Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

What Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee does

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) is a 501(c)(3) public community foundation founded in 1991 in Nashville, Tennessee, operating as a regional philanthropic services platform across a 43-county Middle Tennessee service area. The foundation manages more than 1,600 charitable funds on behalf of individual philanthropists, corporate donors, and entertainment industry professionals, and has distributed over $1.25 billion back to the community since inception. CFMT's core product suite includes Donor Advised Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Agency Endowment Funds (with a $5,000 minimum and 0.4% annual administrative fee), Community Impact Grants, Special Interest Grants, and Employee Care Funds, supported by technology infrastructure consisting of an FCS-based donor portal (fcsuite.com) and the Foundant Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) for nonprofit grant applications.

The foundation serves five primary customer segments: individual philanthropists, entertainment industry professionals (100+ music industry fundholders including Garth Brooks, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, and Lauren Daigle), corporate donors, nonprofit organizations, and students (via 160+ scholarship funds). Revenue derives from administrative fees on managed funds, charitable contributions from individuals and corporations, and fees on entertainment philanthropy fund portfolios. CFMT operates multiple branded initiatives including GivingMatters (a nonprofit directory with nearly 2,000 verified profiles), The Women's Fund (established 1994), The Village (Black nonprofit leader incubation), Childcare Tennessee, and Disaster Philanthropy services, with Metro Nashville having designated the foundation as the central repository for regional disaster giving.

In 2026, CFMT launched the Music Community Foundation (MCF) as a national spinoff extending its entertainment philanthropy practice to all 50 states with international reach, and introduced the Rising Philanthropist Institute as a cohort-based learning program. The foundation employs between 11 and 50 staff at its Belmont Boulevard headquarters and is governed by an independent board of directors with no parent company or equity ownership structure.

Name

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

Legal name

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

Website

https://cfmt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) public community foundation that manages 1,600+ charitable funds, administers 160+ scholarship funds, and distributes grants across 43 counties in Middle Tennessee for individual, corporate, and entertainment industry philanthropists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation / Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Donor advised funds
• Charitable grantmaking
• Endowment fund management
• Nonprofit philanthropic services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Administrative Fees on Donor Funds: CFMT charges administrative fees for managing charitable funds. Agency Endowment Funds charge an annual administrative fee of 0.4% on the fund balance, plus an annual investment fee. These fees support foundation operations while providing professional fund management services.
2. Charitable Contributions: The foundation receives charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and entertainment industry professionals. These donations fund the foundation's grantmaking operations and community initiatives. Donors receive tax deductions for contributions.
3. Entertainment Philanthropy Management: CFMT manages charitable funds for entertainment industry professionals, providing full financial accounting, compliance, and reporting services. Revenue comes from administrative fees on entertainment fund portfolios and the Music Community Foundation initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee operates as a public charity managing more than 1,600 charitable funds and administering philanthropic services for individual donors, corporations, entertainment professionals, and nonprofit organizations across Middle Tennessee's 43-county region. Core offerings include Donor Advised Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Corporate Charitable Funds, Employee Care Funds, Community Impact Grants, Special Interest Grants, Agency Endowment Fund management, Scholarship Administration for 160+ scholarship funds, and the GivingMatters nonprofit directory platform connecting donors to nearly 2,000 verified local nonprofits.

Product overview

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee operates as a multi-product philanthropic services organization offering a platform of charitable giving products and programs. The core offerings include Donor Advised Funds and Field of Interest Funds for individual and corporate philanthropists, alongside Community Impact Grants and Special Interest Grants for nonprofit recipients. The organization has developed specialized sub-brands including Entertainment Philanthropy serving over 100 music industry clients, Corporate Philanthropy with Employee Care Funds and Corporate Scholarship Funds, and the newly launched Music Community Foundation (MCF) expanding nationally. Supporting infrastructure includes the GivingMatters nonprofit directory platform connecting nearly 2,000 verified nonprofits with donors, Agency Endowment Fund services for nonprofit financial sustainability, Scholarship Administration managing 160+ scholarship funds, and Meeting Space Reservation for nonprofits. Community initiatives include Childcare Tennessee, The Women's Fund, Disaster Philanthropy, The Village (Black nonprofit leader support), Press Forward Middle Tennessee, and Rising Philanthropist Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Music Community Foundation (MCF): National nonprofit hub for music-driven philanthropy extending CFMT's music philanthropy work to all 50 states with international reach
• GivingMatters
• Childcare Tennessee
• The Women's Fund
• The Village
• Press Forward Middle Tennessee
• Rising Philanthropist Institute
• Nashville Early Education Coalition (NEEC)

