Private foundation · Memphis
Formanek Foundation
In 2024 it gave 15 grants worth $5.5 million to Tennessee groups, 3 of them in Davidson County. A typical grant was $40,000 to $600,000.
Takes applications. See how to apply below.
Key facts
- Grants in Tennessee
- 15 totaling $5.5 million · 3 in Davidson County
- Typical grant How we figure this
- $40,000 to $600,000 (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask How we figure this
- About $300,000: the middle grant to the 4 Tennessee groups it funded for the first time in 2024.
- Where it gives
- Shelby County, Davidson County · plus 14 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
- 27% of the Tennessee groups it funded in 2024 were new (not funded in 2023): 4 of 15.
- Total giving that year
- $7.6 million
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7.6M | $5.5M | 15 |
| 2023 | $7.4M | $5.4M | 13 |
All grants paid To Tennessee
How to apply
- Contact
- Eric Robertson · Memphis · (901) 616-1529 · Eric@formanek1.com
- What to send
- An interested party should contact eric robertson by email at eric@formanek 1.com.
- Limits
- Organization must be qualified under 501(c)(3). Restrictions and limitations only if specificied in grant agreement.
As the foundation reported to the IRS for tax year 2024. Check its website or call before sending anything, because contacts and deadlines change.
Board and officers
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Checked in your browser only. The names are kept on this device for other foundation pages and are never sent to GrantMe.
- Walter W RotchildPresident/director/exec comm
- J Michael Howard IISec-treasurer/director/exec comm
- Jonathan SpitzerDirector/executive committee
- Mary Lee CoppDirector
- Ryan CarrollDirector
- Robin L FormanekDirector
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
- To promote the provision of visual art medium through diverse exhibits (1 grant)
- To support the provision of health care for underinsured people (1 grant)
- To improve Memphis by the revival of its disinvested neighborhoods (1 grant)
- To advance policies and programs for disadvantaged persons in criminal justice system focusing on... (1 grant)
- To support the work of the hospital in the services provided children, its research in pediatric medicine,... (1 grant)
- To unlock the potential of communities to advance their own comprehensive well-being (1 grant)
- To build community through free music and education, finding common ground in a diverse audience (1 grant)
- To support the protection and preservation of the Memphis sand aquifer (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 | 1 |
| $25,000 to $99,999 | 3 |
| $100,000 or more | 11 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lwala | Nashville, Davidson County | To unlock the potential of communities to advance their own comprehensive well-being | $300K |
| Tennessee Innocence Project | Nashville, Davidson County | To promote the investigation and litigation of persons with evidence of... | $106K |
| State Collaborative On Reforming Education (tn Score) | Nashville, Davidson County | To promote public education and academic progress for Tennessee students... | $38K |
| Youth Villages | Memphis, Shelby County | To support programs that will serve both children in need as well as their parents | $1.3M |
| Brooks Museum | Memphis, Shelby County | To promote the provision of visual art medium through diverse exhibits | $1M |
| Church Health Center | Memphis, Shelby County | To support the provision of health care for underinsured people | $750K |
| Riverfront Development | Memphis, Shelby County | To promote the transformative power of the mississippi by supporting public... | $600K |
| Just City | Memphis, Shelby County | To advance policies and programs for disadvantaged persons in criminal... | $466K |
| Pure Academy | Memphis, Shelby County | To develop young men for lifelong success by providing a comprehensive... | $400K |
| Community Lift | Memphis, Shelby County | To improve Memphis by the revival of its disinvested neighborhoods | $165K |
| Le Bonheur Children's Hospital | Memphis, Shelby County | To support the work of the hospital in the services provided children, its... | $137K |
| Protect Our Aquifer | Memphis, Shelby County | To support the protection and preservation of the Memphis sand aquifer | $100K |
| St Mary's Parish Soup Kitchen | Memphis, Shelby County | To provide food for the poor and homeless in Memphis, Tennessee | $40K |
| TN Career Academy | Memphis, Shelby County | To be the top-rated provider of world-ready graduates in the south by... | $38K |
| Overton Park Shell | Memphis, Shelby County | To build community through free music and education, finding common ground... | $20K |