Our Mission
The Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation was established to support efforts to improve peoples’ lives through the arts; research and innovations in health care; education and programs to help at-risk youth; and to promote enhanced economic achievement by encouraging discipline, ambition and commitment to goals and principles.
History of the Foundation
The Hays Foundation was created in 2017 following the death of Spencer Hays. Named as trustees and continuing to serve are Marlene Hays, Kevin Hickman and Suzanne Moore. Hickman and Moore have a long relationship with the Hays and are responsible for the day to day operation of the Foundation. Serving with the trustees on the Grant Selection Committee are the Hays’ daughters—Julie M. Hays of Nashville and Mary Alice Hughes of Fort Worth.
Grants Awarded
Since the Foundation’s beginning in 2017, and its first grant-making year in 2018, the Foundation has awarded 380 grants totaling more than $23,900,000. In 2022, 127 grants were awarded totaling $6,725,000. The number of grants awarded, as well as the number of applicants, has steadily increased each year since 2018. While most of the grants are awarded to Nashville and Middle Tennessee organizations, grants have also been made to organizations in New York, where the Hays have had an apartment for many years, and Fort Worth, where a daughter and her family live and where Spencer formed strong ties beginning in his student days at Texas Christian University.
Disclaimers
Only qualifying tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) organizations are eligible to receive grants from the Hays Foundation.
Grants will not be made for political purposes; or to support endowment campaigns; or to organizations which discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, sexual or religious preference, age or gender; or to religious organizations for religious purposes.