Fully Alive Foundation Inc.

Fully Alive Foundation Inc. is a newly established private grantmaking foundation headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, that received a single $49.9 million founding gift in December 2023. It is governed by three unpaid board members — Wesley Brown, Meagan Lynn, and Christopher Mooney — and has operated for fewer than two full fiscal years. Its grantmaking database profile carries a preselected_only designation, which is the single most important strategic signal for grant seekers: this foundation selects its own grantees rather than responding to unsolicited applications.

The foundation's website (fullyalivefoundation.com) was still in a 'Launching Soon' state as of 2025–2026, providing no public program descriptions, eligibility criteria, or application portal. This deliberately low public profile is common among new family-style foundations still developing their strategic framework in the first two to three years.

For first-time applicants, the practical implication is clear: there is no traditional grant cycle to apply to. The pathway to funding runs exclusively through relationship development with the board. Organizations that succeed with pre-selected foundations typically do so by becoming known and trusted before any formal grant conversation occurs. This means:

• Mapping board member networks. Wesley Brown, Meagan Lynn, and Christopher Mooney are based in or near Knoxville. Research their professional backgrounds, civic affiliations, and board service at other organizations. Shared board membership, mutual advisors, or alumni networks are the highest-value entry points.
• Engaging the Knoxville philanthropic ecosystem. The Community Foundation of Greater Knoxville, United Way of Greater Knoxville, and local chambers of commerce are natural connective tissue. Peer foundations and major donors in Knoxville may have visibility into this foundation's emerging priorities well before any public announcement.
• Positioning your organization as mission-aligned. Since no formal mission statement has been published beyond the founding tax filing, watch the first named grantee disclosures on 990 filings (expected in 2025 or 2026) to triangulate where this foundation intends to focus.
• Using the website contact form strategically. A brief, professional introduction — emphasizing your organization's impact in Tennessee and expressing genuine interest in the foundation's work — positions you for a future conversation rather than pitching a grant directly.

Fully Alive Foundation Inc. is in its earliest observable grantmaking stage, making precise pattern analysis difficult. The data that does exist provides meaningful baseline intelligence.

Asset base: Total assets stood at $51,987,237 at fiscal year-end 2024, up from the founding contribution of $49,985,962 received in December 2023. The growth of roughly $2M reflects investment appreciation and income net of expenses — a healthy trajectory for an endowed foundation.

Investment income: FY2024 revenue was $2,250,609, composed of interest income ($1,203,576; 53.5%), dividend income ($851,000; 37.9%), proceeds from asset sales ($120,000; 5.3%), and other income ($75,000; 3.3%). Zero contributed revenue in 2024, confirming this is a true endowment model.

First-year giving: Charitable disbursements in FY2024 totaled $231,171, representing approximately 0.44% of total assets. This is substantially below the IRS minimum distribution requirement of 5% of net investment assets (~$2.6M on a $52M base). This gap — approximately $2.4M of mandatory payout — means the foundation must significantly increase grant activity in subsequent years or risk excise taxes. Grant seekers should expect a meaningful ramp-up in 2025 and 2026 disbursements.

Projected annual capacity: At the IRS 5% floor, the foundation's required annual payout approximates $2.5–$2.6 million per year. If the board pursues a more generous 7–8% payout — typical for community-oriented private foundations — annual giving could reach $3.5–$4.2 million.

Geographic and programmatic concentration: No grantee names or program categories are yet publicly available. Given the Knoxville, Tennessee base and all-volunteer board, early grants are likely to concentrate in East Tennessee. NTEE classification T20 (Private Grantmaking Foundations) does not constrain the foundation's focus area, meaning it could support any cause sector.

Grant size range: With $231,171 in first-year disbursements across an unknown number of grants, individual awards were likely in the range of $10,000–$50,000 during the ramp-up phase. As disbursements scale toward the $2.5M minimum, individual grants of $50,000–$250,000 are plausible.

The following table compares Fully Alive Foundation Inc. to four peer private grantmaking foundations of comparable asset size identified in foundation databases. All peers share the T20 NTEE classification.

