About Ayers Foundation Trust
The Ayers Foundation Trust focuses on strengthening higher education, community infrastructure, and health services primarily in Tennessee, with sizable core gifts to regional universities and community institutions. Grants skew toward general operating support for colleges, medical centers, regional community foundations, and local nonprofits (including food banks and faith congregations), signaling a preference for sustaining institutions that serve Middle and East Tennessee communities.
Focus Areas
Regional higher education institutions (public and private universities in Middle & East Tennessee)Community foundation and place-based philanthropy in Middle TennesseeHealth care and hospital-system support in Tennessee (medical centers and specialty hospitals)Basic needs and emergency food security (Second Harvest/food bank support)Youth development and civic leadership (Girl Scouts, Leadership TN, SCORE)Support for local churches and faith-based community organizations
Giving Approach
Concentrated, high-dollar operating support to a handful of core regional institutions (two grants account for the largest share), supplemented by mid-size and smaller recurring gifts to local nonprofits; a mix of repeat grantees and geographically focused one-off grants across Middle and East Tennessee.
About Ayers Foundation Trust
The Ayers Foundation Trust stands out for its long-running Ayers Scholars program, which places College Access Counselors and Student Success Coordinators in rural Tennessee high schools and supports students from eighth grade through college completion. That student pipeline is central to the trust’s giving, and it is paired with large general operating grants that sustain universities, community institutions, and health systems across Tennessee. In the recent grants list, the largest award went to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for general operating support, followed by a major gift to Belmont University. Those gifts sit alongside support for institutions tied to higher education, health care, and local civic infrastructure. The trust also funds direct student support through emergency completion aid, scholarship coordination, and the Ayers Scholars network, which ties college access work to retention and completion. Another recurring feature is its commitment to rural Tennessee communities, where it backs local schools, employers, and community organizations that connect education to place-based development. The overall pattern shows a funder that uses operational grants to reinforce organizations serving students, residents, and regional institutions in Tennessee.
What Ayers Foundation Trust Funds
Higher education is a core area of support. The trust gave $200,000 to East Tennessee State University Foundation for general operating support and $200,000 to Freed-Hardeman University for the same purpose, while also directing $25,000 to Lane College. Health care is another clear focus: Vanderbilt University Medical Center received $250,000 for general operating support, and Ballad Health Foundation received $100,000. For community infrastructure, the trust gave $1,828,735 to Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and $100,000 to The Hermitage Foundation, both on a general operating basis. Basic needs appear as well through gifts such as $36,145 to Second Harvest Food Bank. Across these areas, the trust favors institutions that anchor services in Tennessee communities rather than stand-alone project grants.
How Ayers Foundation Trust Gives
Typical grant size sits in a fairly narrow band: the 25th percentile is $31,500, the median is $38,000, and the 75th percentile is $44,000. The recent list also shows a few much larger operating grants, indicating a structure that combines routine institutional support with occasional major commitments. Grants are overwhelmingly general operating support, and several recipients appear in more than one year, including Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Second Harvest Food Bank, and Jonesborough United Methodist Church. The trust does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its active programs include unsolicited support in some student-aid and alumni initiatives, but the recent grant list itself is dominated by institution-level operating gifts.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$10.8M
Total Assets
$12.4M
Total Revenue
$15.6M
Total Expenses
$13.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $32K and $44K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$32K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$44K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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