Private foundation · Memphis
Plough Foundation
In 2023 it gave 6 grants worth $5.3 million to Tennessee groups. A typical grant was $200,000 to $1.5 million.
Invitation only: it picks who to fund. Don't send a proposal. Look for a connection through its board. See its board and officers below: do you or your board know any of them?
Key facts
- Giving lately
- No grants paid in 2024 or 2025, per its IRS returns for those years. The grants below are from 2023.
- Grants in Tennessee
- 6 totaling $5.3 million
- Typical grant How we figure this
- $200,000 to $1.5 million (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask How we figure this
- About $700,000, its middle Tennessee grant. First-time winners usually get less than repeat ones.
- Where it gives
- Shelby County
- Buildings & equipment
- None of its Tennessee grants in this filing were for buildings or equipment
- Total giving that year
- $5.3 million
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | $0 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | $5.3M | $5.3M | 6 |
All grants paid To Tennessee
How to apply
- Contact
- Diane Rudner · Memphis · (901) 578-3438
- What to send
- Letter explaining the project and how funds will be used. Full application by invitation.
- Deadlines
- The process is an invitation only process.
- Limits
- Grants primarily in Memphis/shelby county. No grants to individuals.
As the foundation reported to the IRS for tax year 2023. Check its website or call before sending anything, because contacts and deadlines change.
Board and officers
Does your board know anyone here?
Checked in your browser only. The names are kept on this device for other foundation pages and are never sent to GrantMe.
- Diane RudnerCeo/trustee
- Johnny Moore JrTrustee
- Patricia BurnhamTrustee
- Peter PettitTrustee
- Sharon EisenbergTrustee
- Steve WishniaTrustee
- Truist BankTrustee
- Robert WallaceCoo/cfo
As listed in its 2023 IRS filing. Many foundations decide through their board, so a personal connection often matters more than a perfect application.
How big its Tennessee grants are
| Grant size | Grants |
|---|---|
| Under $1,000 | 0 |
| $1,000 to $4,999 | 0 |
| $5,000 to $9,999 | 0 |
| $10,000 to $24,999 | 0 |
| $25,000 to $99,999 | 0 |
| $100,000 or more | 6 |
From its 2023 IRS filing. Small groups: look at how many grants sit in the bands you'd ask for.
Tennessee organizations it funded
Largest first. Past winners are good people to ask what the foundation looks for. Select a group to see who else funds it.
| Past winner | Where | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Villages | Memphis, Shelby County | Program support | $2M |
| Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (mifa) | Memphis, Shelby County | Program support | $1.5M |
| Memphis Library Foundation | Memphis, Shelby County | Program support | $1M |
| Facing History and Ourselves | Memphis, Shelby County | Program support | $400K |
| Memphis Brooks Museum of Art | Memphis, Shelby County | Program support | $200K |
| Memphis Symphony Orchestra | Memphis, Shelby County | Program support | $200K |
Foundation website All its IRS filings (ProPublica) Sign in to save