE UNIVERSITY
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROME FLOYD COMMUNITY SOUP KITCHEN
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHATTANOOGA AREA FOOD BANK
$75,000TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT TO END HUNGER IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA
JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY & MEDICINE
$75,000TO EDUCATE AND FOSTER INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND SHARE BENEFITS DISCOVERED SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO PSYCHEDELICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH
BRAIN CHEMISTRY LABS
$75,000TO SUPPORT RESEARCH EFFORTS FOCUSED ON SERIOUS BRAIN ILLNESS
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
$75,000TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING
GIVE DIRECTLY INC
$50,000TO REDUCE POVERTY BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO THOSE IN NEED
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF E TN
$50,000TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN THE FIGHT TO END HUNGER IN EAST TENNESSSEE
YMCA OF ROME & FLOYD COUNTY
$50,000TO PROMOTE HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES THROUGH CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES
DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$50,000TO DEVELOP, SHARE, AND IMPLEMENT KNOWLEDGE THAT IMPROVES HEALTH AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH INNOVATIVE CLINICAL RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO DR. SHARON FEKRAT'S NEURODEGENERATIVE RETINAL IMAGING RESEARCH
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MENTAL WELLBEING
$50,000TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR ALL
ROME COMMUNITY KITCHEN
$10,000TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY KITCHEN THAT SERVES THOSE IN NEED IN ROME
HARVARD MEDICINE SCHOOL
$50,000TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING
ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
$50,000TO FIGHT HUNGER BY ENGAGING, EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITY
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF E TN
$50,000TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN THE FIGHT TO END HUNGER IN EAST TENNESSSEE
YMCA OF ROME & FLOYD COUNTY
$50,000TO PROMOTE HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES THROUGH CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES
BRAIN CHEMISTRY LABS
$50,000TO SUPPORT RESEARCH EFFORTS FOCUSED ON SERIOUS BRAIN ILLNESS
JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY & MEDICINE
$50,000TO EDUCATE AND FOSTER INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND SHARE BENEFITS DISCOVERED SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO PSHCHEDELICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH
GIVE DIRECTLY INC
$50,000TO REDUCE POVERTY BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO THOSE IN NEED
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MENTAL WELLBEING
$50,000TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR ALL
CHATTANOOGA AREA FOOD BANK
$50,000TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT TO END HUNGER IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA
DUKE UNIVERISTY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$40,000TODEVELOP, SHARE, AND IMPLEMENT KNOWLEDGE THAT IMPROVES HEALTH AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH INNOVATIVE CLINICAL RESEARCH SEPCIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO DR. SHARON FEKRAT'S NEURODEGENERATIVE RETINAL IMAGING RESEARCH
ROME COMMUNITY KITCHEN
$10,000TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY KITCHEN THAT SERVES THOSE IN NEED IN ROME