All five peer foundations fall in the $51.8M–$52M asset band — a cohort typical of large family gift foundations or estates transferred into philanthropic vehicles in the 2020–2024 period. Fully Alive Foundation stands apart in one key respect: it is the only foundation in this peer group with a documented website (albeit in pre-launch status) and the only one whose grantmaking profile explicitly flags a preselected-only designation. The Garatoni-Smith Family Foundation (Indiana) and Thornwell Family Foundation (Georgia) are well-established family giving vehicles in their respective states, while Topher-Scott and EJK Foundation maintain almost no public footprint. The peer group's collective opacity underscores a pattern common to new or closely held private foundations: minimal public engagement while internal grantmaking infrastructure is established.

The Fully Alive Foundation Inc. is among the newest private foundations of its asset class, with all material activity occurring since December 2023.

Founding event (December 2023): The foundation was incorporated in mid-December 2023 and capitalized with a single founding gift of $49,985,962 received before year-end. This unusually precise timing — just weeks between incorporation and full funding — suggests a planned estate or wealth transfer event rather than a multi-year fundraising campaign. The IRS granted tax-exempt status in May 2024.

First operating year (2024): The foundation generated $2,250,609 in investment income and made $231,171 in charitable disbursements — its first observable grantmaking activity. Operating expenses totaled $381,428, likely covering legal, accounting, and administrative setup costs for a new private foundation. Total assets grew to $51,987,237 by year-end 2024.

Board composition: Wesley Brown, Meagan Lynn, and Christopher Mooney serve as the three board members, all receiving zero compensation. Wesley Brown is listed as the primary organizational contact. No executive director or professional staff are listed in the 990 data, suggesting a lean, founder-directed governance model.

Website status (2025–2026): As of research conducted in 2025–2026, the foundation's official website (fullyalivefoundation.com) displays only a 'Launching Soon' page with a contact form and email signup. Copyright is dated 2025. No grants, program areas, leadership bios, or application guidelines have been published. This is consistent with a foundation still in the organizational development phase.

No press releases, news coverage, or public grant announcements have been identified for this foundation through 2026.

Given the foundation's preselected-only designation and the absence of a public application process, standard grant-writing tactics do not apply here. The following tips are tailored specifically to Fully Alive Foundation Inc.'s profile and early-stage status.

1. Do not submit an unsolicited proposal. The foundation's database profile is explicitly marked preselected_only. Sending an unsolicited letter of inquiry or full proposal to an invitation-only foundation wastes resources and may signal unfamiliarity with how private foundations operate, creating a negative first impression.

2. Prioritize board member relationship mapping. Wesley Brown (primary contact, likely the founding donor's representative or family advisor), Meagan Lynn, and Christopher Mooney are the full decision-making body. Research their professional affiliations — law firms, financial advisory practices, civic boards, and faith communities in Knoxville — before any outreach. A warm introduction from a shared connection is worth more than any proposal.

3. Use the website contact form as a first touch. A brief, respectful message expressing admiration for the foundation's work and introducing your organization's mission in 2–3 sentences is appropriate. Do not attach documents or ask for funding. The goal is to be on their radar when priorities are formalized.

4. Monitor 990 filings for first named grantees. The FY2025 or FY2026 990 will almost certainly list the first publicly documented grantees by name and amount. This intelligence is priceless — it reveals the foundation's actual program focus, grant size range, and geographic priorities before any formal announcements. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (EIN 93-4904298) is the fastest free source.

5. Align with Knoxville-area priorities. The Papermill Drive address places the foundation in West Knoxville, a hub for professional services and affluent civic philanthropy. Organizations with strong East Tennessee community ties, outcomes data, and local leadership credibility are best positioned. Statewide or national organizations without a meaningful Tennessee footprint are less likely to be competitive in the early grant rounds.

6. Be patient and persistent. New private foundations of this size typically spend 12–24 months developing their grantmaking strategy before making their first significant multi-year commitments. Attempting to accelerate this timeline through repeated outreach is counterproductive. Maintain periodic, light-touch contact (annually at most) until the foundation signals readiness to engage.