Grit & PearlFOUNDATION

Middle Tennessee · Rutherford County first

Tech help for the people who help people.

We help nonprofits that serve people in need use technology and AI safely and well, so more of their time and money goes to the people they serve.

Request help See what we do

New in 2026. Tennessee nonprofit corporation; 501(c)(3) application pending.

How it works

Start with a free checkup. Then pick the help that fits.

Every organization starts with a free readiness assessment: a short visit and a plain-English report on what you have, what is at risk, and the three to five changes that matter most.

1

Clinics

Free group workshops and drop-in help sessions on AI, Microsoft 365, cybersecurity and grant reporting, open to any qualifying nonprofit.

2

Projects

A defined piece of work with a start and a finish: a network install, a Microsoft 365 move, an intake form going online.

3

Ongoing care

Monitoring, help-desk time and quarterly check-ins after a project is done, as grant funding allows.

Our help is free to qualified organizations, paid for by grants, donations, sponsorships and donated technology. You buy any hardware, internet service and software licenses directly from the vendor or a donor program. We never resell equipment.

What we do

The tech work small nonprofits never have time for.

Readiness assessment

An inventory of devices, accounts, network and where client data lives, plus a prioritized plan with costs and what can be donated.

Networks, Wi-Fi and security

Reliable Wi-Fi, firewalls and guest networks kept apart from staff, plus cameras and door access. Passwords and documentation stay with you.

Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace

Professional email and file storage on free nonprofit licenses, with email security set up so donors can trust your messages.

Cybersecurity basics

Multi-factor sign-in, a password manager, tested backups, phishing training and a one-page plan for when something goes wrong.

AI, used responsibly

An AI use policy your board can adopt, the right tools set up, and hands-on training on your real work, with clear rules on what client data never goes in.

Paper to digital

Intake packets and forms moved online with e-signatures, inside the case-management system you already use.

Data and funder reports

Simple dashboards and report templates that turn the data you already collect into the numbers funders ask for.

Grant technology support

The technology section and budget of your own grants, with quotes and specifications funders can rely on.

Security readiness for state grants

Getting small agencies ready for the security reviews that come with state contracts and grants, so they can keep the funding they depend on.

What we are building first

Wi-Fi for the coldest nights.

When a church basement opens its doors overnight in freezing weather, guests need more than a cot. A connection lets them reach family, work and caseworkers.

  • A portable kit: satellite internet and a managed Wi-Fi system that a volunteer can set up in minutes.
  • A safe guest network, kept separate from the host church's own systems.
  • Charging and simple, private access with no accounts to create.

Who we help

Organizations on the front line of need.

You may qualify if you are

  • A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or a church running a program,
  • serving people who are homeless, have low incomes or are at risk,
  • in Rutherford County first, then across Middle Tennessee.

Larger, well-funded organizations are welcome to partner with us by sponsoring help for a smaller agency.

We give priority to

Homeless servicesCold-weather sheltersFood pantriesRecovery programsDomestic violence servicesFamily supportBasic-needs ministries
No grit, no pearl.

A pearl starts as a grain of grit. The oyster cannot get rid of it, so it covers it, layer after layer, until something beautiful forms.

The nonprofits we serve live with plenty of grit: tight budgets, old equipment, one overworked volunteer who "does the computers." We bring the layers. Good networks, safe accounts, useful AI and people who stay to keep it running.

Grit & Pearl Foundation is a faith-based nonprofit rooted in Rutherford County, started by people who already spend their weeks helping local ministries and shelters with their technology.

Neutral

We recommend what fits, not what pays us.

Safe with data

Client information belongs to the people and organizations we serve.

Plain English

No jargon. Every decision explained.

Teach, then hand over

We build independence, not dependence.

Local

Rutherford County first. Neighbors helping neighbors.

Leadership

Board of directors

John Leyhew

Founder and Executive Director

Billy Truesdell

Director

Lance Anderson

Director

Get involved

Bring your own layer.

Volunteer your skills

IT pros, students and anyone handy with technology: join our volunteer tech corps for installs, clinics and training days.

Donate technology

Businesses replacing laptops, switches or access points: good used equipment can go straight to a shelter or pantry.

Partner with us

Churches, foundations and businesses who want to sponsor a project, like a Wi-Fi kit for a cold-weather shelter, let's talk.

Contact

Tell us what you are working with.

Email us a few lines about your organization and what is getting in the way. We will set up a time for the free assessment.

Based inLascassas, Tennessee
ServingRutherford County and Middle Tennessee