Key Takeaways
- The Country Music Association, Belmont University, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced a combined $1 million donation to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library on October 22, 2026.
- The release does not split the $1 million among the four partners, so no partner's share is stated.
- A $1 million gift would equal 36.6% of the $2,730,501 in contributions the Foundation reported for the year ending December 2025, a year that ended before the gift was announced. The release does not say which entity holds the funds.
The Country Music Association, Belmont University, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced a combined $1 million donation to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library on October 22, 2026. The release followed the "star-studded tribute" titled "CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton," held at Belmont University's Fisher Center on Oct. 21.
The CMA said its previously announced commitment to the Imagination Library has resulted in the combined gift. The release names Dolly Parton's Imagination Library as the recipient. MusicRow also reports that the commitment has resulted in a combined donation of $1 million.
The Dollywood Foundation's Form 990 Figures
Dolly Parton launched the Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee in 1995, according to the release. The release describes it as the world's leading early childhood book-gifting program and says it is the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library says it has gifted more than 300 million free books across five countries and mails over 3 million books each month. Every enrolled child receives one book a month from birth to age five at no cost to families.
Parton died on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, according to WTVF NewsChannel 5. The release says the donation honors her commitment to inspiring a love of reading.
The Foundation's most recent Form 990, the annual information return that tax-exempt organizations must file, covers the year ending December 2025. It reports revenue of $98,131,804, expenses of $94,811,002 and contributions of $2,730,501, according to ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. Reported contributions were $7,959,563 for the year ending December 2024 and $16,502,720 for 2023.
How a $1 Million Gift Compares With the Dollywood Foundation Expenses
A $1 million gift would equal 36.6% of the $2,730,501 in contributions the Foundation reported for the year ending December 2025, a year that ended before the gift was announced. The release does not say which entity holds the funds. Against its $94,811,002 in 2025 expenses, the gift equals 1.05%. The release says local partners provide the funding for the wholesale cost of books and mailing in their communities, so the comparison does not measure the full cost of the program.
The newest filing covers the year ending December 2025, so the 2026 gift will appear only in a later return. Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of The Dollywood Foundation, said: "I couldn't think of a more meaningful way to celebrate Dolly's life."
Who Gave to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in the Combined Gift
The Country Music Association, founded in 1958, announced the gift with its three partners. CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said a night of Parton's music resulted in the donation, so that children for years to come "can open a mailbox and find a book with their name on it."
The tribute was held at Belmont University's Fisher Center. Its president, Dr. Greg Jones, said: "Dolly knew that a single book could change the course of a child's life." Deana Ivey, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, said the partners were honoring Parton's legacy by supporting a cause close to her heart.
A WYDE article from July 2026 listed Dolly Parton's Imagination Library among the 20 recipients of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's $26 million in donations.
People Also Ask
Who gave the $1 million to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library?
The Country Music Association, Belmont University, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced the combined $1 million donation on October 22, 2026. The release does not say how much each partner gave.
How does the $1 million compare with The Dollywood Foundation's finances?
The $1 million donation equals 36.6% of the $2,730,501 in contributions and 1.05% of the $94,811,002 in expenses that The Dollywood Foundation reported for the year ending December 2025, a year that ended before the gift was announced.
How many books has Dolly Parton's Imagination Library given away?
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library says it has gifted more than 300 million free books to children across five countries. WTVF NewsChannel 5 reported in August 2026 that the program had gifted more than 332 million books. The Imagination Library mails over 3 million books each month, according to the Country Music Association release.
Sources: Country Music Association press release, MusicRow, WTVF NewsChannel 5, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.