The Kirkland Foundation concentrates almost all of its philanthropy on education-related institutions in its region, making very large, targeted grants to a small number of organizations. Their giving heavily supports a major regional museum/education center (Discovery Park of America) and local early-childhood/daycare services for at-risk children. The foundation appears focused on building local educational infrastructure rather than spreading many small grants.
Two grants account for a large share of the foundation’s recent public giving: $8,664,085 to Discovery Park of America in 2025 and $8,105,148 to the same organization in 2023. That pattern makes the foundation’s profile unusually clear: it directs major resources to a small set of local institutions, especially education-centered organizations in Union City and nearby Tennessee communities. Discovery Park of America appears as a core recipient across years, and the foundation also backs early-childhood care through Charitable - Promethean Foundation, which received $2,288,300 in 2025 and $1,729,281 in 2023 to provide daycare for at-risk children. Smaller grants extend that same local educational orientation to scholarships, youth programs, and community-serving organizations in west Tennessee. The Robert E & Jenny D Kirkland Foundation’s grant record shows a funder that favors concentrated, targeted support rather than a broad scatter of awards. Its recent giving includes both very large commitments and a long tail of modest grants, with most activity remaining within Tennessee.
Education is the clearest thread in the foundation’s recent grants. Discovery Park of America received $8,664,085 in 2025 for education, reflecting the scale of support it directs to a regional museum and learning center. The foundation also gave $15,000 in 2025 to Univ of TN Foundation for scholarships and $10,000 in 2025 to Cumberland University to provide quality and affordable education. Beyond formal schooling, it supports literacy and youth development through $10,000 in 2025 to Imagine Worldwide for building literacy and numeracy skills for children around the globe. Community-based youth programming also appears in grants such as $3,000 in 2025 to Boys & Girls Club for outreach for disadvantaged youth.
Grant sizes are highly skewed. The typical award sits at $2,000 at both the 25th percentile and the median, rising to $5,000 at the 75th percentile, while a small number of very large grants drive the total. The same organizations recur across years, including Discovery Park of America, Charitable - Promethean Foundation, Union City Rotary Foundation, Univ of TN Foundation, Preston Taylor Ministries, Mercy Community Healthcare, Middle TN Boy Scouts of AM, and Thistle Farms. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its grant record is overwhelmingly local and organization-based.
$11.2M
$301.1M
$18.7M
$15.2M
Most grants fall between $2K and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Highly concentrated: very large gifts to a tiny set of repeat grantees (multi-million dollar grants, multiple awards to the same organizations); primarily single-issue (education) and locally focused.
Notable grantees: Discovery Park of America, Charitable - Promethean Foundation, Other local education/daycare initiatives (unnamed)
Giving is concentrated in Tennessee, which accounts for 94% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Union City appears repeatedly as a recipient location, including Discovery Park of America, Charitable - Promethean Foundation, and Union City Rotary Foundation. Other Tennessee recipient cities include Nashville, Knoxville, Franklin, Lebanon, and Paducah just across the state line in Kentucky. Outside the United States, there are no recipient-country grants in the recent record; all listed grants go to US organizations.
Its recent grants cluster around education-related organizations, especially Discovery Park of America, which received $8,664,085 in 2025 for education. The foundation also supports daycare for at-risk children, scholarships, youth programs, and community education efforts in Tennessee.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Discovery Park of America in 2023 and 2025, Charitable - Promethean Foundation in 2023 and 2025, and Union City Rotary Foundation in 2023 and 2025. Univ of TN Foundation, Preston Taylor Ministries, Mercy Community Healthcare, Middle TN Boy Scouts of AM, and Thistle Farms also recur.
Tennessee is the main geography for its grants, with 94% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Union City is especially prominent, and other recipient cities include Nashville, Knoxville, Franklin, Lebanon, and Paducah.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Park of America | Union City, TN | $8,664,085 | 2025 | Education |
| Charitable - Promethean Foundation | UNION CITY, TN | $2,288,300 | 2025 | PROVIDE DAYCARE FOR AT RISK CHILDREN |
| Union City Rotary Foundation | Union City, TN | $59,000 | 2025 | Scholarships and other service proj |
| The Cincinnati Tennis Foundation | Mason, OH | $48,000 | 2025 | Make tennis accessible & change lives |
| Univ of TN Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $15,000 | 2025 | Scholarships |
| Boca Grande Women's Scholarship Club | Boca Grande, FL | $12,000 | 2025 | Make a difference through community service |
| Preston Taylor Ministries | Nashville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | Christian Youth Ministry |
| Imagine Worldwide | Mill Valley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Empowering children around the globe to build literacy & numeracy skills |
| Cumberland University | Lebanon, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | Provide quality/affordable education |
| Thistle Farms | Nashville, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | Healing/hope/freedom-women survivors |
| Mercy Community Healthcare | FRANKLIN, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL |
| Middle TN Boy Scouts of AM | NASHVILLE, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL |
| Who You With Ministries | Nashville, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | Investing, inspiring & impacting to change lives of athletes & coaches |
| The National Quilt Museum | Paducah, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | To promote the growth of Quilting |
