The Tennessee Health Foundation concentrates its giving in Tennessee by channeling large, strategic gifts to local community foundations and civic institutions that run place-based initiatives, scholarship programs, and public-safety/civic engagement campaigns. Their grants frequently fund pooled or campaign-style vehicles (community foundations, chamber initiatives, United Way) and occasional place-based program infrastructure such as sports/recreation projects and scholarship support. The foundation displays a preference for intermediaries that can deploy funds regionally across Chattanooga and other Tennessee communities.
Tennessee Health Foundation Inc. directs most of its giving through Tennessee-based intermediaries that run pooled funds, campaign vehicles, and place-based initiatives. A standout example is the $1,760,603 grant to Community Foundation of Middle Tn Inc for the BlueCross Family Fund – Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, followed by a $1,660,000 grant to the same foundation for Voices for Safer TN (#221382). Those gifts show a preference for large, organized channels that can move money into civic, charitable, and regional efforts across the state. The foundation also backs community institutions tied to local development and public priorities. Its grants include $1,000,000 to Chattanooga Chamber Foundation for the 2024 CHA Future Fund, $500,000 to Tennis Memphis for the Leftwich Tennis Center Project Support, and $150,000 to United Way of Greater Chattanooga for 100th Anniversary Impact Days. Education and scholarship support appear alongside civic work, with grants routed through regional foundations and universities. The pattern points to a funder that uses significant awards to support Tennessee organizations with established local reach.
Civic and public-safety efforts are a visible part of the portfolio. Tennessee Health Foundation Inc gave $1,660,000 to Community Foundation of Middle Tn Inc for Voices for Safer TN (#221382) and $325,000 to Tn Score for civic, charitable work. Education support appears through scholarship and match funding. The foundation granted $600,000 to East Tennessee Foundation for POW 2022 SCHOLAR and $30,000 to The University of Memphis for the same scholarship-related purpose. It also funds disaster response and recovery. In 2025, it gave $100,000 to First Tn Dev District Foundation for Helene Disaster Response and $54,080 to United Way of East Tn Highlands for 2024 Ryans Match (Hurricane Response). Youth and community health show up as well. Tennessee Health Foundation Inc awarded $62,500 to Boys & Girls America for a youth mental health partnership.
Typical grants cluster at a modest-to-midrange level, with p25 at $5,000, median at $10,000, and p75 at $20,000. At the same time, the foundation makes occasional large, strategic awards in the six- and seven-figure range. The grants list shows repeated support to the same intermediaries across multiple years, including Community Foundation of Middle Tn Inc, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, American Red Cross, and Belmont University. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing relationship-based grantmaking rather than one-off awards. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, funds individuals, and makes no program-related investments.
$3.8M
$281.8M
$38.5M
$12.9M
Most grants fall between $5K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
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Highly concentrated, low-volume giving: a handful of large gifts (many six-figure to multi-million) directed to intermediaries and repeat grantees, with emphasis on pooled funds and campaign-style grants rather than many small direct-service awards.
Notable grantees: Community Foundation of Middle TN, Inc., Chattanooga Chamber Foundation, East Tennessee Foundation, Tennis Memphis, United Way of Greater Chattanooga
Giving is highly concentrated in Tennessee: 93% of grants go to recipients in the state, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, and Johnson City appear repeatedly in the grants list, with Nashville and Chattanooga especially prominent through community foundations, United Way, and civic institutions. Outside Tennessee, the list includes one recipient in Atlanta, Georgia: Boys & Girls America. The geographic pattern is local in scope, with most grants landing in Tennessee cities and regional organizations.
It gives heavily through Tennessee intermediaries such as community foundations, United Way chapters, chamber foundations, public education funds, and universities. Recent examples include Community Foundation of Middle Tn Inc, Chattanooga Chamber Foundation, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, and The University of Tennessee Foundation Inc.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards: p25 is $5,000, median is $10,000, and p75 is $20,000. It also makes much larger strategic grants, including awards above $1 million.
