The Sims Family Charitable Trust is a small, highly focused funder that directs its entire giving to performing arts, with an exclusive emphasis on the Tennessee Shakespeare Company. Grants appear to support theatrical programming and likely education/outreach tied to Shakespeare productions in the Memphis/Tennessee region. The trust demonstrates a strong preference for backing one organization deeply rather than spreading funds across many causes.
Concentrated support: few, relatively large grants directed repeatedly to a single grantee (Tennessee Shakespeare Company), indicating a long-term relationship and focused philanthropy within arts/theater.
Notable grantees: Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Tennessee Shakespeare Co
The Sims Family Charitable Trust 44-5001145 has built an unusually narrow grantmaking record around one primary recipient: Tennessee Shakespeare Company. Recent awards include $86,000 in 2024, $75,000 in 2025, and $34,500 in 2023, all for program support or a gift to the theater organization. That pattern shows a trust that funds a single performing arts institution repeatedly rather than spreading support across many organizations. Beyond those larger theater grants, the trust has made smaller gifts to groups connected to Memphis civic, religious, and cultural life, including Theatre Memphis, Memphis Zoo, and Christ Church Memphis. The recurring use of program support and gifts suggests flexible operating backing as well as support for specific activities. Its grant history is concentrated in Tennessee, with grants also appearing in Memphis, Germantown, and nearby communities. The trust’s public record through 2025 shows a small asset base and a modest annual payout relative to the size of its largest individual grants, reinforcing the image of a family trust that directs most of its giving into a tight set of local priorities.
Performing arts is the clearest cause area in the trust’s record. It gave $86,000 in 2024 to Tennessee Shakespeare Company for program support, followed by $75,000 in 2025 to Tennessee Shakespeare Co as a gift. Earlier support of $34,500 in 2023 points to a sustained relationship with Shakespeare-focused theater. The trust also supports other Memphis institutions. It awarded $8,000 in 2025 to Theatre Memphis as a gift and $5,000 in 2024 to Theatre Memphis for program support, linking its arts giving to the broader local theater scene. In the religious and educational space, the trust backed Christ United Methodist with $15,000 in 2023 and $12,000 in 2024, and it gave $8,000 in 2025 to Memphis Univ School. These grants show a local portfolio that extends beyond one theater group while staying centered in Memphis-area institutions.
The trust’s grant sizes are small to mid-sized, with a p25 of $3,000, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $8,000. Even so, individual awards can rise well above that range, especially for its core theater recipient. The record shows repeated support across multiple years, especially in 2023, 2024, and 2025, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a family charitable trust, not a fund for individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its grants appear in both program support and gift form, indicating a mix of restricted and discretionary support.
$289K
$2.8M
$393K
$315K
Most grants fall between $3K and $8K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$8K
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Giving is overwhelmingly Tennessee-centered: 80% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state, and Tennessee is also the top state by grant count. Memphis appears repeatedly, including grants to Theatre Memphis, Memphis Zoo, Christ Church Memphis, and St Louis Catholic Church. Germantown is another frequent recipient city through Tennessee Shakespeare Company. Outside Tennessee, the recipient list includes organizations in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Virginia, and Oklahoma, but the grant record remains almost entirely U.S.-based.
The clearest focus area is performing arts, especially Shakespeare-focused theater in Tennessee. The trust’s largest recent grants all went to Tennessee Shakespeare Company, including $86,000 in 2024, $75,000 in 2025, and $34,500 in 2023.
Yes, but only occasionally. The recipient list includes grants to organizations in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Virginia, and Oklahoma, while 80% of grants go to recipients in Tennessee.
The grant size distribution is compact: p25 is $3,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $8,000. The trust also makes larger awards to select recipients, especially Tennessee Shakespeare Company.
Yes. Tennessee Shakespeare Company appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Theatre Memphis also appears in 2024 and 2025. That pattern indicates recurring support rather than isolated one-time grants.
