The Swanson Family Foundation concentrates its giving on direct-service organizations that support children and families, along with targeted educational and scholarship initiatives, including military/veteran education. Grants are focused and relationship-driven: a small portfolio of mid-sized awards that prioritize repeated support to a few mission-aligned nonprofits. Their giving signals an interest in residential or family-stability programs for youth plus scholarships and workforce/education opportunities for traditionally underserved or military-affiliated populations.
Concentrated portfolio of a few mid-sized grants (several five-figure awards), with repeat multi-year or follow-on funding to the same organizations rather than many one-off small grants.
The Swanson Family Foundation C/o Joseph Swanson gives repeated general-support grants to a small set of organizations serving children, families, and education pathways. In the latest grants, Ella's House received $25,000 in both 2023 and 2024, while Tucker's House received $10,000 in 2023 and $15,000 in 2024, showing a pattern of support that extends beyond one-off awards. The foundation also backs scholarship and education efforts tied to military families and veterans, including a $13,000 grant to Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and $20,000 to Tuskegee Next. Its portfolio also reaches community-serving organizations such as Friends of Williamson County Animal Center, Graceworks Ministries, Peitz Cancer Support House, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Honor Flight to Southern Colorado. Across these awards, the foundation appears to favor direct-service nonprofits and education-related initiatives rather than a broad, diversified grant list.
In family-stability work, the foundation supported Ella's House with $25,000 for general support in 2024, matching a $25,000 grant to the same organization in 2023. It also gave Tucker's House $15,000 in 2024 after a $10,000 grant in 2023, pointing to continued interest in youth-centered residential or support-home services. On education and scholarship access, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation received $13,000 in 2023, and Tuskegee Next received $20,000 in 2024, linking the funder to military-affiliated and underserved student opportunities. The portfolio also includes broader community support, such as $7,500 to Friends of Williamson County Animal Center in 2023 and $5,000 in 2024.
Typical grants fall in a mid-sized range, with the 25th percentile at $5,000, a median of $8,750, and the 75th percentile at $16,250. The recent record shows repeat giving to the same organizations across multiple years, especially Ella's House and Tucker's House, which suggests relationship-based support rather than isolated awards. Grants are listed as general support, and the foundation does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Its giving footprint is regional, with a concentrated set of awards rather than a broad national portfolio.
$88K
$810K
$41K
$105K
Most grants fall between $5K and $16K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$16K
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Notable grantees: Ella's House, Tucker's House, Tuskegee NEXT, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
Grant recipients are entirely in the US, with 12 of 12 grants going to domestic organizations. Tennessee appears frequently, including Franklin and Brentwood recipients, and the foundation gives most often in Georgia by grant count. Outside Tennessee, grants also reached Wheaton, Illinois; Alexandria, Virginia; Mountain Home, Arkansas; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. The recipient geography shows a mix of local Tennessee support and a few out-of-state awards tied to education, military, and community-serving organizations.
Its grants most often go to direct-service organizations serving children, families, and education pathways. Recent awards include repeated support for Ella's House and Tucker's House, plus grants to Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Tuskegee Next, Graceworks Ministries, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Yes. Ella's House received $25,000 in both 2023 and 2024, Tucker's House received $10,000 in 2023 and $15,000 in 2024, and Friends of Williamson County Animal Center was funded in both 2023 and 2024. That pattern points to ongoing relationships with a limited set of grantees.
The typical award sits in the mid-thousands: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $8,750, and the 75th percentile is $16,250. Recent grants range from $2,500 to $25,000.
The giving is regional and entirely U.S.-based in the recent record. Tennessee recipients appear often, including Franklin and Brentwood, and Georgia is the top state by grant count. The list also includes grantees in Illinois, Virginia, Arkansas, and Colorado.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELLA'S HOUSE | NASHVILLE, TN | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUSKEGEE NEXT | WHEATON, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NASHVILLE SYMPHONY | NASHVILLE, TN | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUCKER'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUSKEGEE NEXT | WHEATON, IL | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELLA'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUCKER'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $17,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELLA'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUSKEGEE NEXT | WHEATON, IL | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUCKER'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY ANIMAL CENTER | BRENTWOOD, TN | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELLA'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARINE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | ALEXANFRIA, VA | $13,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUCKER'S HOUSE | FRANKLIN, TN | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY ANIMAL CENTER | BRENTWOOD, TN | $7,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRACEWORKS MINISTRIES | FRANKLIN, TN | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PEITZ CANCER SUPPORT HOUSE | MOUNTAIN HOME, AR | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HONOR FLIGHT TO SOUTHERN COLORADO | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA | ATLANTA, GA | $2,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
ELLA'S HOUSE
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TUSKEGEE NEXT
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TUCKER'S HOUSE
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
TUSKEGEE NEXT
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
TUCKER'S HOUSE
$17,500GENERAL SUPPORT
TUSKEGEE NEXT
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TUCKER'S HOUSE
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY ANIMAL CENTER
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARINE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
$13,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TUCKER'S HOUSE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY ANIMAL CENTER
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
PEITZ CANCER SUPPORT HOUSE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HONOR FLIGHT TO SOUTHERN COLORADO
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT