The Clayton Homes Foundation concentrates its giving on housing stability and homeownership programs, with sizable gifts to a few national partners that advance shelter, financial empowerment, and community stewardship. A large share of funding goes to repeat grantees that run direct-service housing initiatives (notably Family Promise) and to environmental stewardship through the Arbor Day Foundation. Grants are strategic and high-dollar, aimed at program expansion and organizational support rather than many small awards.
The Clayton Homes Foundation’s largest recent gift was a $2,356,670 award to the Arbor Day Foundation for general organizational support, showing a willingness to make major unrestricted grants alongside housing-focused work. That same pattern appears across its recent records: the foundation backs a small set of repeat partners with large awards, while directing much of its giving toward housing stability, homeownership, education, and local community assets. Family Promise received several substantial grants across 2024 and 2025 for its "A Future Begins at Home" work, including prevention and housing stabilization support. Operation HOPE also appears as a recurring partner, with funding for homeownership programming and general support. Beyond housing, the foundation has supported community institutions and capital projects in Tennessee, including zoo improvements, education initiatives, and social service organizations. The recent grant list suggests a grantmaker that combines program support, general operating support, and installment-style funding, often at amounts well above its median grant size.
Housing stability is a central theme. The foundation gave $750,000 to Family Promise (Knoxville, TN) for "A Future Begins at Home - Prevention" and $450,000 to the same organization for "A Future Begins at Home - Housing & Stabilization," linking its housing work to both prevention and ongoing stabilization. It also supported homeownership infrastructure with $300,000 to Next Step Network Inc. for "Sustainable Manufactured Housing ownership." Financial empowerment is another thread: Operation Hope Inc. received $815,000 in 2025 for general support, and Operation Hope (Atlanta, GA) previously received $401,422 for "Support for LMS Home ownership." The foundation also funds education and youth-serving institutions, including $250,000 to Knox Education Foundation for "Expand educational opportunities" and $103,000 to Clayton Bradley Academy for general support.
Typical grants are mid-sized, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $7,500, and a p75 of $25,000, but the recent list also includes six-figure and seven-figure awards. The foundation’s recent record shows repeat funding to the same organizations across multiple years, especially in housing-related work and local institutions. It gives through general support, project-specific support, and installment-based payments. The grant pattern also includes support for individuals, indicating that its giving is not limited to organizational grants.
$6.3M
$6.4M
$7.3M
$6.3M
Most grants fall between $3K and $25K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated, high-dollar funding to a small number of national grantees with repeat investments; mix of multi-grant support for flagship housing initiatives and large one-time organizational support for environmental partner(s).
Notable grantees: Family Promise (Future Begins at Home initiative), Arbor Day Foundation, Operation HOPE
Most of the grants land in Tennessee, and 87% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Knoxville appears frequently among recipients, along with Maryville and Nashville. Outside Tennessee, notable recipient locations include Atlanta, Summit, Louisville, Lincoln, and Washington, DC. The grant country distribution is entirely US-based, with 268 grants going to US recipients.
Its recent grants center on housing stability and homeownership, with additional support for education, community institutions, and environmental stewardship. Housing-related grants include Family Promise and Next Step Network. The foundation also funds local schools and community organizations, plus the Arbor Day Foundation for general organizational support.
The grant-size distribution is relatively small at the center, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $7,500, and a p75 of $25,000. At the same time, recent awards include much larger grants, such as seven-figure support for major partners.
Yes. The recent record shows repeated support for Family Promise, Operation Hope, Next Step Network Inc., United Way of Blount County, and several Knoxville-area institutions across multiple years. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
Its giving is concentrated in Tennessee, with 87% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Knoxville and Maryville appear often in the recent grants, and the broader recipient list also includes Atlanta, Summit, Louisville, Lincoln, and Washington, DC.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Promise | Maryville, TN | $1,815,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Operation Hope Inc | Atlanta, GA | $815,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Next Step Network Inc | Louisville, KY | $300,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| United Way of Blount County | Maryville, TN | $275,938 | 2025 | General Support |
| Helen Ross McNabb Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $203,750 | 2025 | General Support |
| Neighborworks America | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Tennessee SCORE | Nashville, TN | $200,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Interfaith Health Clinic | Knoxville, TN | $170,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Zoo Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | $165,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Knox Education Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $152,500 | 2025 | General Support |
| Muse Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | $128,725 | 2025 | General Support |
| New Hope Capital Campaign | Maryville, TN | $110,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Red Cross | Knoxville, TN | $110,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Clayton Bradley Academy | Maryville, TN | $103,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Wesley House Community Center | Knoxville, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Family Investment Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| FISH Hospitality Pantries | Knoxville, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Williams Creek Youth Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Blount County Habitat for Humanity | Maryville, TN | $80,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| TN Achieves | Knoxville, TN | $75,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Blount County Education Foundation | Maryville, TN | $70,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Volunteer Ministry Center | Knoxville, TN | $70,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| YWCA Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | $60,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Kalamazoo Community Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Rural LISC | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Girl Talk Inc | Knoxville, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Susannah's House | Knoxville, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| University Health System Inc | Knoxville, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Great Smokey Mountain Council | Townsend, TN | $40,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Emerald Youth Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $30,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Tennessee Kids Belong | Franklin, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Empower Valley Dream Farm Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Equal Chance for Education | Nashville, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| National Kidney Foundation | New York, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| JDRF Tennessee | Hagerstown, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Ace Mentor Program of America | Knoxville, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Knoxville Children's Theatre | Knoxville, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Knox County Community Gardens | Knoxville, TN | $15,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Maryville, TN | $15,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Salvation Army | Knoxville, TN | $15,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Knoxville Habitat for Humanity | Knoxville, TN | $13,500 | 2025 | General Support |
| Morristown Hamblen Hospital Foundation | Morristown, TN | $11,500 | 2025 | General Support |
| Epilepsy Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $10,500 | 2025 | General Support |
| Maryville Kiwanis Foundation | Maryville, TN | $10,500 | 2025 | General Support |
| Governors Early Literacy Foundation | Nashville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Women's Fund of East Tennessee | Knoxville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Tristar Rowing | Knoxville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Hand Up for Women | Knoxville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Maryville City Schools Foundation | Maryville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Rebuilding Together Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
Family Promise
$1,815,000General Support
Operation Hope Inc
$815,000General Support
Next Step Network Inc
$300,000General Support
United Way of Blount County
$275,938General Support
Helen Ross McNabb Foundation
$203,750General Support
Neighborworks America
$200,000General Support
Tennessee SCORE
General Support
Interfaith Health Clinic
$170,000General Support
Zoo Knoxville
$165,000General Support
Knox Education Foundation
$152,500General Support
Muse Knoxville
$128,725General Support
New Hope Capital Campaign
$110,000General Support
American Red Cross
$110,000General Support
Clayton Bradley Academy
$103,000General Support
Wesley House Community Center
$100,000General Support
Family Investment Foundation
$100,000General Support
FISH Hospitality Pantries
$100,000General Support
Williams Creek Youth Foundation
$100,000General Support
Blount County Habitat for Humanity
$80,000General Support
TN Achieves
$75,000General Support
Blount County Education Foundation
$70,000General Support
Volunteer Ministry Center
$70,000General Support
YWCA Knoxville
$60,000General Support
Kalamazoo Community Foundation
$50,000General Support
Rural LISC
$50,000General Support
Girl Talk Inc
$50,000General Support
Susannah's House
$50,000General Support
University Health System Inc
$50,000General Support
Great Smokey Mountain Council
$40,000General Support
Emerald Youth Foundation
$30,000General Support
Tennessee Kids Belong
$25,000General Support
Empower Valley Dream Farm Foundation
$25,000General Support
Equal Chance for Education
$25,000General Support
National Kidney Foundation
$20,000General Support
JDRF Tennessee
$20,000General Support
Ace Mentor Program of America
$20,000General Support
Knoxville Children's Theatre
$20,000General Support
Knox County Community Gardens
$15,000General Support
Second Harvest Food Bank
$15,000General Support
Salvation Army
$15,000General Support
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
$13,500General Support
Morristown Hamblen Hospital Foundation
$11,500General Support
Epilepsy Foundation
$10,500General Support
Maryville Kiwanis Foundation
$10,500General Support
Governors Early Literacy Foundation
$10,000General Support
Women's Fund of East Tennessee
$10,000General Support
Tristar Rowing
$10,000General Support
Hand Up for Women
$10,000General Support
Maryville City Schools Foundation
$10,000General Support
Rebuilding Together Knoxville
$10,000General Support