The trust uses both program support and gifts. Recent examples include program support for Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Christ United Methodist, and Theatre Memphis, alongside gifts to Tennessee Shakespeare Co, Memphis Univ School, and Memphis Zoo.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE CO | MEMPHIS, TN | $75,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS UNIV SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $40,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| ST PAUL INSTITUTE | MEMPHIS, TN | $17,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| STEORTS PROP DBA CITY RETREAT MPHS | MEMPHIS, TN | $17,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| CHRIST CHURCH MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $14,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| MONTEAGLE SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY | MONTEAGLE, TN | $10,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| ST LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $9,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| PEW MINISTRIES INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $9,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| ST PETER S CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $8,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| HUTCHISON SCHOOL ATTN BUSINESS OFFICE | MEMPHIS, TN | $8,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| TENNIS MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $7,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS ZOO ATTN MICHELE CORREIA | MEMPHIS, TN | $6,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS GREATER MEMPHIS ATTN PRESIDENT & CEO | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| ST MARY BYZANTINE CATHOLIC PROTO-CATHEDRAL SHERMAN OAKS | SHERMAN OAKS, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| LARRY HATCHETT FISHING FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $4,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| THEATRE MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $3,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| BENEDICTINE SISTERS OF CULLMAN AL | CULLMAN, AL | $3,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH | SEWANEE, TN | $3,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITY | MEMPHIS, TN | $3,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GTR MEMPHIS C/O SUTTON MORA | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| DOROTHY DAY HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF MPHS & SH CO | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| CALVARY RESCUE MISSION | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| FOCUS | DENVER, CO | $2,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK | IRONDALE, AL | $1,000 | 2026 | GIFT |
| TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE CO | MEMPHIS, TN | $75,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| TENNIS MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| STEORTS PROP DBA CITY RETREAT MPHS | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| UNITED STATES ISRAEL EDUCATION ASSN | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $10,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| ST PETER S CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| CHRIST CHURCH MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF CENACLE FD | MOUNDS, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| PEW MINISTRIES INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $8,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS UNIV SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $8,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| THEATRE MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $8,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| ST LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $7,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS ZOO | MEMPHIS, TN | $7,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| MONTEAGLE SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY | MONTEAGLE, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| ST PAUL INSTITUTE | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| HUTCHISON SCHOOL ATTN BUSINESS OFFICE | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS | MEMPHIS, TN | $4,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF MPHS & SH CO | MEMPHIS, TN | $4,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN | MEMPHIS, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| MEMPHIS COALITION FOR LIFE | MEMPHIS, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH | SEWANEE, TN | $3,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
| ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION USA MPHS | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000 | 2025 | GIFT |
TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE CO
$75,000GIFT
MEMPHIS UNIV SCHOOL
$40,000GIFT
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MEMPHIS
$25,000GIFT
ST PAUL INSTITUTE
$17,000GIFT
STEORTS PROP DBA CITY RETREAT MPHS
$17,000GIFT
CHRIST CHURCH MEMPHIS
$14,000GIFT
MONTEAGLE SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
GIFT
ST LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH
$9,000GIFT
PEW MINISTRIES INC
$9,000GIFT
ST PETER S CHURCH
$8,000GIFT
HUTCHISON SCHOOL ATTN BUSINESS OFFICE
$8,000GIFT
TENNIS MEMPHIS INC
$7,000GIFT
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS GREATER MEMPHIS ATTN PRESIDENT & CEO
$5,000GIFT
ST MARY BYZANTINE CATHOLIC PROTO-CATHEDRAL SHERMAN OAKS
$5,000GIFT
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
$5,000GIFT
LARRY HATCHETT FISHING FOUNDATION
$4,000GIFT
BENEDICTINE SISTERS OF CULLMAN AL
$3,000GIFT
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITY
$3,000GIFT
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GTR MEMPHIS C/O SUTTON MORA
$2,000GIFT
HUMANE SOCIETY OF MPHS & SH CO
$2,000GIFT
FOCUS
$2,000GIFT
TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE CO
$75,000GIFT
TENNIS MEMPHIS INC
$10,000GIFT
STEORTS PROP DBA CITY RETREAT MPHS
$10,000GIFT
UNITED STATES ISRAEL EDUCATION ASSN
$10,000GIFT
ST PETER S CHURCH
$10,000GIFT
CHRIST CHURCH MEMPHIS
$10,000GIFT
MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF CENACLE FD
$10,000GIFT
PEW MINISTRIES INC
$8,000GIFT
MEMPHIS UNIV SCHOOL
$8,000GIFT
ST LOUIS CATHOLIC CHURCH
$7,000GIFT
MONTEAGLE SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
$5,000GIFT
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MEMPHIS
$5,000GIFT
ST PAUL INSTITUTE
$5,000GIFT
HUTCHISON SCHOOL ATTN BUSINESS OFFICE
$5,000GIFT
HUMANE SOCIETY OF MPHS & SH CO
$4,000GIFT
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
$3,000GIFT
MEMPHIS COALITION FOR LIFE
$3,000GIFT
ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION USA MPHS
$2,000GIFT