Fontaine Family Foundation Inc.

## Approach Strategy

The Fontaine Family Foundation is a tightly held family foundation run by Jack and Nancy Fontaine and their extended family. With no staff, no public website, and no formal application process, this is a classic relationship-driven private foundation. All board members are family or close professional associates (family attorney, family CPA, family office manager).

Key insight: The foundation exists primarily as the financial engine behind the John T. Fontaine Jr. Charity (JFJC), an organization the family created in 2016 to honor their eldest son John, who was killed at age 16 in an alcohol-related car accident in 2000. Understanding this origin story is essential to any approach.

### How to Approach

1. Align with their core mission. The foundation's giving is tightly focused on youth education, substance abuse prevention, and programs that help young people make safer decisions. Any pitch must connect directly to these themes.

2. Leverage the Chattanooga connection. The family is deeply rooted in Chattanooga, with ties to ELD Associates (Brett Rousch's family office) and James Edward and Companies. Local organizations with community credibility have an advantage.

3. Build a relationship before asking. With a seven-person all-family board and no grant program staff, cold applications will not work. Seek introductions through Chattanooga civic networks, University of Georgia alumni connections, or the BrainAbouts school network.

4. Demonstrate measurable impact on youth. The JFJC and BrainAbouts emphasize evidence-based, neuroscience-backed programming. Proposals should include outcome data and evaluation frameworks.

## Funding Patterns

### Financial Trajectory (2017-2024) - 2017: $5.1M assets (founding year; $6M initial contribution) - 2019: $6.5M assets; $125K in grants - 2020: $7.4M assets; $709K in grants (peak year; $2.2M additional contribution received) - 2024: $10.6M assets; $585K in grants

The foundation's assets have doubled since founding, growing from $5.1M to $10.6M, indicating strong investment returns and periodic major gifts. Annual charitable disbursements typically range from $125,000 to $700,000, with a median around $400,000-$585,000 in recent years.

### Revenue Model - 86% from sales of assets (capital gains from investment portfolio) - 17% from dividends - Zero employee costs — all officers serve without compensation - No contributions in 2024 — the foundation is largely self-sustaining from its endowment

### Grant Characteristics - The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation, meaning it primarily makes grants rather than running its own programs. - Given the close alignment with JFJC, a significant portion of disbursements likely flows to the John T. Fontaine Jr. Charity and related programs (BrainAbouts, Fontaine Center at UGA). - Typical grant sizes appear to be in the $25,000-$150,000 range based on total disbursements and the small number of likely recipients.

## Peer Comparison

The Fontaine Family Foundation sits in a specific niche among Chattanooga-area private foundations:

Relative positioning: The Fontaine Family Foundation is a small-to-mid-size family foundation compared to Chattanooga's major philanthropic players. However, it is highly focused — its concentrated mission around youth substance abuse prevention gives it outsized impact in that specific domain.

Unique advantages for grantseekers: - Less competition than large community foundations - More personal relationship with decision-makers - Strong alignment means deep commitment to funded organizations - Growing asset base suggests increasing future capacity

Fontaine family philanthropic ecosystem: The family operates multiple related entities — the Fontaine Family Foundation (private foundation for tax-advantaged giving), the John T. Fontaine Jr. Charity (operating charity running BrainAbouts), and connections to the Riverview Foundation and Lyndhurst Foundation through the broader Fontaine/Davenport/Lupton family network in Chattanooga.

## Recent Activity

### Fiscal Year 2024 Highlights - $585,000 in charitable disbursements — representing 89.1% of total expenses - $2.1M in total revenue driven primarily by investment gains ($1.8M from asset sales, $360K in dividends) - $10.6M in total assets with zero liabilities — the foundation is debt-free and well-capitalized - Net income of $1.4M — the foundation continues to grow its endowment while maintaining active grantmaking

### Organizational Developments - The foundation filed its most recent Form 990-PF in November 2025, covering fiscal year 2024. - The board composition remains stable with seven family members/close associates, all serving without compensation. - The related John T. Fontaine Jr. Charity continues to expand its BrainAbouts program into schools, with a professional staff including a Senior Director (PhD), Director of Implementation, Director of Expansion, and Program Manager. - BrainAbouts is described as a "turnkey tool" for schools, suggesting the program has matured from development into active scaling.

### Trajectory The foundation's asset growth from $5.1M (2017) to $10.6M (2024) — more than doubling in seven years — positions it for potentially larger future disbursements. The 5% minimum distribution requirement for private foundations means the foundation should distribute at least $530K annually, roughly in line with its current giving.

## Application Tips

### Critical Context The Fontaine Family Foundation does not have a public grant application process. There is no website, no published guidelines, and no open call for proposals. This is a family-directed foundation where all funding decisions are made by the seven-member board.

### How to Position a Request

1. Start with the story. The Fontaines are mission-driven by personal tragedy. Any approach should acknowledge and respect the foundation's origin — honoring John Fontaine Jr.'s memory by preventing youth tragedies. Do not treat this as a transactional funding relationship.

2. Focus on prevention, not treatment. The family's charitable philosophy emphasizes early prevention and intervention — reaching young people *before* they encounter risky situations. Programs focused on treatment or recovery for adults are less likely to align.

3. Show evidence and outcomes. The BrainAbouts program is explicitly "backed by neuroscience" and "evidence-based." The foundation values data-driven approaches with measurable outcomes, not just good intentions.

4. Target the right age group. BrainAbouts targets elementary through secondary school students. Programs serving K-12 youth are most aligned with the foundation's interests.

5. Geographic alignment matters. Chattanooga-based organizations have a natural advantage, but the JFJC operates nationally (BrainAbouts is expanding to schools across the country). A compelling national program in youth education/prevention could also attract interest.

### Contact Approach - Address: 832 Georgia Ave, Suite 400, Chattanooga, TN 37402-2260 - Key decision-makers: Jack Fontaine (President) and Nancy Fontaine (Board Member) - Professional contacts: Brett Rousch (Treasurer, CPA at ELD Associates) and Coy Martin (Secretary, attorney in Nashville) - Best path: Seek a warm introduction through Chattanooga civic or business networks, University of Georgia connections, or existing BrainAbouts school partners