What First Horizon Foundation does

First Horizon Foundation is a Tennessee nonprofit corporation established in 1993 as the philanthropic arm of First Horizon National Corporation. Headquartered in Memphis, the foundation distributes charitable grants to nonprofit organizations across a 12-state footprint covering Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The foundation operates without any proprietary technology platform, functioning purely as a grant-making entity that channels philanthropic capital from its parent corporation into community causes. Its branding is licensed from First Horizon Corporation, and it is governed as a Tennessee nonprofit corporation.

The foundation directs its more than $20 million in annual charitable investments across five focus areas: Arts & Culture, Education & Leadership, Environmental Sustainability, Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services. Since inception it has awarded over $170 million in total grants according to its own website, with PR Newswire citing $200 million+ donated to community causes, supporting 150+ organizations and impacting 25,000+ lives. Product offerings consist of Foundation Grants (the core program), the ArtsFirst Grant Program (a co-administered initiative with ARTSmemphis active since 2011 and contributing $6.5M+ to community arts), and Volunteer Service Programs that engage First Horizon associates in hands-on community projects including financial literacy classes, bike-building with Can'd Aid, and food distribution with the Mid-South Food Bank. The foundation does not sell products or services, has no pricing model, and operates as a cost center of its parent corporation rather than a revenue-generating entity.

The foundation employs a community-led go-to-market model, assigning regional relationship managers to specific states and metro areas who serve as direct contacts for prospective grantees. Grant applications are processed through state-specific web portals, with decisions communicated on varying timelines (e.g., Memphis February 2026, Nashville January 2026). Awareness is generated through the foundation website, PR Newswire press releases, and volunteer-driven community engagement; no paid advertising channels are referenced. Named recent investments include a $2.5 million commitment to Church Health, a $500,000 ArtsFirst distribution to 23 Memphis arts organizations, and $25,000 disaster relief grants to the American Red Cross and the Neighborhood Christian Center.

Name

First Horizon Foundation

Legal name

First Horizon Foundation

Website

https://firsthorizonfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

First Horizon Foundation is the Tennessee nonprofit philanthropic arm of First Horizon National Corporation, distributing more than $20 million annually in grants to 150+ nonprofits across 12 states in Arts & Culture, Education, Sustainability, Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable Giving from Parent Corporation: The Foundation, established in 1993 and affiliated with First Horizon National Corporation, receives annual funding allocations from its parent company to distribute as charitable grants. The foundation oversees more than $20 million in annual charitable giving across its 12-state regional banking network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

First Horizon Foundation distributes charitable grant funding to eligible nonprofit organizations across a 12-state service area in five focus areas: Arts & Culture, Education & Leadership, Environmental Sustainability, Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services. Annual giving exceeds $20 million, with over $170 million awarded historically since the foundation's 1993 establishment. The foundation also operates the ArtsFirst grant program with ARTSmemphis and coordinates volunteer service projects engaging First Horizon associates.

Product overview

First Horizon Foundation is a regional charitable foundation affiliated with First Horizon National Corporation that provides grant funding and volunteer support to nonprofits across 12 states. The foundation operates through three interconnected offerings: Foundation Grants serve as the core product, providing funding to eligible nonprofits across five focus areas (Arts & Culture, Education & Leadership, Environmental Sustainability, Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services); the ArtsFirst Grant Program is a specific partnership initiative with ARTSmemphis that targets Memphis arts organizations; and Volunteer Service Programs engage First Horizon associates in hands-on community activities that complement financial support. The foundation has provided over $170 million in total grants and supports more than 150 organizations annually across its regional footprint.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Grants Core grant funding program providing financial awards to eligible nonprofit organizations across the foundation's 12-state service area in five focus areas: Arts & Culture, Education & Leadership, Environmental Sustainability, Financial Literacy, and Health & Human Services. Applications are submitted through state-specific portals and managed by regional relationship managers.
• ArtsFirst Grant Program Co-administered grant initiative between First Horizon Foundation and ARTSmemphis providing funding to Memphis-area arts organizations. Since 2011, the foundation has contributed more than $6.5 million to community arts organizations through this partnership, with the 2026 program awarding $500,000 to 23 Memphis arts organizations including Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Memphis, and Opera Memphis.
• Volunteer Service Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $170 million in total grants awarded, supporting 150+ organizations and impacting 25,000+ lives.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARTSmemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026First Horizon Foundation and ARTSmemphis co-administer the ArtsFirst grant program, distributing annual grants to Memphis arts organizations. Since 2011, the foundation has contributed more than $6.5 million to community arts organizations through this partnership. The 2026 program awarded $500,000 to 23 Memphis arts organizations including Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Memphis, and Opera Memphis.
• Can'd AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Horizon Foundation partnered with Can'd Aid for a Nashville associate volunteer project, where associates built 60 bikes for underserved youth. The foundation provided funding for the bikes, and Can'd Aid facilitated the build event.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Huntington National Bank Foundation: Corporate charitable arm of Huntington Bancshares, a regional bank focused on the Midwest. Similar bank-affiliated grantmaking structure with education and community development priorities, though operates in a different geography than First Horizon.
• M&T Bank Charitable Foundation: Charitable foundation of M&T Bank Corporation, a regional bank primarily serving the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Comparable corporate foundation model with community development focus, though geographically distinct from First Horizon's southeastern footprint.

Broad incumbents

• PNC Foundation: Charitable foundation of PNC Financial Services Group. Comparable bank-affiliated grantmaking entity supporting early childhood education, community development, and the arts, though operating at a larger national scale.
• JPMorgan Chase Foundation: Corporate foundation of JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest US bank-affiliated philanthropic entities. Comparable grantmaking model with workforce development, small business, and community revitalization priorities, though at vastly larger scale than First Horizon Foundation.
• Bank of America Charitable Foundation: National corporate foundation funding nonprofits in workforce development, housing, and community development. Comparable as a bank-affiliated grantmaking entity, though operating at much larger scale and broader geographic reach than First Horizon Foundation.
• Wells Fargo Foundation: Corporate charitable foundation of Wells Fargo, one of the largest US bank-affiliated foundations. Operates across multiple focus areas (education, housing, small business, sustainability) similar to First Horizon Foundation's five-pillar model, with significantly larger scale.
• Citizens Charitable Foundation: Charitable arm of Citizens Financial Group. Bank-affiliated grantmaking entity supporting community development, education, and economic opportunity — comparable model but operating at a larger multi-state scale across the Northeast and Midwest.

Direct peers

• Regions Foundation: Charitable foundation of Regions Financial Corporation, a regional bank headquartered in Birmingham, AL. Directly comparable as a Southeast-focused bank-affiliated grantmaking entity with education, financial literacy, and community development priorities.
• Fifth Third Foundation: Corporate foundation of Fifth Third Bank, a regional bank operating across the Midwest and Southeast. Comparable bank-affiliated grantmaking model with focus on financial literacy, education, and community development.
• Truist Foundation: Charitable foundation of Truist Financial Corporation (formed from BB&T and SunTrust merger). Operates as a regional bank-affiliated corporate foundation across the Southeast with comparable focus areas including education, housing, and economic development — direct peer in scope and geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about First Horizon Foundation