· Private foundation
Watkins Family Foundation Inc
Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.
What it funded, over time
Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2023 to 2025.
Where the money goes
Grants by size, and the largest recipients.
By grant size · FY2025
- Under $10k4 grants · $20k
- $10k–50k7 grants · $75k
| Recipient | Amount |
|---|---|
| KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART | $15,000 |
| LAKESHORE PARK CONSERVANCY | $10,000 |
| YWCA KNOXVILLE | $10,000 |
| HELEN ROSS MCNABB FOUNDATION | $10,000 |
| KNOXVILLE BOTANICAL GARDENS | $10,000 |
| ZOO KNOXVILLE | $10,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE TN VALLEY | $10,000 |
| SHANGRI-LA THERAPEUTIC ACADEMY | $5,000 |
| THE JOY OF MUSIC SCHOOL | $5,000 |
| EMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION | $5,000 |
| LEGACY PARKS FOUNDATION | $5,000 |
Does the money reach high-need areas?
Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.
Its human-services grants (FY23–25, $48k) land where the poverty rate runs at 12%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.
How this is measured
How this is measured
Who it funds again
Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.
Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +14% since the first grant, against +9% for those funded once.
12 repeat relationships: 11 still active in FY2025, 1 since wound down.
How the two cohorts compare
Organizations
Total granted
Median revenue growth · since first grant
Still filing today
New vs renewed · share of each year
In FY2025, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.
Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant
How this is measured
Backed again, and grew
- KMKNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART3× · 2023–2025 · $65k · revenue +17%
- TYTHE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION3× · 2023–2025 · $45k · revenue +57%
- HRHELEN ROSS MCNABB FOUNDATION3× · 2023–2025 · $20k · revenue +76%
Funded once
- TUTHE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE FOUNDATION INCone grant, 2024 · $10k · revenue +9%
- KLKNOXVILLE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION INCgraduatedone grant, 2023 · $5k · revenue +156%
- RMRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIESone grant, 2023 · $5k
How this is measured
Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.
Closest unfunded matches
The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.
Knoxville botanical gardens and arboretum provides and maintains gardens for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public.
To provide financial support for the knoxville museum of art.
Primarily to spread the gospel of jesus christ in downtown knoxville, tennessee by serving the community of the greater knoxville area through the provision of services, resources, worship, teaching, fellowship and networking capabilities.
To identify, select, train, and nurture individuals in the knoxville, tennessee area capable of fulfilling future leadership positions.
To provide affordable housing to low and moderate income persons in east tennessee through first-time homebuyer education; assist with mortgage loans, downpayments, and closing costs; build new single family housing; develop multi-family…
To put christian principles into practice through programs and activities that develop the spirit, mind and body of youth, adults and families in knoxville, tn and surrounding communities. the ymca encourages growth for youth development,…
Knoxville entrepreneur center was formed for educational and charitable purpose to provide resources and assist entrepreneurs and small business owners in knoxville, tennessee and the surrounding community to transform their business…
Knoxville college is a private, church related coeducational liberal arts institution. the college is open to students of diverse backgrounds and cultures who seek a quality liberal arts education.
To provide no-cost health care to families who have no insurance and do not qualify for the states low income insurance program.
To encourage lifelong physical well-being through running and walking. the vision statement for the knoxville track club is healthy living, healthy community - one step at a time.
To support the young women's christian association and its activities, consistent with its mission in eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. ywca knoxville foundation is conducting a…
How this is measured
11 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.
Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.
How this is measured
Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 11 of the 17 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.
Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.
Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee
Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding
A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.
- Who funds KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART ↗
- Who funds LAKESHORE PARK CONSERVANCY ↗
- Who funds THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION ↗
- Who funds BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE TENNESSEE VALL ↗
- Who funds HELEN ROSS MCNABB FOUNDATION ↗
- Who funds LEGACY PARKS FOUNDATION ↗
- Who funds EMERALD YOUTH FOUNDATION ↗
- Who funds JOY OF MUSIC YOUTH MUSIC SCHOOL CORPORATION ↗
- Who funds THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE FOUNDATION INC ↗
- Who funds KNOXVILLE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION INC ↗
- Who funds CARECUTS INC ↗
Co-funders
Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.
Open a dossier: The Melrose Foundation · Lawson Family Foundation · Thompson Charitable Foundation · The Clayton Homes Foundation · Haslam Family Foundation Inc · Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · Akima Club Inc · The Aslan Foundation · The Clayton Family Foundation · The Boyd Foundation · Food City Charitable Foundation
How this is measured
How much its grantees rely on government
Each dot is one organization Watkins Family Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Watkins Family Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.
How this is measured
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