2027 Cohort Open
Rising Philanthropist Institute
Connecting, cultivating, inspiring, and engaging the rising generation of philanthropic leaders in Middle Tennessee
Rising Philanthropist Institute is Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s philanthropic education and advising program for the next generation of philanthropic leaders.
Give With Greater Purpose
Through a small, cohort-based experience, participants explore what matters to them, deepen their understanding of Middle Tennessee, and develop the knowledge and confidence to approach their giving with greater purpose and strategy.
Over seven sessions from February through September, participants learn alongside peers, nonprofit and community leaders, and CFMT philanthropic advisors. The experience combines philanthropic education, local insight, individual advising, and hands-on grantmaking to help participants develop an approach to giving that is personal, informed and grounded in community.
Is Rising Philanthropist Institute Right for You?
Rising Philanthropist Institute is designed for Middle Tennesseans who see philanthropy as a growing part of their leadership, values and responsibility to the community.
The Institute may be a good fit for you if you want to:
Move from Reactive to Strategic
Better understand your values and priorities as a giver, and develop a thoughtful approach to evaluating and supporting nonprofits.
Gain a Deeper Understanding of Middle Tennessee
Learn more about Middle Tennessee’s nonprofit sector and community needs by connecting with peers who share a commitment to the community.
Gain Grantmaking Experience
Put what you learn into practice through individual and collective grantmaking by seeing what nonprofits do, how to assess their impact and financial health, and how they create change.
The Rising Philanthropist Institute Experience
Seven-session cohort experience
Learn alongside a cohort of up to 15 rising philanthropists through facilitated sessions, community learning and conversations with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. The program begins with a cohort kick-off and concludes with individual grantmaking presentations and a celebration.
Individual philanthropic advising
Meet one-on-one with a CFMT philanthropic advisor during two advising sessions designed to help you clarify your giving priorities, explore nonprofit organizations and make an individual grant decision.
Hands-on grantmaking
Put learning into practice. Each participant makes an individual grant to a nonprofit selected through the program’s guided process, while the cohort works together to recommend a collective grant from The Tomorrow Fund.
Alumni community
Graduates become part of the Rising Philanthropist Institute Alumni Network, with opportunities to continue learning, attend donor and community events, and build relationships with fellow philanthropists.
Participants come with different giving experiences and interests. What they share is a desire to become more intentional about how they give and to better understand the community they call home.
What Participants Gain
No one arrives with all the answers. The Institute provides the guidance, relationships and local perspective to help participants develop their own approach to philanthropy.
A personal philanthropic direction
Explore the experiences, values and issues that shape your giving. By the end of the program, you will have greater clarity about what you want your philanthropy to accomplish and a personal framework to guide future decisions.
A deeper understanding of Middle Tennessee
Learn about the opportunities, challenges and organizations shaping our region while gaining perspective on broader trends influencing philanthropy.
Practical grantmaking experience
Learn how to research nonprofit organizations, ask thoughtful questions, understand community needs and make informed funding decisions. You will put those skills into practice through both individual and collective grantmaking.
A community of peers
Build relationships with others who are exploring their own philanthropic leadership and share an interest in investing in Middle Tennessee for the long term.
Commitment and Community Investment
Participation includes both a commitment of time and a $1,000 charitable contribution.
Together, these experiences allow participants to practice two important forms of philanthropy: making a decision grounded in their own values and priorities and reaching a shared decision alongside others.
Charitable Contribution
$1,000 Individual Grant
Rather than paying a program tuition fee, each participant contributes $1,000 to the Rising Philanthropist Institute Fund. Through the Institute’s guided grantmaking process, participants research organizations and ultimately select a nonprofit to receive their individual grant.
The Tomorrow Fund
Your Cohort’s Collective Grant
Participants also work together to recommend a nonprofit recipient for a grant from The Tomorrow Fund, an endowed fund at Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee created to build community awareness, leadership and responsibility among young people by encouraging a lifelong pattern of service and charitable giving.
How to Participate
Rising Philanthropist Institute welcomes a cohort of up to 15 participants each year.
Interested in joining the 2027 cohort? Complete the Rising Philanthropist Institute Interest Form to tell us a little about yourself and why you are interested in the program.
2027 Program Schedule
Sessions are generally held on the second Thursday evening of each month and last approximately two hours. The opening kick-off and closing celebration may run slightly longer. Exact start times will be confirmed with the cohort before the program begins.
Thursday, February 11
Session 1: Program Kick-off
Getting to Know One Another and CFMT
Thursday, March 11
Session 2: Developing a Personal Philanthropic Identity
Thursday, April 8
Session 3: Exploring the Nonprofit Sector and Our Community
Thursday, May 13
Session 4: Building a Cohort Giving Identity
Thursday, June 10
Session 5: From Nonprofit Research to Site Visits
Learning How to Learn About Nonprofits
Thursday, August 12
Session 6: Collective Grant Selection
Thursday, September 9
Session 7: Individual Grant Presentations & Celebration
Meet the Team
Questions about Rising Philanthropist Institute or whether the program is a good fit for you? Amy Fair and Jacob Tudor would be glad to connect.
Amy Fair, M.Ed.
Director of Philanthropic Services
Jacob Tudor, M.M., CAP®, CFRE
Philanthropic Services Senior Manager
