OVERVIEW: The Frist Foundation is dedicated to sustaining and improving the quality of life in Nashville, Tennessee. It strongly supports Frist Art Museum and Nashville Zoo.
IP TAKE: The Frist Foundation recently focused on agencies serving vulnerable people, and in supporting efforts by nonprofit organizations to develop new sources of earned revenue and improve their managerial and technological infrastructure. It also takes special interest in opportunities to aid with capacity-building measures for nonprofits. Grants occur on a rolling basis and are relatively accessible, so don’t hesitate to contact the foundation. The Foundation hosts an email address specifically for LOI outreach at loi@fristfoundation.org.
Frist also moves philanthropy through the Patricia C. & Thomas F. Frist Jr. Foundation, whose grantmaking has been sporadic, and its status is unclear following Patricia’s death in January 2021.
PROFILE: Established in 1982, the Frist Foundation is steered by the Frist family, who have strong ties to Tennessee. Billionaire Thomas Frist Jr. and family are behind Hospital Corp. of America. Thomas Frist Jr. graduated from Vanderbilt University and received his M.D. from Washington University. He was an Air Force flight surgeon. In 1968, he founded Hospital Corp. of America (HCA) with his father. HCA owns and operates some 180 hospitals and close to 120 surgical centers in some two dozen U.S. states and London.
The Frist Foundation is dedicated to sustaining and improving the quality of life in Nashville, Tennessee. The funder “takes special interest in agencies that serve communities facing challenges in Nashville and those doing collaborative community work.” As one of the larger foundations in Tennessee, it has been a philanthropic leader, serving as initiator, convener and catalyst among donors and nonprofit organizations. It names the following priority areas: Arts & Culture, Food Insecurity, Health Disparities, Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofit Infrastructure, and Unhoused Neighbors.
Grants for Human Services, Housing, Food Insecurity and Immigration
The First Foundation supports underserved Tennesseans through a huge number of annual grants for the those in need of food assistance, the homeless, veterans and victims of domestic violence.
- In recent years, the Foundation has given annually to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.
- Tax records indicate human services-oriented funding supports low-income, homeless and veteran populations in the state, with consistent support for United Way of Greater Nashville and Operation Stand Down Tennessee, as well as smaller organizations like St. Luke’s Community House and Tennessee Disability Coalition.
- The Foundation also supports a small but consistent group of immigrants rights outfits like Conexian Americas, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and Tennessee Justice for our Neighbors.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Frist Foundation is a major supporter of the arts in Middle Tennessee, making grants for museums and arts education outfits.
- Since 2001, much of Frist’s funding has been directed to Frist Art Museum; since 2020, the Museum has received over $13.5 million in grants.
- Smaller arts nonprofits like Bravo Creative Arts Center, the Gospel Music Association and Turnip Green Creative Reuse also received recent support.
- The Nashville Zoo has also received annual support close to the level of Frist Art Museum.
Grants for Education and Youth Development
While the First Foundation lacks a formal initiatives for education and youth development, it’s broader giving for nonprofit infrastructure often touches upon children-focused programs.
- For instance, in 2025, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee announced a $5 million grant from Frist in support of its new Nashville Childcare Opportunity Fund.
- Other education grantees include the Nashville Public Education Foundation and the James C. Ferrer Education Fund.
- The Foundation also supports Family & Children’s Service of Nashville, a child welfare organization.
Grants for Nonprofits
The Foundation continues a special focus on agencies serving vulnerable people, and in “supporting efforts by nonprofit organizations to develop new sources of earned revenue and improve their managerial and technological infrastructure.” It serves nonprofits engaged in its priority areas through three forms of giving:
- General Grants “fund projects that will increase service capacity or ensure an organization’s long-term sustainability. These might include capital needs, the creation of earned revenue streams, or supporting consulting expenses for strategic planning or financial management”
- Technology Grants “help agencies work differently and more effectively using technology.” Tax records indicate recent grantees of this program include Rebuilding Together Nashville, the New Beginnings Center and Nashville Repertory Theatre.
- Operational Grants makes dozens of operational grants each year to a set of existing grantmaking partners, the most significant including the Frist Art Museum, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Young Leaders Council. This program is not currently accepting new applicants, but check back to the Foundation’s grants overview to review any updates.
Frist once allocated more than $100,000 each year for the Frist Foundation Awards of Achievement, which are distributed through the Center for Nonprofit Management to organizations. This awards program may no longer be active.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $1,000 to over $1,000,000, though a more typical range is $3,000 to $20,000. In recent years, the Foundation has given between $18.1 million and $29.2 million in total annual grants.
- Grants serve the greater Nashville area as well as Middle Tennessee. Preference will be given to agencies focused on underserved communities and organizations impacting a large numbers of Nashvillians.
- First-time applicants should email LOIs to loi@fristfoundation.org. More information can be found here.
- While there are no deadlines for requests, larger grants are typically approved at board meetings taking place in January, April, July and October.
- Contact the foundation at (615) 292-3868 or write to askfrist@fristfoundation.org.
PEOPLE:
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LINKS:
CONTACT:
The Frist Foundation
100 West End Ave., Suite 1200.
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
