Giving Back to SMASHVILLE

Through an annual grant cycle, the Nashville Predators Foundation gives out hundreds of thousands of dollars to local charities for projects and programs benefiting youth and their families in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. In 2023, the foundation distributed $800,040 to 172 charitable organizations.

Additional Information

Important Dates
  • Grant Deadline: Jan. 12, 2024 at midnight
  • Mid-Year Report Due: Oct. 25, 2024 at midnight
  • Final Report Due: Feb. 14, 2025 at midnight
Grant Guidelines
  • Applicant must be a 501c3 organization or government agency serving the Nashville or Middle Tennessee area
  • Projects/programs must benefit youth and their families
  • Each organization can only submit ONE application.
  • Grants may range from $500 to a maximum of $10,000. Average 2023 grant was $4,651
  • Projects with a detailed itemized list of grant expenses are more likely to be funded.
  • Organizations looking to partner with the Nashville Predators and the Nashville Predators Foundation beyond funding are given stronger consideration.
  • Organizations whose operating budget is under $2.0 million will receive priority consideration.
  • Organizations that have received funding in three consecutive years will be considered but organizations that have not received grants in consecutive years may receive priority consideration.

What Do We Fund?

  • Specific projects
  • Durable goods
  • One time programs

What We Do Not Fund

  • General operating costs
  • Staff salaries
  • Sponsorship or fundraising of any kind
  • Capital campaigns
  • Endowments or reserve funds or grants to individuals
  • PTAs or Booster Clubs

Foundation grants are reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors, which consists of individuals from the Nashville community and team representatives. All applicants are notified in early April via email and funding is distributed by early May. For this reason, we do not accept requests for funding projects in April or May of that year. It is however acceptable to request funding for a project in April or May of the following year. If funding needs change after grant is approved, please contact us. All grant recipients must submit a midyear and final report by the preset deadline.

2023 Grant Recipient Reminders

Click here to view your application and submit your midyear and final report.

All funding must be used by Feb. 24, 2024 (unless a special request is submitted). Reports are available to view and submit on the grant application site prior to the deadline.

  • Mid-Year Report due Oct. 27, 2023
  • Final Report due Feb. 16, 2024
2023 Grant Recipients

