Planting Seeds for the Future
As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself holding both the weight of this year and the possibility of what comes next. This has been a season of transformation not only for the Dan and Margaret Maddox Fund, but for Middle Tennessee as a whole. Our region continues to grow and change at a rapid pace. Nonprofit partners are navigating unprecedented political and economic pressures. Young people and the lands that sustain us are facing challenges that require courage, creativity, and care.
In the midst of all of this, Maddox has been listening deeply.
Over the past six months we engaged sixty-five partners across listening sessions, check-ins, interviews, and community conversations. Youth-serving and environmental organizations shared stories of resilience and innovation. We heard about expanded programming, new collaborations, advocacy victories, and leaders investing in long-term sustainability. We also heard about exhaustion, funding instability, and the urgent need for philanthropy to show up with humility, clarity, and consistency.
This listening affirmed something core to who we are becoming. To meet this moment well, Maddox must continue leaning into trust-based philanthropy, an approach rooted in transparency, partnership, and the belief that communities are best positioned to know what they need. Trust-based philanthropy asks funders to reduce burdens, share power, and invest in people and relationships over the long term. It asks us to listen first, to move resources more flexibly, and to honor the wisdom and leadership already thriving in Middle Tennessee.
These commitments sit at the heart of our renewed vision.
Early next year we will share our refreshed Strategic Blueprint rooted in the voices of our partners and aligned with our North Stars for youth, community, and environmental flourishing. It will outline not only what we fund, but how we accompany movements, leaders, and organizations with greater intention.
Looking Ahead: A Refreshed RFP in Q1 2026
One of the most exciting pieces of this next chapter is a refreshed RFP that we will launch in the first quarter of 2026. This new approach reflects everything we heard in our listening process. It will offer:
- Clearer guidance for applicants
- Streamlined processes and expectations
- Better alignment with the rhythms of community work
- Expanded pathways for partnership beyond traditional grants
- Deeper alignment with trust-based philanthropic practices
We cannot wait to share more in the months ahead.
As We Grow, We Are Hiring
To support this work, we are growing our team. The Maddox Fund is currently hiring a Senior Program Associate, a role that will serve as a relational anchor for our community partners and an essential thought partner in our youth portfolio and data operations.
This position was previously called a Community Manager, but following our compensation study we refined the title to better reflect the level of responsibility and leadership. The role remains rooted in relationship building, strategy, and supporting the day-to-day rhythms of grantmaking.
If you or someone in your network is passionate about youth, community, and environmental stewardship, and is energized by trust-based philanthropy, we encourage you to apply and share widely.
Gratitude for Our Partners
As we close 2025, I want to express my deep gratitude for the partners who guided, challenged, and inspired us this year. Your honesty helped us sharpen our purpose. Your courage reminded us what is at stake. And your vision continues to push us toward a future where all young people and communities can thrive.
We are stepping into 2026 with renewed clarity, renewed commitments, and renewed hope. Thank you for being in this work with us.
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