Private foundation · Chattanooga
Kennedy Foundation Inc.
Takes applications. See how to apply below.
Key facts
- Grants in Tennessee
- 9 totaling $2.2 million · 8 in Hamilton County
- Typical grant
- $25,000 to $100,000 (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask
- About $84,000, its middle Tennessee grant. First-time winners usually get less than repeat ones.
- Where it gives
- Hamilton County, Davidson County · plus 6 grants outside Tennessee
- Buildings & equipment
- 1 of its Tennessee grants went to buildings, renovations or equipment, e.g. “To fund a new building for the nursing school”
- Funds new groups?
- 75% of the Tennessee groups it funded in 2025 were new (not funded in 2023–2024): 6 of 8.
- Total giving that year
- $2.3 million
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.3M | $2.2M | 9 |
| 2024 | $2.1M | $1.9M | 9 |
| 2023 | $15.7M | $970K | 9 |
How to apply
- Contact
- R wayne peters general counsel · Chattanooga · 4237565171
- What to send
- No prescribed form
- Limits
- All contributions are to qualified 501(c) organizations
As the foundation reported to the IRS for tax year 2025. Check its website or call before sending anything, because contacts and deadlines change.
Board and officers
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- James D Kennedy IIIPresident
- Molly K KennedySecretary & treasurer
- Elizabeth K SpratlinChairman
As listed in its 2025 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 support a public charity
- To provide funding for a professorship
- To fund a new building for the nursing school
Tennessee organizations it funded
Hamilton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chattanooga Foundation | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To fund a new building for the nursing school | $1.6M |
| Memorial Health Care System Foundation Inc. | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To support a public charity | $200K |
| Houston Museum of Decorative Arts | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To support a public charity | $100K |
| University of Chattanooga Foundation | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To provide funding for a professorship | $100K |
| Skyuka Hall | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To support a public charity | $84K |
| The Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To support a public charity | $50K |
| Friends of Special Children | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To support a public charity | $25K |
| Erlanger Health | Chattanooga, Hamilton County | To support a public charity | $20K |
| Retrieving Independence Inc. | Nashville, Davidson County | To support a public charity | $10K |