Ellen Lehman, founder and president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, to retire

Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read
Ellen Lehman
Ellen Lehman

Ellen Lehman, founder of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, which began in her garage some 30 years ago, said Monday that she plans to retire from the organization she built from the ground up.

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee was formed to help ensure good stewardship of charitable funds and now manages $550 million in assets. The foundation provides funding of programs to nonprofit organizations in 40 Middle Tennessee counties. CFMT manages more than 1,500 funds and 150 scholarships that have awarded nearly $30 million in scholarship money to more than 10,000 students.

A Nashville native, a graduate of the city’s public schools and a cum laude graduate of Harvard University, Lehman earned a master's degree at the London School of Economics and an MBA from Harvard Business School before returning to Nashville to start CFMT.

Of all her lifetime accomplishments, Lehman has a hard time picking the most impactful one.

Melisa Currey, Ellen Lehman, and Laundrea Lewis are the original employees to begin the work of Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee out of Lehman’s garage in the early nineties.
Melisa Currey, Ellen Lehman, and Laundrea Lewis are the original employees to begin the work of Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee out of Lehman’s garage in the early nineties.

"That’s like saying which child do you like the best," Lehman told The Tennessean. "There are so many different things we’ve done people never heard of and some people know a lot about. There are more than I could possibly say. I don’t have any favorite child. It’s been a pleasure working with these people and seeing lots of dreams come true."

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As for her plans going forward, Lehman says she will still be in the building, just not six days a week like she has done the bulk of the last 30 years.

"It depends on the weather," she says, borrowing a line often used by former governor Ned McWherter. "I am going to be around when I am needed. I’ll be in the building. They are going to have a hard time getting totally rid of me."

The CFMT board of directors has formed a search committee to identify a new leader for the organization of 50 employees. Lehman will continue in her role throughout the anticipated six-month transition.

Lyle Beasley, chairman of the board of CFMT said in a statement that plans are to honor Lehman throughout the remainder of 2022 -- and as the organization celebrates the opening of its new headquarters at Belmont and Woodmont boulevards.

At the CFMT board meetingMonday afternoon, the board decided that “in recognition of Ellen Lehman’s vast and enduring contributions, the CFMT board of directors will honor Lehman with the prestigious Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award in 2023 and has named Lehman a Lifetime Honorary Trustee of the organization.”

On hand for the groundbreaking of Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee's new headquarters at Woodmont and Belmont boulevards were: Metro Council members Sharon Hurt and Russ Pulley, Davidson County Clerk Brenda Wynn, CFMT president Ellen Lehman, The Frist Foundation Senior Fellow Pete Bird, CFMT Board Trustees Susan Simons, Kerry Graham, Ron Corbin, Deborah Taylor Tate, Davidson County Juvenile Court Clerk Lonnell Matthews, CFMT Board member Will Alexander, and Metro Nashville Chief of Police John Drake.

Since the inception of CFMT, Lehman and her team have operated out of generously donated office space. In May of 2021, CFMT broke ground on its new home now under construction.

The CFMT administers seven different types of funds that reflect the priorities of its donors, and makes available grant funding to nonprofits, primarily those serving the Middle Tennessee community.  Additionally, the organization provides a number of direct services for middle Tennessee including ChildcareTennessee, Give Black, Give Back, GivingMatters.com, NowPlayingNashville.com®; administers more than 150 individual scholarships; and sponsors well-recognized annual fundraising events including The Power of the Purse® Luncheon benefiting The Women’s Fund; the Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award and The Big Payback.  It also serves as one of the core philanthropic funding organizations in time of need in our service area following disasters.

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee founder Ellen Lehman and the late Francis S. Guess, former board chair and long-time friend of Lehman and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee founder Ellen Lehman and the late Francis S. Guess, former board chair and long-time friend of Lehman and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

"Were it not but for the generosity of our donors in Middle Tennessee and everywhere else, we wouldn’t be where we are today, and for that, we are forever grateful," Lehman added.

As for advice for her replacement, Lehman's answer is quick and simple: "Don't break it."

"If anything goes awry, there will be somebody else in the building to help them through whatever needs to happen," she added. "We are more like a family than a business."

Before concluding, Lehman returned to the subject of the CFMT's accomplishments under her leadership.

"Really the thing I am most proud of is we don’t require anyone to be wealthy to be a philanthropist. We just need someone with a great heart and a great mind."

Melonee Hurt covers growth and development at The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach Melonee at mhurt@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee founder to step down