The Oakley First National Foundation concentrates almost all of its funding on higher education in Tennessee, with particularly large, repeated support for nearby Cumberland University. Grants are primarily directed to regional public and private universities and individual educational recipients, suggesting a focus on student support and university programs that benefit the local Cookeville/Tennessee community. The foundation’s giving is mission-focused and regionally concentrated rather than broadly distributed across issue areas.
Oakley First National Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a $241,250 grant to Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, followed by another $40,000 award to the same school the prior year. That repeated support stands out in a grant record centered on higher education across Tennessee. The foundation’s largest grants also include awards to Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville and East Tennessee University in Johnson City, showing a clear pattern of institutional support for regional universities rather than a broad set of causes. Smaller grants extend that same education focus to individual recipients such as Maci Massa, indicating that the foundation funds both campus-level programs and student-level support. Across the latest grants on file, every recipient is in Tennessee, and the foundation’s work appears closely tied to the state’s higher education network. The result is a concentrated grantmaking profile built around local universities, recurring relationships, and educational awards within the Cookeville and wider Tennessee area.
Higher education is the defining cause area in the foundation’s recent grant record. Cumberland University received $241,250 in 2024 for education, after a $40,000 grant in 2023, suggesting sustained institutional support. Tennessee Tech University also appears as a recurring recipient, with $16,939 in 2024 and $4,595 in 2025 for education. East Tennessee University received $15,624 in 2024 and $14,745 in 2025, reinforcing the same pattern of university-centered giving. The foundation also made direct educational awards to an individual recipient, with $5,000 in 2024 and $4,262 in 2025 to Maci Massa. These grants point to a mix of campus support and individual educational assistance within Tennessee.
Typical grant size is clustered around the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $4,595, a median of $14,745, and a p75 of $16,939. The recent record shows repeat giving to the same recipients across years, including Cumberland University, Tennessee Tech University, East Tennessee University, and Maci Massa. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-time awards. The foundation is not a program-related investor, and it does not fund individuals broadly; the individual awards on file are educational in nature. Its grantmaking is local and entirely in Tennessee among the recent grants provided.
$347K
$74K
$0
$25K
Most grants fall between $5K and $17K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$17K
About 100% of grants go to recipients in TN.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Highly concentrated giving: a few multi-thousand to six-figure grants, repeated funding to the same regional higher-education institutions, with the single largest recipient (Cumberland University) receiving the majority of dollars.
Notable grantees: Cumberland University, East Tennessee University, Tennessee Tech University, Maci Massa
All recent grants listed go to recipients in Tennessee, so the recipient-country mix is entirely U.S. and the in-state share is 100%. Lebanon appears as the city for Cumberland University, while Cookeville is represented by Tennessee Tech University and Baxter by Maci Massa. Johnson City is another repeated recipient location through East Tennessee University. The pattern is geographically compact and centered on Tennessee communities connected to higher education.
Its recent grants are centered on higher education in Tennessee. Cumberland University, Tennessee Tech University, East Tennessee University, and individual educational awards all appear in the latest grants, showing a consistent education-oriented pattern.
Yes. Cumberland University received $241,250 in 2024 after a $40,000 grant in 2023. Tennessee Tech University, East Tennessee University, and Maci Massa also appear in more than one year in the recent grants list.
Typical grant size is relatively concentrated: p25 is $4,595, the median is $14,745, and p75 is $16,939. That places many awards in the mid-four-figure to mid-five-figure range, with one much larger institutional grant to Cumberland University.
The foundation gives locally, and 100% of the recent grants listed go to recipients in Tennessee. Named recipient cities include Lebanon, Cookeville, Johnson City, and Baxter.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $14,745 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY | COOKEVILLE, TN | $4,595 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MACI MASSA | BAXTER, TN | $4,262 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY | LEBANON, TN | $241,250 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY | COOKEVILLE, TN | $16,939 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| EAST TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $15,624 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| MACI MASSA | BAXTER, TN | $5,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY | LEBANON, TN | $40,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY | COOKEVILLE, TN | $4,113 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
EAST TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY
$14,745EDUCATION
TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY
$4,595EDUCATION
MACI MASSA
$4,262EDUCATION
CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY
$241,250EDUCATION
TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY
$16,939EDUCATION
EAST TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY
$15,624EDUCATION
MACI MASSA
EDUCATION
CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY
$40,000EDUCATION
TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY
$4,113EDUCATION