Nearly $2.4 Million Awarded to Organizations by The Community Foundation

The Community Foundation

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, a charitable organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life in 40 Middle Tennessee counties and beyond, announces $2,397,870 in grants to 365 local nonprofit organizations as part of the 2019 annual grant-making process.

The grants will benefit nonprofits in 28 area counties: Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Franklin, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Maury, Montgomery, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Rutherford, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Warren, White, Williamson and Wilson counties.

The top three awards categories were: Arts and Humanities (18 percent), Human Services-Children (15 percent of the grants), and Education (14 percent).

“The Community Foundation is honored to connect generosity with need through these annual grants and through other avenues throughout the year, but we couldn’t have the impact we do without the many nonprofits offering solutions to our community’s needs and vital services to our neighbors,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. “Thanks to the generous support of our donors, and the work of dedicated and talented nonprofits, we are able to fund solutions which address Middle Tennessee’s emerging needs and opportunities.”

Grant recipients in Williamson County are:

  • Backlight Productions: To use theater and performance arts to benefit and enrich the lives of 76 people having developmental or physical disabilities.
  • Bridges of Williamson County dba Bridges Domestic Violence Center: Victim Specific Needs Assistance Program includes medications, prescriptions, physical and mental health provider needs, minor car repair, and childcare assistance.
  • BrightStone, Inc.: To provide the best healthcare possible for adults with special needs through educational programs and comprehensive wellness and fitness activities.
  • Graceworks Ministries, Inc.: To provide rent or utility emergency assistance to help families avoid eviction or utility disconnection.
  • Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury: To provide critical home repairs to the vulnerable in our community, with an emphasis on serving the elderly and disabled.
  • Hard Bargain Mt. Hope Redevelopment Inc.: To provide repairs on the homes of 20 low-income and elderly residents in the Hard Bargain neighborhood.
  • Harpeth Conservancy: Citizen science program that monitors waterways and informs responsible environment and water management in the greater Nashville area.
  • Healing Housing, Inc.: To provide a safe home and supportive services for 14 underprivileged women in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
  • Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue and Sanctuary: Provide 1/2 of the vet and medications for an average of 13 sanctuary dogs.
  • Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County: To provide locally focused historical educational materials for classroom use in the fourth and fifth grades in Williamson County.
  • High Hopes, Inc.: To equip 850+ children in our pediatric therapy clinic and inclusive preschool/kindergarten with the skills necessary to succeed.
  • Mercy Health Services: To provide access to social-emotional learning groups to students Williamson and Marshall counties each summer.
  • Middle Tennessee Guitar Alliance, Inc: To provide four free concerts presented by world renowned classical guitarists at Vanderbilt’s Blair School in 2020.
  • Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary: To reclaim two pollinator meadows boosting healthy populations of pollinators and expanding Citizen Science research area.
  • People For Animals: We offer financial assistance for spay/neuter to pet owners in financial need in Middle Tennessee.
  • Retrieving Independence, Inc.: Enabling and supporting the training and placement of life changing animals through the Service Dog Success Training Program in 2020.
  • Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue: Funding request is to pull dogs from local shelters who require medical intervention to be adoptable.
  • Studio Tenn Theatre Company: To produce a professional production of Little Women for middle and high school students at no cost to the attendees.
  • The Refuge Center for Counseling: To provide affordable counseling services and care to women domestic violence victims in dire financial circumstances.
  • The Shower Truck/Shower Up: If selected, we would use the grant to serve Nashville’s homeless community with mobile showers, hygiene services, and personal care.
  • Tucker’s House: To assess and retrofit Middle Tennessee homes of children with disabilities making them accessible, inclusive, and safe.

The Community Foundation awards discretionary grants annually from its unrestricted and field-of-interest funds to Middle Tennessee nonprofits. Grants are awarded through an open application process for organizations addressing community needs and benefiting the well-being of citizens through valuable programs and innovative services. More information on the grant process is online at www.CFMT.org

For a complete list of 2019 grant recipients, go to www.CFMT.org. And to learn about more than 1,800 of Middle Tennessee’s nonprofits and the wonderful work they do, go to CFMT initiative GivingMatters.com and its newly refreshed website www.GivingMatters.com

About The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
The Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee and beyond. It does this by accepting gifts of any size from anyone at any time and by empowering individuals, families, companies, nonprofits, and communities to respond to needs and opportunities that matter. The Community Foundation works with people who have great hearts, whether or not they have great wealth, to craft solutions that reflect their intentions and goals. For more information, call 615-321-4939 or visit www.cfmt.org.