Private foundation · Los Altos, CA (gives in Tennessee from out of state)
The Heising-Simons Foundation
In 2024 it gave 5 grants worth $880,033 to Tennessee groups, 4 of them in Davidson County. A typical grant was $125,000 to $206,691.
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
- Grants in Tennessee
- 5 totaling $880,033 · 4 in Davidson County
- Typical grant How we figure this
- $125,000 to $206,691 (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask How we figure this
- About $125,548, its middle Tennessee grant. First-time winners usually get less than repeat ones.
- Where it gives
- Davidson County, Jefferson County · plus 666 grants outside Tennessee
- Buildings & equipment
- None of its Tennessee grants in this filing were for buildings or equipment
- Funds new groups? How we figure this
- Rarely: every Tennessee group it funded in 2024 had also been funded in 2023. Build a relationship before asking.
- Total giving that year
- $149.6 million
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $149.6M | $880K | 5 |
| 2023 | $152.1M | $516K | 5 |
All grants paid To Tennessee
How to apply
The foundation's filing doesn't describe how to apply. Look for a website, or send a short letter asking whether it accepts requests.
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.
- Sushma RamanPresident & ceo (thru 7/24/24)
- Jennifer ShippSec (thru 7/8/24), interim ceo & pres
- Kevin LuuChief financial officer/treasurer
- Elizabeth D SimonsChair of the board
- Caitlin HeisingVice chair of the board
- Mark W HeisingVice chair of the board
- Chelsey ScaffidiSecretary
- Judy BlumensteinTreasurer (thru 1/7/24), finance dir
As listed in its 2024 IRS filing. Many foundations decide through their board, so a personal connection often matters more than a perfect application.
What it funds most often
- For grantmakers for southern progress (1 grant)
- To implement phase two of the astrophysics postdoctoral launch program (1 grant)
- To enhance mathematics learning in early childhood classrooms (1 grant)
- For the development of a neural calving ice sheet model (1 grant)
- For a workshop on multimessenger astronomy (1 grant)
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 | 1 |
| $100,000 or more | 4 |
From its 2024 IRS filing. Small groups: look at how many grants sit in the bands you'd ask for.
Tennessee organizations it funded
Davidson County grants are listed first, then the largest. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | To implement phase two of the astrophysics postdoctoral launch program | $343K |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | To enhance mathematics learning in early childhood classrooms | $207K |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | For the development of a neural calving ice sheet model | $126K |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | For a workshop on multimessenger astronomy | $80K |
| Highlander Research & Education Center Inc. | New Market, Jefferson County | For grantmakers for southern progress | $125K |
Grants approved for future years
In its tax-year 2024 IRS Form 990-PF the foundation listed grants it had approved but not yet paid: 3 to Tennessee groups totaling $160,451. These are multi-year commitments, so they show what it has promised to keep funding. Some may have been paid since.
| Recipient | Where | Purpose | Amount | Tax year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | For the development of a neural calving ice sheet model | $128K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | For the development of a neural calving ice sheet model | $17K | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Davidson County | For the development of a neural calving ice sheet model | $16K | 2024 |
Data: GivingTuesday Data Commons, ODbL
Foundation website All its IRS filings (ProPublica) Sign in to save