Private foundation · Knoxville
Roger B & Evelyn W Paddison Charitable Foundation
In 2025 it gave 20 grants worth $157,000 to Tennessee groups, 15 of them in Knox County. A typical grant was $4,000 to $12,000.
Takes applications. See how to apply below.
Key facts
- Grants in Tennessee
- 20 totaling $157,000 · 15 in Knox County
- Typical grant How we figure this
- $4,000 to $12,000 (the middle half of its Tennessee grants)
- A realistic first ask How we figure this
- About $7,000, its middle Tennessee grant. First-time winners usually get less than repeat ones.
- Where it gives
- Knox County, Blount County, Sevier County, Davidson County, Shelby County · plus 4 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 2025 had also been funded in 2023–2024. Build a relationship before asking.
- Total giving that year
- $173,000
Giving by year
| Tax year | Total grants paid | To Tennessee | Tennessee grants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $173K | $157K | 20 |
| 2024 | $172K | $160K | 20 |
| 2023 | $158K | $146K | 18 |
All grants paid To Tennessee
How to apply
- Contact
- Paddison Foundation Pinnacle Bank T · Knoxville · (865) 766-3017
- What to send
- Application form can be requested at the above address.
- Deadlines
- Application must be made by january 31
Next one: Jan 31, 2027 if the dates haven't changed since its 2025 filing
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
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.
- Mary Paddison JamesCo-trustee/director
- Pinnacle BankCo-trustee
- David JamesDirector
- Andrew JamesDirector
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
- Mobile meals (1 grant)
- Educational (1 grant)
- Funding the roger b & evelyn w paddison scholarship (1 grant)
How big its Tennessee grants are
| Grant size | Grants |
|---|---|
| Under $1,000 | 0 |
| $1,000 to $4,999 | 6 |
| $5,000 to $9,999 | 5 |
| $10,000 to $24,999 | 9 |
From its 2025 IRS filing. Small groups: look at how many grants sit in the bands you'd ask for.
Tennessee organizations it funded
Knox 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville-Zoological Gardens | Knoxville, Knox County | Educational | $15K |
| Fountain City Ministry Center | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $14K |
| Interfaith Health Clinic | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $14K |
| Knoxville-Knox County Cac | Knoxville, Knox County | Mobile meals | $14K |
| Susannah's House | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $12K |
| Wesley House Foundation | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $12K |
| St Paul United Methodist Church | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $10K |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $8,000 |
| Emerald Ave Youth Foundation | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $6,000 |
| Focus Group Prison Ministry | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $5,000 |
| Young Williams Animal Center | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $5,000 |
| Volunteer Ministry Center | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $4,000 |
| Knox County Imagination Library | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $3,000 |
| Helping Mamas | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $2,000 |
| Pedal for Alzheimer's | Knoxville, Knox County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $1,000 |
| Friends of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park | Kodak, Sevier County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $12K |
| Maryville College Scholarship Fund | Maryville, Blount County | Funding the roger b & evelyn w paddison scholarship | $10K |
| Men of Valor | Antioch, Davidson County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $5,000 |
| St Jude | Memphis, Shelby County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $3,000 |
| Remote Area Medical (ram) | Rockford, Blount County | To further charitable purpose of organization | $2,000 |