Products and services

• Donor Advised Funds Charitable giving vehicle allowing donors to make irrevocable contributions, receive immediate tax benefits, and recommend grants to nonprofits over time.
• Field of Interest Funds Directed giving to nonprofits working in areas of interest such as education, arts, youth services, or disability services.
• Community Impact Grants Multi-year partnership grantmaking program supporting nonprofit organizations across Middle Tennessee's 43-county service area.
• Special Interest Grants Programmatic support grants within specific focus areas including Animal Welfare, Lillian Ashley Fund, Women's Fund, Performing Arts, Sports, and more.
• Entertainment Philanthropy Specialized philanthropic services for entertainment industry professionals including musicians, artists, and industry executives with over 100 fundholders.
• Corporate Philanthropy Corporate giving programs including Corporate Charitable Funds, Employee Care Funds, and Corporate Scholarship Funds.
• Music Community Foundation (MCF) National nonprofit hub for music-driven philanthropy extending CFMT's 30 years of entertainment philanthropy work to all 50 states with international reach.
• Employee Care Funds Tax-deductible charitable solution providing emergency assistance to employees facing crisis from natural disasters, illness, death, or catastrophic circumstances.
• Corporate Scholarship Funds Scholarship programs allowing businesses to support employees' or employees' dependents' educational goals.
• Agency Endowment Fund Endowment fund management service for nonprofit organizations to support operations and programs in perpetuity with minimum $5,000 establishment.
• Scholarship Administration Administers over 160 different scholarship funds for students across Middle Tennessee with one application for multiple opportunities.
• GivingMatters CFMT initiative connecting donors to nearly 2,000 verified Middle Tennessee nonprofits with comprehensive profiles including programs, finances, management, and governance information.
• Disaster Philanthropy CFMT Disaster Fund providing flexible, timely support for disaster preparedness, response, and long-term recovery across 43-county service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.25 billion granted back to the community since 1991
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Way of Greater NashvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026CFMT partners with United Way of Greater Nashville to coordinate disaster relief efforts. During Winter Storm Fern, the organizations worked alongside Volunteers Organizations Active in Disaster to distribute relief funds. The Winter Storm Recovery Fund, managed jointly, raised over $500,000 with corporate support from Tractor Supply, Bridgestone, Rogers Group, Regions, Comcast, and Delta Dental.
• VRBOminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Short-term rental platform partnered with Nashville to provide emergency housing options for residents without power during Winter Storm Fern, complementing traditional hotel accommodations.
• AirbnbminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Short-term rental platform collaborated with Nashville to offer emergency housing for residents displaced by Winter Storm Fern power outages.
• The Healing TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Press Forward Middle Tennessee is co-sponsored by The Healing Trust alongside CFMT, working to strengthen local news and information ecosystems across the 40-county region.
• Press Forward NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Press Forward Middle Tennessee is part of a national Press Forward network to strengthen local news, with local work shaped by Middle Tennessee community realities while sharing insights nationally.
• Nashville VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CFMT collaborates with Nashville VOAD for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery coordination, leveraging the CFMT Disaster Fund for long-term community recovery efforts.
• The Women's Fund Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994The Women's Fund, established in 1994 within CFMT, is governed by an advisory board including early supporter Ruth Ann Harnisch. The fund focuses on women's economic self-sufficiency, violence prevention, health, and girls' opportunities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Cleveland Foundation: One of the oldest and largest U.S. community foundations with comparable offerings in donor-advised funds, competitive grantmaking, scholarships, and community leadership initiatives. Highly comparable operating model and scale tier.
• The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta: Regional community foundation offering donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and donor services across metropolitan Atlanta. Comparable structure, scale, and product suite to CFMT.
• The Pittsburgh Foundation: Mid-sized community foundation with a similar mix of donor-advised funds, community grantmaking, and scholarship administration. Comparable mission and product portfolio.
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation: Regional community foundation with parallel offerings in donor-advised funds, competitive grant cycles, and donor services. Comparable in operating model and scale tier to CFMT.
• The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis: Tennessee-based community foundation serving the greater Memphis region with a similar model of donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and community initiatives. Direct peer given shared state and regional operating model, fund products, and grantmaking approach.
• The Chicago Community Trust: Large urban community foundation operating donor-advised funds, competitive grantmaking, and community leadership programs. Direct comparable in mission, product mix, and metropolitan service model.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: The largest national donor-advised fund sponsor, offering DAFs to mass-affluent and high-net-worth donors. Not a community foundation but a direct competitor for DAF assets, including in the entertainment industry segment where CFMT has differentiated expertise.
• Schwab Charitable: Major national donor-advised fund sponsor, providing DAF services integrated with Schwab investment platforms. Competes for the same donor-advised fund assets that form CFMT's core business.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest U.S. community foundations, with a comparable focus on donor-advised funds and tech-driven donor services. Broader scale and global wealth positioning, but with overlapping products and segments including high-net-worth individuals.

Regional players

• The San Francisco Foundation: Bay Area community foundation with comparable donor-advised fund, grantmaking, and community leadership offerings. Functions as a regional peer with similar operating model but serves a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thecommunityfoundationofmi2209
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityFoundationMidTN
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityfoundationmidtn
• Xx.com/cfmt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-community-foundation-of-middle-tennessee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee