Created by a group of civic leaders in 1991, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee was founded on the belief that a foundation for the community could play a vital role in identifying and supporting critical needs. The Community Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity serving the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee and three counties in Southern Kentucky.
Our founders had seen the good community foundations were accomplishing around the country and believed our community would benefit from a new and different approach to charitable giving. That approach, pioneered in 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio, by the first community foundation ever established, would focus on building and holding a permanent and growing endowment dedicated specifically to our community’s changing needs and opportunities.
Over the years, thousands of individuals, families and companies have partnered with us to find ways to contribute and achieve their personal philanthropic goals. Today, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee oversees nearly 1,500 funds serving the broadest range of needs.
Our funds represent hundreds of stories of passionate people with big hearts and bold ideas. They are a testament to the power of philanthropy – of people creating, contributing to, and sustaining long-term solutions for a better today and tomorrow.
The generosity of our donors and contributors, who trust in our philanthropic leadership to invest funds wisely for the benefit of our region, has made possible Community Foundation’s grantmaking of more than $1.2 billion to community programs and institutions over our 32-year history.
As we have fulfilled the traditional role of a community foundation to provide philanthropic services to enhance our service area, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has also expanded to act as a catalyst and convener, identifying unmet needs in our region and marshaling resources to create solutions.
We not only help donors accomplish their charitable goals and provide funding to hundreds of local nonprofits, we also craft and support new and even entrepreneurial ideas for lasting solutions to critical needs.
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee believes the charitable dreams we each have can benefit us all.