| Inland Waterways Museum | Paducah, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | Stimulate curiousity & understanding of our Nations river system |
| Children of Peru Foundation | New York, NY | $4,000 | 2025 | Building a better future for poor children in Peru |
| Nashville Symphony | Nashville, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | Entertain & educate audiences through varied engagement with orchestrial music |
| TN Diamonds in the Ruff | Union City, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | Dog Rescue |
| The Bridge House | Lebanon, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | Homelessness with youth |
| Boys & Girls Club | Union City, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | Outreach for disadvantaged youth |
| Wilson Co Civic League | LEBANON, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | IMPROVE SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN COUNTY |
| Sherry's Hope | Lebanon, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | Benefit those affected by Cancer |
| Safe Haven Family Shelter | Nashville, TN | $2,500 | 2025 | Help the Homeless |
| St Luke Community House | Nashville, TN | $2,500 | 2025 | Food Pantry |
| Habitat for Humanity Wilson Co | LEBANON, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | HOMES FOR LOW INCOME |
| Fellowship of Christian Athletes | Union City, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Christian Ministry |
| SCAN of Wilson County | Lebanon, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Needs for Senior Citizens |
| Wilson Co FCA | Mt Juliet, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | To lead coaches and athletes to Jesus Christ |
| Casa of Wilson County | Lebanon, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Family services |
| New Leash on Life | Lebanon, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Improve welfare of companion animals |
| Phoebe Connections | Lebanon, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Help Widows-Christian Ministry |
| Habitat for Humanity OC | Union City, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Homes for Low Income |
| Younglife | Jackson, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Christian Ministry |
| Empower Me Daycamp | Lebanon, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Transform lives of those with special needs through opportunities for growth |
| United Way of Obion Co | Union City, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Community Service |
| Masquerade Theater | Union City, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Quality art through live performance |
| Run4Water | Castalian Springs, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Solutions-worldwide water crisis |
| Salvation Army | Union City, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | Helping under privilaged |
| Frist Art Museum | NASHVILLE, TN | $1,500 | 2025 | PRESENT HIGH QUALITY EDUC PROGRAMS |
| Habitat for Humanity-Greater Nashvi | Nashville, TN | $1,500 | 2025 | Homes for low income |
| Second Harvest Foot Bank | Nashville, TN | $1,500 | 2025 | Hunger relief programs |
| Cheekwood | Nashville, TN | $1,500 | 2025 | Botanical Gardens & Art Museum |
| The Bridge | Union City, TN | $1,000 | 2025 | Battered Womens Shelter |
| Nashville Rescue Mission | Nashville, TN | $1,000 | 2025 | Food Bank |
| Trudy's Kids Cafe | Union City, TN | $1,000 | 2025 | Provide Meals for at risk kids |
| Compassionate Hands | Lebanon, TN | $1,000 | 2025 | Housing for Homeless |
| DISCOVERY PARK OF AMERICA | UNION CITY, TN | $8,152,844 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| CHARITABLE - PROMETHEAN FOUNDATION | UNION CITY, TN | $1,846,930 | 2024 | PROVIDE DAYCARE FOR AT RISK CHILDREN |
| UNION CITY ROTARY FOUNDATION | UNION CITY, TN | $126,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER SERVICE PROJ |
| CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY | LEBANON, TN | $10,000 | 2024 | PROVIDE QUALITY/AFFORDABLE EDUCATION |
Discovery Park of America
$8,664,085Education
Charitable - Promethean Foundation
$2,288,300PROVIDE DAYCARE FOR AT RISK CHILDREN
Union City Rotary Foundation
$59,000Scholarships and other service proj
Univ of TN Foundation
$15,000Scholarships
Boca Grande Women's Scholarship Club
$12,000Make a difference through community service
Empowering children around the globe to build literacy & numeracy skills
Mercy Community Healthcare
$5,000MEDICAL
Middle TN Boy Scouts of AM
$5,000EDUCATIONAL
Who You With Ministries
$5,000Investing, inspiring & impacting to change lives of athletes & coaches
The National Quilt Museum
$5,000To promote the growth of Quilting
Inland Waterways Museum
$5,000Stimulate curiousity & understanding of our Nations river system
Children of Peru Foundation
$4,000Building a better future for poor children in Peru
Nashville Symphony
$3,000Entertain & educate audiences through varied engagement with orchestrial music
TN Diamonds in the Ruff
$3,000Dog Rescue
The Bridge House
$3,000Homelessness with youth
Boys & Girls Club
$3,000Outreach for disadvantaged youth
Wilson Co Civic League
$3,000IMPROVE SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN COUNTY
Sherry's Hope
$3,000Benefit those affected by Cancer
Habitat for Humanity Wilson Co
$2,000HOMES FOR LOW INCOME
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
$2,000Christian Ministry
SCAN of Wilson County
$2,000Needs for Senior Citizens
Wilson Co FCA
$2,000To lead coaches and athletes to Jesus Christ
Casa of Wilson County
$2,000Family services
New Leash on Life
$2,000Improve welfare of companion animals
Phoebe Connections
$2,000Help Widows-Christian Ministry
Habitat for Humanity OC
$2,000Homes for Low Income
Younglife
$2,000Christian Ministry
Empower Me Daycamp
$2,000Transform lives of those with special needs through opportunities for growth
United Way of Obion Co
$2,000Community Service
Masquerade Theater
$2,000Quality art through live performance
Run4Water
$2,000Solutions-worldwide water crisis
Salvation Army
$2,000Helping under privilaged
Cheekwood
$1,500Botanical Gardens & Art Museum
The Bridge
$1,000Battered Womens Shelter
Trudy's Kids Cafe
$1,000Provide Meals for at risk kids
Compassionate Hands
$1,000Housing for Homeless
DISCOVERY PARK OF AMERICA
$8,152,844EDUCATION
CHARITABLE - PROMETHEAN FOUNDATION
$1,846,930PROVIDE DAYCARE FOR AT RISK CHILDREN
UNION CITY ROTARY FOUNDATION
$126,000SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER SERVICE PROJ