About us
About the fund
Since 2009, the Maddox Fund has awarded over $23 million in grants to more than 150 organizations. Our founders had a commitment to young people, a love of nature and a passion for hunting and fishing. The board of directors, comprised of volunteer community leaders, oversees the fund’s operation and grantmaking.
Culture Tree
From trees, we learn about interconnectedness, as below ground, tree roots are intertwined for strength and survival. When the wind blows, the trees hold one another fast. At Maddox we take our cue from trees, and believe that we are stronger together, rooted in our shared vision, mission and values while reaching for our shared part of the sky. Like trees, the Maddox Fund believes our well-being is wrapped up in an inescapable network of mutuality — whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
We offer this image of a culture tree to help our partners understand how our mission and values are reflected in our shared language and made manifest in our collaborations and relationships.
Grantmaking
We invest in efforts that focus on or support the following:
Where we fund
The Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund serves the 41 counties of Middle Tennessee listed below. Programs must operate within this geographic area.
Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Davidson, Dekalb, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lincoln, Macon, Marion, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Sequatche, Smith, Jackson, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, and Williamson
Along our racial equity journey, the Maddox Fund confronted our traditional thinking and practices. Transitioning from a status quo foundation to a learning organization has freed us to learn from and with our nonprofit partners. As we continue to evolve toward justice and liberation, we find joy in reimagining our work with our Middle Tennessee community.
See What We've Learned So Far
Toward Justice & Liberation
My job is to make the money and her job is to give it away—and she's doing a lot better job than I am.
History
The Maddox Fund has been evolving since our inception in 2008. Nowhere is this more evident than in our shift from traditional grantmaking practices toward a commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Liberation. Click here to see the directions we’re heading.
