Joseph Gutierrez

2023 Transgender Day of Visibility

March 31st is the International Transgender Day of Visibility. Maddox celebrates the joy and resilience of our trans and non-binary siblings. Today is a good day to learn more about gender identities outside your own and here are some resources to explore:

2023 Grant Application is now open!

The Maddox Fund is pleased to announce that our 2023 grant application is now available online. While our focus areas remain Youth and the Environment, our eligibility requirements and priorities have changed to reflect our racial justice commitment.  The deadline for applications over $30,000 is March 1, 2023.

If you would like to discuss your organization’s work or program with a Maddox staff member, you can schedule a time to meet through the links below:

You can always provide anonymous feedback  to the Maddox Fund.  We are interested in your thoughts, ideas and honest critique. To keep up with opportunities,  follow Maddox on FacebookInstagram, and LinkedIn. We remain thankful to all Middle Tennessee nonprofits. You are at the heart of the community we call home.

2023 Grantmaking

Here is an update on our 2023 grantmaking processes. Check out the following pages for more info:

Sign up for one of our virtual Q&A sessions in October or set up some time with one of our staff: joseph@maddoxfund.org or kaki@maddoxfund.org.

Sharing June 2022 Partner Meeting Feedback

2022 is a year of rethinking, reimagining and redesigning the Maddox Fund’s grant program.

Input from the community was essential. During the month of June, we heard from our partners through in-person design meetings, virtual gatherings and an online survey. More than 75% of our nonprofit partners participated in this crucial process. Thank you in advance for your generosity and guidance.

Maddox welcomed feedback on how we should conceptualize our grantmaking areas, youth and wildlife conservation, going forward. Participants were asked to review a draft document and rank priorities. Below are those priorities in community rank order.

Youth

  1. Youth Services
  2. Post-secondary Access
  3. Youth & Education Advocacy
  4. Out-of-School Learning
  5. Education Leadership Pipeline Programs

Wildlife Conservation

  1. Community-based Nature Programs
  2. Conservation Advocacy
  3. Environmental Leadership Pipeline Programs
  4. Hunting and Fishing

We also asked our partners what Maddox should be asking itself. Three themes emerged:

  • How does Maddox understand its leadership role in relationship to other foundations, donors and the overall nonprofit well-being?
  • How can we create connections among our partners?
  • How does class analysis play into our grantmaking?

Partners also asked Maddox to:

  • Offer clarifying language (i.e., clarify that the interest in leadership programs is to diversify conservation and education leadership pipelines)
  • Offer specific input on what we do and do not support

The work now returns to the Maddox Grant Committee to integrate community input into the 2023 grant program. We anticipate the following schedule:

  • Fall 2022—Grant redesign presentation to community
  • December 2022—Application goes live
  • March 1, 2023—Applications due
  • May 8, 2023—Grants approved
  • July 1, 2023—Grant payments made

If you would like to share your thoughts or provide any additional feedback, you can email Maddox staff or call the office at 615-385-1006. You may leave feedback anonymously at anytime by using this link.  

Seeking Input from Partners

Over the past few weeks, we have heard from 50 nonprofit partners with input on our redesigned 2023 grant process and priorities. You have made us think, asked essential questions and ranked our future focus areas. Thank you.

Before the Maddox Grant Committee meets to put the final touches on the 2023 grant program, we are inviting your final thoughts and input.  All input before June 30 will be part of the Grant Committee’s conversation.

You can access the slides from the recent partner meetings here.  You can also use the Mentimeter survey to share your thoughts and to rank the sub-categories under Youth and Conservation.  All input before June 30 will be part of the Grant Committee’s conversation.

As always, if you have questions, please reach out to Kaki or Joseph directly:

  • kaki@maddoxfund.org
  • joseph@maddoxfund.org

As a reminder, we have also created a permanent feedback button on our website so you can share your thoughts anonymously at any time.

Youth Philanthropic Advisory Board Application Open!

The Dan and Margaret Fund is pleased to announce the Youth Philanthropic Advisory Board applications are open! This participatory grantmaking initiative is an effort to share power and integrate the voices of the community in processes. We are currently accepting applications for youth (ages 16-19) to be a part of the inaugural class of advisory board members.  The Youth Philanthropic Advisory Board will also receive a $1,000 stipend for participating.

Public Comment on Draft Rule, Prohibited Concepts in Public Instruction

The Maddox Fund has submitted a public comment on the Tennessee Department of Education’s draft rule related to the implementation of Section 51 of Chapter 493 of the Tennessee Public Acts of 2021. We believe that an understanding of our violent history is necessary for envisioning new and liberating systems and that these punitive measures create hostile work environments for educators and place undue burden on school districts. The full statement can be read below.