Who We Are – Past and Present:
The West End Home Foundation is an independent charitable foundation located in Nashville, Tennessee. The Foundation’s exclusive focus is to enhance the lives of older adults in Davidson and its six contiguous counties. This is accomplished by providing grants to qualifying organizations that deliver needed services to the older adult population and by raising awareness of the needs of older adults in our community.
An organization rich in history, we were founded in 1891 as the “Old Woman’s Home”. For over a century we provided residential and physical care to elderly women. In 2002, the renamed West End Home for Ladies ceased taking new admissions and began the transition toward becoming a charitable foundation. We issued our first community grant in 2002 while continuing to care for our remaining residents. The last resident passed away in 2013, bringing the 122 year history of residential care to an end.
Today, with the transition completed, the primary focus of The West End Home Foundation is grantmaking. Our sources of revenue include the endowment entrusted to us and private donations which include memorial and legacy giving and estate bequests. The financial oversight of that endowment and the grantmaking decisions are conducted by a committed Board of Directors comprised of community and professional leaders. Together, the board and professional staff work diligently to ensure the highest standards of accountability and the greatest impact on the community.
Core Values that Guide Our Work:
Impact: Make a meaningful difference with our resources
Innovation: Foster transformative programs
Inclusion: Engage and represent all segments of our community
Compassion: Serve our community with care, concern and empathy
Investment: Ensure responsible stewardship of our assets
Our Strategic Goals, 2021-2024:
Strategic Grantmaking
Advocacy For Older Adults
Partnerships and Collaborations
Alignment of Organizational Capacity
(Refer to Strategic Roadmap for detail. The Strategic Roadmap is located under News & Resources.)
Together we can build a community where all of us thrive as we grow older.
Agency Leadership:
Foundation Staff
Dianne Oliver, Executive Director
dianne.oliver@westendhomefoundation.org
615-469-0755
Cindy Dickinson, Administration and Technology Manager
cindy.dickinson@westendhomefoundation.org
615-469-0759
Chandra Allen, Program Director
chandra.allen@westendhomefoundation.org
629-240-5838