The Anne Potter Wilson Foundation concentrates on large, unrestricted gifts to institutions in and around Nashville, with a strong emphasis on education (from K–12 charter schools and teacher pipelines to higher education and music schools), youth development, and regional conservation. Grants are typically sizable and flexible, suggesting trust in organizational leadership to direct funds where most needed rather than project-specific funding.
A defining feature of Tua the Anne Potter Wilson Fdn is the scale of its unrestricted support for Nashville institutions. The largest recent grant in the data was $546,509 to Univ of Nashville for unrestricted general support, and a $544,000 unrestricted grant followed to Blair School of Music Vandervilt Univ. That pairing points to a funder that backs education at multiple levels, including higher education and collegiate music. The same pattern appears in other awards to K–12 and youth-serving organizations, such as Kipp Academy, Teach for America, and the YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The foundation also supports conservation and community-serving institutions, including Tennessee State Parks Conservancy and Renewal House Inc. Across the recent grants list, the recurring thread is flexible capital rather than restricted project funding. Grants are frequently substantial, and the recipients include schools, universities, youth development groups, and regional nonprofits in Middle Tennessee. The foundation’s recent giving suggests a preference for institutions with established operating capacity and broad community reach, especially around Nashville.
Education appears across several parts of the portfolio. In higher education, the foundation gave $546,509 to Univ of Nashville for unrestricted general support and $544,000 to Blair School of Music Vandervilt Univ for unrestricted general support, showing a strong tie to university-level work and music education. K-12 schooling is another clear theme: Kipp Academy received $250,000 for unrestricted general support, and Ensworth School received both $100,000 and $75,000 in separate recent awards. Teacher development also shows up in a $152,000 grant to Teach for America for unrestricted general support. Beyond education, the foundation supported regional conservation through a $200,000 unrestricted grant to Tennessee State Parks Conservancy, and community services through a $300,000 unrestricted grant to YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Typical grant size is substantial: p25 is $25,000, median is $40,000, and p75 is $75,000. The recent grants list shows repeated support to some recipients across multiple years, including YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Naples Children & Education Foundation, Ensworth School, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Vanderbilt University. Every listed award is described as unrestricted general support or unrestricted general support wording, which aligns with a flexible, core-funding approach. The foundation does not fund individuals and makes no program-related investments, so its giving is organizational rather than private or investment-based.
$1.9M
$7.4M
$1.6M
$2M
Most grants fall between $25K and $75K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$75K
About 1% of grants go to recipients in TN.
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Small portfolio of few, large unrestricted grants concentrated geographically in Middle Tennessee/Nashville; favors established institutions and organizations, making occasional multi-hundred-thousand-dollar awards rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: Blair School of Music (Vanderbilt University), University of Nashville, KIPP Academy, YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Tennessee State Parks Conservancy
Giving is concentrated in Tennessee, especially Nashville and nearby communities. Nashville recipients appear throughout the list, including Univ of Nashville, Blair School of Music Vandervilt Univ, YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Kipp Academy, and Tennessee State Parks Conservancy. Outside Tennessee, the foundation also gave to Naples Children & Education Foundation in Naples, FL; The Fund for American Studies in Washington, DC; President and Fellows of Havard in Cambridge, MA; and Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, VA. All listed recent grants went to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on education, especially higher education, K–12 charter schooling, and teacher development. The foundation also funds youth development, community services, and conservation organizations, often through unrestricted general support.
The recent grants are described as unrestricted general support or unrestricted general support wording across the list. That indicates flexible funding rather than tightly project-specific awards.
The distribution centers on sizable awards: p25 is $25,000, median is $40,000, and p75 is $75,000. The recent list also includes larger grants above $500,000.
Yes. Recent grants include Naples Children & Education Foundation in Naples, FL; The Fund for American Studies in Washington, DC; President and Fellows of Havard in Cambridge, MA; and Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, VA.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once across the recent-grants list, including YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Naples Children & Education Foundation, Ensworth School, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Vanderbilt University.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY AT U-NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $566,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TENNESSEE STATE PARKS CONSERVANCY | NASHVILLE, TN | $275,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| YMCA FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE | NASHVILLE, TN | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ABE'S GARDEN | NASHVILLE, TN | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ENSWORTH SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NAPLES CHILDREN & EDUCATION FOUNDATION | NAPLES, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY | Lebanon, TN | $62,000 | 2026 | LANDSCAPING |
| VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $60,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SB INITIATIVE INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| Renewal House Inc | Nashville, TN | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY | NASHVILLE, TN | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| JAZZ AT ASPEN SNOWMASS | ASPEN, CO | $35,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ASPEN ART MUSEUM | ASPEN, CO | $35,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HOLY ROSARY ACADEMY | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TENNESSEE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMMISSION | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| JOHANN FUST LIBRARY FOUNDATION | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| BARRIER ISLANDS PARKS SOCIETY | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CLEMENT RAILROAD HOTEL MUSEUM | DICKSON, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HARPETH HALL SCHOOL | Nashville, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LOVE ONE INTERNATIONAL | BRENTWOOD, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HAVARD | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $22,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ST GEORGE'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PEOPLE LOVING NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $7,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UNIV OF NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $546,509 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NAPLES CHILDREN & EDUCATION FOUNDATION | NAPLES, FL | $120,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| YMCA FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE | NASHVILLE, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| Renewal House Inc | Nashville, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ENSWORTH SCHOOL | NASHVILLE, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICE | NASHVILLE, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| KING UNIVERSITY | BRISTOLE, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SB INITIATIVE INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY AT U-NASHVILLE | NASHVILLE, TN | $40,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| JAZZ AT ASPEN SNOWMASS | ASPEN, CO | $35,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ASPEN ART MUSEUM | ASPEN, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TENNESSEE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMMISSION | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CUMBERLAND TRAIL CONFERENCE | CROSSVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE A21 CAMPAIGN INC | SANTA ANA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HOLY ROSARY ACADEMY | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $19,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS | NASHVILLE, TN | $14,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NASHVILLE ADULT LITERACY COUNCIL INC | NASHVILLE, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ST GEORGE'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL | COLLIERVILLE, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
TENNESSEE STATE PARKS CONSERVANCY
$275,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
YMCA FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ABE'S GARDEN
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ENSWORTH SCHOOL
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NAPLES CHILDREN & EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SB INITIATIVE INC
$50,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
MONTGOMERY BELL ACADEMY
$40,000GENERAL
HOLY ROSARY ACADEMY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TENNESSEE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMMISSION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
JOHANN FUST LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
BARRIER ISLANDS PARKS SOCIETY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CLEMENT RAILROAD HOTEL MUSEUM
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HAVARD
$22,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ST GEORGE'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
$15,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UNIV OF NASHVILLE
$546,509UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NAPLES CHILDREN & EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$120,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
YMCA FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ENSWORTH SCHOOL
$100,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SB INITIATIVE INC
$50,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TENNESSEE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMMISSION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CUMBERLAND TRAIL CONFERENCE
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THE A21 CAMPAIGN INC
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
HOLY ROSARY ACADEMY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CUMBERLAND HEIGHTS
$14,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ST GEORGE'S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL