OVERVIEW: This funder is based in Duluth, Georgia, and supports nonprofits in social services, education, community and civic affairs, arts and culture, and health. All funding stays in Northeast Georgia.
FUNDING AREAS: social services, education, community affairs, civic affairs, arts & culture, health
IP TAKE: New Grant seekers should ask this community funder to provide just a portion of project costs, as it prefers not to be the single funding source.
PROFILE: The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia seeks to “improve the world through the power of philanthropy.” It was established in 1985 by a group of citizens seeking a way to disburse charitable funds. Individuals, organizations, and companies contribute to this foundation, which holds the funds in trust, manages them, and disburses them. Most funds are permanent endowments. The foundation received a major boost in 1987 because of a $1 million challenge grant from the late Robert D. Fowler, which was matched by the community. This funder is based in Duluth, Georgia.
The overall focus of this foundation is to address the real-time needs of the region. Its priorities change from year to year to reflect current community needs, but recent topics of interest include children/youth and the elderly. Overall, the foundation’s funding priorities are social services, education, community and civic affairs, arts and culture, and health.
The Community Foundation typically gives sustaining grants of up to $5,000 and impact grants of up to $25,000. The foundation also prioritizes challenge grants.
In the past, the foundation has sought grant applications requesting facility upgrades and equipment to help boost nonprofit sustainability. Most grants are between $2,000 and $5,000, although larger grants are sometimes made as well.
In a recent year, the foundation had over $35 million in total assets. That year it awarded over $5 million in grants.
The foundation has a small staff consisting of an executive director, director of finance, executive assistant, marketing consultant, and accounting consultant. Since 1999, the foundation has had a professional advisors committee consisting of a volunteer group of attorneys, bankers, financial planners, and related professionals. The foundation is also governed by a volunteer board of directors that meet to discuss community issues, set policy, oversee investments, and make final decisions on grants.
Grant seekers can keep up with what this funder is doing by signing up for its newsletter mailing list.
PEOPLE:
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