100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
21st District Recovery Court, Inc.
4:13 Strong
A Soldier's Child Foundation
ABLE Youth
Ables Recreation Association
AbleVoices
Actors Bridge Ensemble Theater of Nashville, Inc.
Agape Animal Rescue and Training Center
Akiva School
All Hands On Deck
American Cancer Society
American Special Hockey Association
Area 16 Special Olympics
Armed Services YMCA
Assistance League of Nashville
Austin Peay State University Chemistry Department
Austin Peay State University Little Govs Child Learning Center
Autism Career Training 
Backfield in Motion
Barefoot Republic
Beads of Courage, Inc.
Best Buddies in Tennessee
Bethlehem Centers of Nashville
Black Lemonade
Black Mental Health Village
Blind Early Services TN
Book'em
Borderless Arts Tennessee
Bradley Academy, Murfreesboro City Schools
Bridges Domestic Violence Center
Camp Kesem at Vanderbilt University
Candle Wishes Foundation
Cannon County SAVE
CASA of Cannon County Tennessee
Discovery Center at Murfree Spring
City of Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department
Clarksville Area Urban Ministries SafeHouse
Community Child Care Hendersonville
Conexión Américas
Cooper Trooper Foundation
Cottage Cove Urban Ministries
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Cumberland River Compact
Daughters of the King
Domestic Violence Program, Inc.
Easterseals Tennessee
Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership
Elmington Elevates
Empower Me Center
Ezell-Harding Christian School
Faith Family Medical Center
First Steps, Inc.
Food for the Soul
Foundation for Tennessee Chess
FrankTown Open Hearts
Freedom Reigns Ranch
Friends Life Community
Friends of MACC
Friends of Shelby Park and Bottom
Friends of Warner Parks Inc.
From Your Father
Girls Write Nashville
Glen Leven Presbyterian Church Day School
Glengarry Elementary
GraceWorks Ministries
Greater Nashville Area Scholastic Hockey 
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury
Harvest Hands Community Development Corporation
Hendersonville Inline Hockey Association
High Hopes Development Center
His Children Foundation
Homework Hotline, Inc.
Hope Hohenwald Inc
Hope Station
HopeKids Middle Tennessee
Hospice of the Highland Rim Foundation, Inc.
Humanities Tennessee
Imagination Library of Coffee County
Inspiritus, Inc.
Interfaith Dental
JDRF Tennessee
Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee
Kymari House, Inc.
Learning Matters
Love Helps, inc.
Manchester City Schools
Manna Cafe Ministries
Mother to Mother
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
MOVE Inclusive Dance
Music City Youth in the Arts
My Bag My Story
My Friend's House Family & Children's Services Inc
Nashville African American Wind Symphony, Inc.
Nashville Ballet
Nashville Book Connection 
Nashville Children's Alliance
Nashville Children's Theatre
Nashville Dolphins
Nashville Education, Community, and Arts Television 
Nashville Figure Skating Club
Nashville Humane Association
Nashville Peacemakers
Nashville Warriors Hockey Club 
Nashville Youth Hockey League
Nashville Youth Jazz Ensemble
National Museum of African American Music
National Wheelcats, Inc.
Now Opportunities Can Exist
Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee
Operation Homefront
Operation Rose
OZ Arts
Path United
PENCIL
Preston Taylor Ministries
Progressive Directions, Inc.
Project E3
Project Transformation
Purpose To Legacy
Randolph Howell Elementary STEM School
Reeves-Rogers Elementary
Renewal House, Inc.
Rocketown of Middle Tennessee
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville
Royal Table Inc
Scott Hamilton Skating Club
Shine Photography
Somali Community Of Middle Tennessee
SongwritingWith:Soldiers
Special Kids Inc.
STARS
Sumner Prevention Coalition
Talk with Me Tennessee
Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence
Tennessee Environmental Council
Tennessee Golf Foundation
Tennessee Hemophilia & Bleeding Disorder Foundation
Tennessee Lions Charities, Inc.
Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry
Tennessee State Parks Conservancy
Tennessee Trucking Foundation
Tennessee Voices for Victims
The Aloe Family
The Arc Williamson County
The Contributor Inc.
The Edison School
The F.I.N.D. Design
The Family Center
The Forrest Spence Fund Nashville
The Heimerdinger Foundation
The Hispanic Family Foundation
The Literacy Council
The Porch Writers' Collective
The Quest Center For Arts and Community Development, Inc.
The Theater Bug
Touchstone Youth Resource Services, Inc.
Transformation Life Center
Trevecca Nazarene University
Tucker's House
Tullahoma South Jackson Civic Association
United Service Organizations, Incorporated
Vine Branch Fellowship
Dream Streets
White Fawn Farm
Whitsitt Elementary Physical Education
Wilson County Black History Committee
YAIPak Outreach
You Have the Power...Know How To Use It, Inc.
Youth Changes
Youth Encouragement Services

Grant Amount Given by Year
  • 2023 - $800,040
  • 2022 - $775,000
  • 2021 - $735,000
  • 2020 - $700,000
  • 2019 - $675,962
  • 2018 - $607,639
  • 2017 - $500,103
  • 2016 - $450,772
  • 2015 - $415,020
  • 2014 - $410,652
  • 2013 - $405,000
  • 2012 - $350,269
  • 2011 - $325,059
  • 2010 - $305,000
  • 2009 - $260,000
  • 2008 - $250,524
  • 2007 - $240,110
  • 2006 - $149,348
  • 2005 - $54,152
  • 2004 - $146,040
  • 2003 - $154,980
  • 2002 - $211,729
  • 2001 - $226,048
  • 2000 - $250,850
  • 1999 - $145,927

About Helper Grants

In 2022 the Preds Foundation renamed their grants program to Helper Grants empowered by SmileDirectClub after former Preds Senior VP & Advisor Gerry Helper. Helper retired after 40-plus years in the NHL, including 24 with Nashville, where he ended his career as Preds Foundation Chairman of the Board.