Name

Maclellan Foundation

Legal name

The Maclellan Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://maclellan.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Foundation Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Private foundation grants
• Faith-based philanthropy
• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Christian ministry support
• Family foundation giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grantmaking: The Maclellan Foundation operates as a private foundation that provides financial grants to faith-based ministries and organizations. Revenue is derived from endowment returns and investment income rather than commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Maclellan Foundation is a private family foundation that provides financial grants to qualifying 501(c)(3) public charities focused on faith-based ministries, discipleship, leadership development, and biblical generosity. Operating since 1945, the foundation distributes grants from endowment returns and complements its grantmaking with a portfolio of free capacity-building resources for Christian nonprofit organizations, including online courses, self-assessment tools, and governance resources.

Product overview

Maclellan Foundation operates as a family of foundations offering grantmaking services and educational resources rather than a commercial product company. The core offerings include grant programs through a Salesforce-based Grants Portal and a suite of free resources for Christian nonprofit capacity building: FiftyFour Collective (online courses), 9D Assessment (organizational evaluation tool), Mission Centered Governance (governance resources), Giving Together (collaborative giving model), Journey of Generosity (generosity retreats), and Generous Church (discipleship program). The foundation family includes The Maclellan Foundation, Inc. (primary entity focused on discipleship and generosity), the Robert L. and Kathrina H. Maclellan Foundation (focused on Chattanooga community, families, youth, and education), and the Christian Education Charitable Trust (focused on innovative Christian education approaches).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Grantmaking Strategic, relationship-driven grantmaking from endowment returns to qualifying 501(c)(3) public charities and faith-based ministries, including US churches, foreign organizations with equivalency determination, and organizations in fiscal sponsorship relationships.
• Grants Portal Salesforce-based online portal that enables authorized grant seekers from qualifying organizations to submit and manage grant applications, track status, and manage ongoing grants. Access requires authorization from each organization's central leadership.
• FiftyFour Collective Free online platform housing short courses from world-class experts in Christian nonprofit leadership, covering the nine dimensions of organizational capacity, available to ministry partners and the broader Christian nonprofit ecosystem.
• 9D Assessment Free organizational self-assessment tool that helps ministries evaluate strengths and weaknesses across nine dimensions of organizational capacity, accessible through FiftyFour Collective.
• Mission Centered Governance Governance insights and resources derived from working with hundreds of kingdom organizations globally, focused on strengthening organizational longevity and success through effective governance practices.
• Giving Together Peer-based model of collaborative giving that engages new givers, inspires generosity, and connects the body of Christ across multiple continents.
• Journey of Generosity Free, conversation-based retreat experiences inspired by Scripture and impactful stories that encourage radical generosity, offered globally through Generosity Path and in North America by Generous Giving.
• Generous Church Program that cultivates biblical generosity as a form of discipleship through initiatives like the Generosity Design Lab, providing customized training that empowers leaders in over 110 countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1 billion in total grants given on a cumulative, inflation-adjusted basis as of 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 flagship.

• FiftyFour CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree online platform housing short courses from world-class experts in Christian nonprofit leadership across nine dimensions of organizational capacity. The foundation supports this initiative as part of its equipping ministries strategy.
• 9D AssessmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree organizational self-assessment tool designed to help ministries evaluate strengths and weaknesses across nine dimensions of organizational capacity. Available through FiftyFour Collective.
• Mission Centered GovernancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernance resources and insights gained from working with hundreds of kingdom organizations globally. Designed to strengthen organizational longevity and success through effective governance practices.
• Generous GivingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2000 with Maclellan's first grant for exclusive generosity focus. Operates in North America to inspire biblical generosity through retreat experiences and peer-based collaborative giving models.
• Giving TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeer-based model of collaborative giving that has seen success on multiple continents in engaging new givers, inspiring generosity, and connecting the body of Christ.
• Generosity PathcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal provider of Journey of Generosity experiences - free, conversation-based retreats that inspire individuals and communities to embrace radical generosity through Scripture and impactful stories.
• Generous ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with global church and ministry networks to cultivate biblical generosity as a form of discipleship. Through initiatives like the Generosity Design Lab, provides customized training empowering leaders in over 110 countries.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Direct peers

• Crowell Trust: A long-tenured Christian family foundation funding church and ministry initiatives globally. Directly comparable to Maclellan in structure (multi-generational family foundation), focus (church planting and discipleship), and relationship-driven grantmaking posture.
• Kern Family Foundation: A faith-informed private foundation focused on education, character formation, and entrepreneurship. Comparable to Maclellan in combining traditional grantmaking with a values-based, capability-building agenda through subsidiaries and programs.
• Issachar Fund: A faith-based strategic grantmaking initiative that channels capital to Kingdom-focused ministries and collaborative funding networks. Comparable to Maclellan's Bridge Strategy with its emphasis on relationship-driven, network-led capital deployment.
• National Christian Foundation: The largest Christian donor-advised fund platform in the US, deploying hundreds of millions into faith-based ministries annually. Comparable as a high-volume grantmaking intermediary for Christian causes, with overlapping donor networks and similar Kingdom-focused framing.
• M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust: A faith-rooted private foundation in the Pacific Northwest that funds capacity-building for nonprofits, education, and community transformation. Directly comparable to Maclellan in mission, scale, and the practice of equipping organizations rather than just writing checks.
• Tyndale House Foundation: A Christian ministry foundation supporting discipleship, leadership formation, and Scripture engagement globally. Comparable to Maclellan in faith-rooted mission and programmatic support for kingdom organizations beyond check-writing.

Others

• Generous Giving: An initiative originally incubated with Maclellan's first grant in 2000 that operates generosity retreats and peer-based giving circles across North America. Closely related as a flagship grantee/partner and shared mission around biblical generosity.

Broad incumbents

• Lilly Endowment: One of the largest US private foundations, with a primary focus on religion (especially Christian congregations and theological education) and youth/education. Comparable in faith-based mandate and scale, but operates at far greater asset size and broader thematic scope.

Emerging players

• Christian Vision: A UK-headquartered global Christian foundation funding evangelism, leadership development, and discipleship in over 40 countries. Comparable in faith-rooted global grantmaking, though with a European operational base.

Regional players

• D.L. Moody Center: A Chicago-rooted faith-based foundation founded on D.L. Moody's legacy, funding evangelical education and mission. Comparable in multi-generational Christian foundation structure, though more concentrated on education and media.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Maclellan Foundation