The Dunavant Foundation concentrates its giving in the Memphis metro area, providing sizable unrestricted support to local institutions that strengthen education, civic life, conservation, faith communities, and children's health. Its largest gifts go to a small set of repeat recipients — regional universities and elite private schools — while also funding national conservation groups and local cultural amenities. Grants are typically general operating support, signaling a preference for sustaining core capacity rather than project‑restricted funding.
A $5.5 million general-operating grant to the University of Memphis Foundation stands out as the clearest signal in The Dunavant Foundation’s recent giving: the foundation backs Memphis institutions at large scale, and it often does so with unrestricted support. That same pattern shows up across schools, churches, conservation groups, and cultural organizations, where the grants are built to cover core operations rather than narrow projects. The Dunavant Foundation’s largest gifts in the recent record also reached Memphis University School and McCallie School at $3.1 million each, along with major support for Memphis Zoo Inc., Church Health Center of Memphis Inc., and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Foundation. Beyond education and health, the foundation has funded conservation organizations such as Delta Waterfowl Foundation and Ducks Unlimited Inc., as well as civic and arts institutions including Artsmemphis and Dixon Gallery and Gardens. The overall picture is of a foundation that concentrates on sustaining established organizations in Memphis and the surrounding Mid-South, with a clear preference for general operating support and repeat relationships.
Education is one of the foundation’s most visible priorities. It gave $500,000 to Presbyterian Day School for general operational support and $100,000 to Binghampton Christian Academy for the same purpose, alongside larger support for higher education through the University of Memphis Foundation. Children’s health and family-serving institutions also appear prominently. The Dunavant Foundation awarded $500,000 to St Jude Children's Research Hospital (autozone Liberty Bowl) and $300,000 to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Foundation, both as general operating support. Conservation is another recurring theme. It granted $2 million to Delta Waterfowl Foundation and $1.5 million to Ducks Unlimited Inc., each for general operational support. On the civic and arts side, the foundation supported Artsmemphis and The Cotton Museum Inc. with operating grants, showing that it funds both service institutions and cultural infrastructure.
Typical grant size is substantial: the p25 is $55,000, the median is $250,000, and the p75 is $767,500. The recent record is dominated by general operational support, with most awards in 2023 and 2025. Repeat recipients are present; University of Memphis Foundation, St Michael Catholic Church, Artsmemphis, The First Tee of Tennessee in Memphis, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, and The Dunavant Foundation’s other major local partners appear more than once in the grant list. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Several of its named grant programs are open to unsolicited applications, including Foreever Funds capacity-building grants and scholarships, while some initiatives are invitation-only.
$2.4M
$1.6M
$55K
$184K
Most grants fall between $55K and $768K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$55K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$768K
ROBERT M FOCKLER
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a relatively small roster of core grantees with multiple repeat awards; predominantly unrestricted/general operating support; mix of large regional anchor institution gifts and selective support for national conservation organizations.
Notable grantees: University of Memphis Foundation, McCallie School, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Christ Covenant Reformed Church, Memphis Zoo
Grants land overwhelmingly in Tennessee: 87% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top giving state is TN. Memphis is the main hub, with recipients including Memphis University School, Memphis Zoo Inc., Church Health Center of Memphis Inc., and the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Outside Tennessee, the foundation also gave to Bismarck, ND; Arlington, VA; and Edgefield, SC. All recorded recent grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients.
The foundation supports universities, private schools, conservation groups, churches, children’s health institutions, and cultural organizations. Recent grants include general operating support for the University of Memphis Foundation, Memphis University School, Christ Covenant Reformed Church, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, Memphis Zoo Inc., and Artsmemphis.
Its recent grants are overwhelmingly general operational support. The largest listed awards, including the $5.5 million grant to the University of Memphis Foundation and the $3.1 million grant to Memphis University School, were both unrestricted operating gifts.
It gives most often in Tennessee, and 87% of its grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Memphis is the core city in the grant list, with multiple awards to local schools, hospitals, churches, and arts groups.
Yes. Named opportunities that accept unsolicited applications include Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, GiVE 365 Grantmaking, Available Grants through CFGM, Lichterman Loewenberg Foundation Fund grants, and CFGM Scholarships.
The typical grant distribution is $55,000 at the 25th percentile, $250,000 at the median, and $767,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes multi-million-dollar operating grants, showing that the foundation makes both mid-sized and very large awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLINGSHOT MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $520,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL (AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL) | MEMPHIS, TN | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| PRESBYTERIAN DAY SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| JUNIOR LEAGUE OF MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| ST MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| BINGHAMPTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY | MEMPHIS, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL WILD TURKEY | EDGEFIELD, SC | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| THE COTTON MUSEUM INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| ST MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| ARTSMEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| THE FIRST TEE OF TENNESSEE IN MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| DELTA WATERFOWL FOUNDATION | BISMARCK, ND | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| MCCALLIE SCHOOL | CHATTANOOGA, TN | $3,100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL | MEMPHIS, TN | $3,100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| CHRIST COVENANT REFORMED CHURCH | MEMPHIS, TN | $2,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| DELTA WATERFOWL FOUNDATION | BISMARCK, ND | $2,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $1,500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY INC (NATL) | ARLINGTON, VA | $1,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| MEMPHIS ZOO INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $800,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| CHURCH HEALTH CENTER OF MEMPHIS INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $735,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| COTTON FOUNDATION | CORDOVA, TN | $500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| LE BONHEUR CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $300,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| ARTSMEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $150,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| DIXON GALLERY AND GARDENS | MEMPHIS, TN | $145,500 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| THE FIRST TEE OF TENNESSEE IN MEMPHIS | MEMPHIS, TN | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY (MEMPHIS AND THE MID-SOUTH) | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
ST MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH
$200,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL WILD TURKEY
$100,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
THE COTTON MUSEUM INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
ST MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH
$50,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
DELTA WATERFOWL FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
$3,100,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
CHRIST COVENANT REFORMED CHURCH
$2,000,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
DELTA WATERFOWL FOUNDATION
$2,000,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$1,500,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
COTTON FOUNDATION
$500,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY (MEMPHIS AND THE MID-SOUTH)
$25,000GENERAL OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
Current and upcoming funding from Dunavant Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations in the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis service area of West Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi. A current LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile is required to apply.
Deadline: Applications open in January; awards are announced in May.
Who can apply: Nonprofits in the Community Foundation's service area are eligible. An up-to-date LIVEGIVEmidsouth profile is required to apply; nonprofit grants are awarded exclusively to 501(c)(3) organizations in the service area.
Deadline: Applications open in January; awards announced in May.
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