Yes. The recent grants list includes $600,000 to East Tennessee Foundation for POW 2022 SCHOLAR, $77,000 to University of Tennessee for a 2:1 match of Mr. Bosse’s gift, and additional grants to The University of Memphis, Belmont University, and The University of Tennessee Foundation Inc.
Civic engagement and public safety, scholarships and higher education, disaster response, youth mental health, literacy, and youth/recreation infrastructure all appear in the recent grants. Named examples include Voices for Safer TN, Helene Disaster Response, Rural Reading Summer Program Support, and the Leftwich Tennis Center Project Support.
Yes. 93% of grants go to recipients in Tennessee, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. The list includes recipients in Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, and Johnson City, with one non-Tennessee recipient in Atlanta, Georgia.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TN INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $1,660,000 | 2025 | VOICES FOR SAFER TN (#221382) |
| CHATTANOOGA CHAMBER FOUNDATION | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $1,000,000 | 2025 | 2024 CHA FUTURE FUND |
| BALLAD HEALTH FOUNDATION | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $110,000 | 2025 | 2024 HICKEY MATCH |
| CHATTANOOGA HAMILTON COUNTY PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $110,000 | 2025 | 2024 HICKEY MATCH |
| FIRST TN DEV DISTRICT FOUNDATION | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | HELENE DISASTER RESPONSE |
| BOYS & GIRLS AMERICA | ATLANTA, GA | $62,500 | 2025 | BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP |
| UNITED WAY OF EAST TN HIGHLANDS | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $54,080 | 2025 | 2024 RYANS MATCH (HURRICANE RESPONSE) |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | NASHVILLE, TN | $52,000 | 2025 | 2024 BOSSE MATCH |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NE TN | KINGSPORT, TN | $50,230 | 2025 | DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING |
| GREATER KINGSPORT FAMILY YMCA | KINGSPORT, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER CHATTANOOGA | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | 2024 UNITED WAY CHA GIFT |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TN FOUNDATION INC | KNOXVILLE, TN | $42,000 | 2025 | 2024 WOODSEN MATCH |
| BELMONT UNIVERSITY | NASHVILLE, TN | $30,000 | 2025 | 2024 REYNOLDS MATCH |
| TN SCORE | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | SCORE 2024 SUPPORT |
| PURE YOUTH ATHLETICS ALLIANCE | MEMPHIS, TN | $23,000 | 2025 | 2024 COOPWOOD MATCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHATTANOOGA FOUNDATION | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $20,500 | 2025 | LEADERSHIP BOARD 1:1 MATCH, 2024 CRISWELL |
| UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM INC | KNOXVILLE, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | 2024 WALLEN MATCH |
| CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHARD | LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | 2024 HICKEY MATCH |
| SAMARITAN MINISTRIES TEMPLE | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | MATCH GIFT FOR DECOSTA JENKINS |
| UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE | KNOXVILLE, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | 2024 POW SCHOLAR |
| IVY ROSE FOUNDATION INC | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | PARTRIDGE 2024 MATCH |
| UNITED WAY OF THE MID-SOUTH | MEMPHIS, TN | $18,500 | 2025 | 2024 MOORE MATCH |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER KINGSPORT INC | KINGSPORT, TN | $13,000 | 2025 | 2024-2025 MATCHING GIFT - BURDINE |
| EAST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION | KNOXVILLE, TN | $12,000 | 2025 | 2024 RYANS MATCH |
| CHURCH HEALTH CENTER OF MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 CHURCH HEALTH CENTER PRINTING GIFT |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF MEMPHIS AND THE MID-SOUTH | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANDERSON MATCH |
| ESHIOBOMHE SIGMUS AIMOFUMHE | NASHVILLE, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 POW RECEIPT |
| MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE | NASHVILLE, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 POW S. IBRAHIM |
| TENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | ATHENS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 POW SCHOLAR |
| THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 MCCALLIE MATCH |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF MIDDLE TN | NASHVILLE, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 JENKINS MATCH |
| EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | JOHNSON CITY, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | ETSU QUILLEN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TN AT CHATTANOOGA | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 POW SCHOLAR |
| SEND RELIEF INC | ALPHARETTA, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 BROOKSHIRE HURRICANE MATCH |
| HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 HICKEY MATCH |
| RHODES COLLEGE | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | MOORE MATCH 2024 |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER KNOXVILLE INC | KNOXVILLE, TN | $9,000 | 2025 | 2024 CORPORATE GIFT |
| MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $8,000 | 2025 | 2024 COOPWOOD MATCH |
| GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS | KNOXVILLE, TN | $7,000 | 2025 | 2024 RYANS MATCH |
| NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | JMOORE 2024 MATCH |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF MIDDLE TN INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | 2024 MOORE MATCH |
| MILLIGAN COLLEGE | MILLIGAN, TN | $3,500 | 2025 | 2024 RYANS MATCH |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $3,500 | 2025 | 2024 CORPORATE DONATION |
| CHEROKEE COUNTRY CLUB FOUNDATION | KNOXVILLE, TN | $3,300 | 2025 | BOSSE 2024 MATCH |
| BOULE FOUNDATION (INACTIVE) | ATLANTA, GA | $3,000 | 2025 | MOORE MATCH 2024 |
| CHILDHELP INC | KNOXVILLE, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | TEAMBLUE GIVES |
| LEGACY PARKS FOUNDATION | KNOXVILLE, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | 2024 BOSSE MATCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANDERSON MATCH |
| MEMPHIS CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,500 | 2025 | 2024 HOLIDAY DONATION DRIVE |
| CHILDREN ADV CTR FIRST JUDICIAL DIST | LEBANON, TN | $2,500 | 2025 | 2024 DONATION DRIVE, FOUNDATION GIFT |
FIRST TN DEV DISTRICT FOUNDATION
$100,000HELENE DISASTER RESPONSE
BOYS & GIRLS AMERICA
$62,500BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$52,0002024 BOSSE MATCH
GREATER KINGSPORT FAMILY YMCA
$50,000HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE
THE UNIVERSITY OF TN FOUNDATION INC
$42,0002024 WOODSEN MATCH
TN SCORE
$25,000SCORE 2024 SUPPORT
LEADERSHIP BOARD 1:1 MATCH, 2024 CRISWELL
CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHARD
$20,0002024 HICKEY MATCH
SAMARITAN MINISTRIES TEMPLE
$20,000MATCH GIFT FOR DECOSTA JENKINS
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
$20,0002024 POW SCHOLAR
IVY ROSE FOUNDATION INC
$20,000PARTRIDGE 2024 MATCH
UNITED WAY OF GREATER KINGSPORT INC
$13,0002024-2025 MATCHING GIFT - BURDINE
ESHIOBOMHE SIGMUS AIMOFUMHE
$10,0002024 POW RECEIPT
TENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
$10,0002024 POW SCHOLAR
ETSU QUILLEN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
THE UNIVERSITY OF TN AT CHATTANOOGA
$10,0002024 POW SCHOLAR
SEND RELIEF INC
$10,0002024 BROOKSHIRE HURRICANE MATCH
HUNTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
$10,0002024 HICKEY MATCH
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART INC
$8,0002024 COOPWOOD MATCH
GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
$7,0002024 RYANS MATCH
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF MIDDLE TN INC
$5,0002024 MOORE MATCH
MILLIGAN COLLEGE
$3,5002024 RYANS MATCH
CHEROKEE COUNTRY CLUB FOUNDATION
$3,300BOSSE 2024 MATCH
BOULE FOUNDATION (INACTIVE)
$3,000MOORE MATCH 2024
CHILDHELP INC
$3,000TEAMBLUE GIVES
CHILDREN ADV CTR FIRST JUDICIAL DIST
$2,5002024 DONATION DRIVE, FOUNDATION GIFT