Higher Education Grant Funders in Tennessee
820 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to Tennessee nonprofits in recent years, together directing $548.3M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a public funder overview, and Bespoke Grants will match all 820 against your nonprofit's specific mission. One lifetime free search includes up to three sourced matches; further searches and the full workflow are $19/month. No credit card is needed for the preview.
Most active higher education funders in Tennessee
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Tennessee giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Memphis Foundation | Tennessee | $67.6M | 8 | 2024 |
| 2 | University of Chattanooga | Tennessee | $51.9M | 6 | 2024 |
| 3 | East Tennessee State University | Tennessee | $48.7M | 6 | 2023 |
| 4 | Haslam Family Foundation Inc | Tennessee | $27.8M | 21 | 2024 |
| 5 | Governors Rural Education | Tennessee | $27.5M | 2 | 2025 |
| 6 | Auxiliary Services Foundation | Tennessee | $26.3M | 3 | 2024 |
| 7 | American Educational Assistance | Tennessee | $22.8M | 6 | 2024 |
| 8 | The Gary W Rollins Foundation | Georgia | $19.1M | 4 | 2024 |
| 9 | United Negro College Fund Inc | District of Columbia | $18.1M | 21 | 2025 |
| 10 | Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc | Georgia | $13.0M | 65 | 2024 |
| 11 | Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation | Tennessee | $9.1M | 15 | 2024 |
| 12 | The Day Foundation | Tennessee | $8.9M | 23 | 2024 |
| 13 | Promethean Foundation Inc | Tennessee | $8.6M | 69 | 2024 |
| 14 | Mikeroweworks Foundation | California | $7.7M | 6 | 2024 |
| 15 | Chattanooga State Community | Tennessee | $6.5M | 8 | 2025 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in Tennessee — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 820 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. One lifetime free search includes up to three sourced matches; further searches and the full workflow are $19/month. No credit card is needed for the preview.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →