Private foundation · Nashville
The Frist Foundation
Send a short letter of inquiry first. It invites full applications from the letters it likes.
Key facts
- Grants in Tennessee
- 128 totaling $32.2 million · 2 in Shelby County
- Typical grant
- $10,000 to $50,000 (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask
- About $20,000, its middle Tennessee grant. First-time winners usually get less than repeat ones.
- Where it gives
- Davidson County, Williamson County, Shelby County, Sumner County · plus 46 grants outside Tennessee
- Buildings & equipment
- 15 of its Tennessee grants went to buildings, renovations or equipment, e.g. “Capital support for bella terra community in antioch”; “Support for capital upgrades and renovations of the weaver...”; “Capital support”
- Funds new groups?
- 42% of the Tennessee groups it funded in 2024 were new (not funded in 2023): 40 of 95.
- Total giving that year
- $58.2 million
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $58.2M | $32.2M | 128 |
| 2023 | $18.2M | $17.6M | 136 |
How to apply
- Contact
- The frist foundation · Nashville · 6152923868
- What to send
- While there are no deadlines on general grant applications, larger grants are typically approved at board meetings taking place in january, april, july and october. Depending on the timing of submission of a grant application, it could take as long as three months for grant approval. Applicants may obtain information needed to apply for a grant at our website: www.fristfoundation.org.
- Deadlines
- General grants are given throughout the year. There are no deadlines on general grant applications.
- Limits
- For legal reasons, the foundation does not support individuals or their projects, private foundations, political activities, advertising or sponsorships. As a matter of policy, the foundation does not ordinarily support: *operational or programmatic expenses, including salaries. *endowment or scholarship funding. *event sponsorships. *individual schools. *hospitals or nursing homes. *religious organizations for religious purposes. *statewide initiatives.
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.
- Patricia Frist ElcanPresident and chairman
- Charles ElcanDirector
- Jennifer FristDirector
- Julie FristDirector
- Thomas F Frist JrDirector emeritus
- Thomas F Frist IIIDirector
- William R FristDirector
- Lauren Elcan IngramDirector
- Corinne BergeronExecutive director and ceo
- Colette EasterTreasurer
- Anne Reeves AxeSecretary
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
- General support directed by lauren elcan ingram
- Operating support for 2024
- General support directed by julie and tommy frist
- General support directed by jennifer and billy frist
- Emergency response - 2023 tornadoes
- Annual fund support directed by jennifer and billy frist
- General support directed by chuck elcan
- Capital investments
Tennessee organizations it funded
Shelby 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Nonprofit Network | Memphis, Shelby County | Support for learning cohort on board governance best practices for up to 20... | $25K |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital | Memphis, Shelby County | General support directed by lauren elcan ingram | $15K |
| Frist Art Museum | Nashville, Davidson County | Annual operating gift | $6.5M |
| Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee | Nashville, Davidson County | To support the launch of the Nashville early education coalition (neec) | $5M |
| Nashville Public Library Foundation | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for the begin bright program | $5M |
| Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville | Nashville, Davidson County | Capital support for bella terra community in antioch | $3M |
| YWCA of Nashvillemiddle TN | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for capital upgrades and renovations of the weaver domestic violence center | $3M |
| Frist Art Museum | Nashville, Davidson County | Capital support | $1.1M |
| The Hca Hope Fund | Nashville, Davidson County | To hope fund for hurricane helene relief | $1M |
| United Way of Greater Nashville | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for recovery efforts in Clarksville following the december 2023 tornadoes | $1M |
| Friends of Warner Parks Inc. | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for renovation and expansion of warner parks headquarters | $700K |
| Thistle Farms | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for capital campaign to renovate and reconstruct housing | $500K |
| United Way of Greater Nashville | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for the family collective | $500K |
| The Refuge Center for Counseling | Franklin, Williamson County | Capital support | $430K |
| Rebuilding Together Nashville | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for the multiplier fund | $350K |
| Inspiritus | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for programming, operational capacity needs for senior housing expansion | $300K |
| Friends of Warner Parks Inc. | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for renovation and expansion of warner parks headquarters | $250K |
| Tennessee Justice Center Inc. | Nashville, Davidson County | Additional support toward the ongoing capital campaign | $250K |
| Friends Life | Nashville, Davidson County | Capital investments | $200K |
| United Way of Greater Nashville | Nashville, Davidson County | Operating support for hands on Nashville and geekcause | $200K |
| Youth Encouragement Services | Nashville, Davidson County | Capital investments | $200K |
| Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee | Nashville, Davidson County | Three years of operating support for the Nashville early education coalition | $150K |
| Teach for America | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for tfa's teacher training program for the fiscal year beginning june 1, 2024 | $150K |
| The Heimerdinger Foundation | Nashville, Davidson County | Capital needs ($100,000) and consulting support ($25,000) | $125K |
| Frist Art Museum | Nashville, Davidson County | Annual operating gift | $116K |
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: 5 to Tennessee groups totaling $25,000. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frist Art Museum | Nashville, Davidson County | Support for chairman's dinner, directed by billy and jennifer frist | $11K | 2024 |
| Family Foundation Fund | Nashville, Davidson County | General support directed by trisha elcan | $5,000 | 2024 |
| Thistle Farms | Nashville, Davidson County | General support directed by jennifer and billy frist | $4,000 | 2024 |
| Tomahawk Charitable Solutions | Nashville, Davidson County | General support directed by jennifer and billy frist | $4,000 | 2024 |
| Tomahawk Charitable Solutions | Nashville, Davidson County | General support directed by jennifer and billy frist | $1,000 | 2024 |
Data: GivingTuesday Data Commons, ODbL
Foundation website All its IRS filings (ProPublica) Sign in to save