OVERVIEW: The Gary W. Rollins Foundation supports children’s health, education, and arts and culture in Atlanta, Georgia.
IP TAKE: This foundation is not overly accessible to first-time grant seekers, but it is open to supporting both large and small local causes in Atlanta. It lacks transparency, restricting further information.
PROFILE: Established in 1991, the Gary W. Rollins Foundation is an independent foundation in Atlanta, Georgia. Gary Rollins was born in 1944 and is a billionaire businessman serving as the CEO of Rollins, Inc., which is one of the largest pest control companies in the United States. He is the son of O. Wayne Rollins and Grace Crum Rollins. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and became the CEO of both Orkin and Rollins. Grantmaking includes children’s health, education, and arts and culture.
The foundation does not have a website to guide grant seekers. However, it is listed on the Orkin website as one of two Rollins philanthropic foundations. This particular Rollins Foundation often focuses on causes that benefit local children. Past support has gone to Zoo Atlanta, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Center for Puppetry Arts, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and the Trinity School. The foundation also awarded a $40 million gift to the founder’s alma mater to support the school of business. This grant came with naming rights and was the largest private gift in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s history.
However, most foundation grants range between $5,000 and $50,000. Review the funder’s recent tax records to learn more about its local giving. The foundation’s giving is largely focused on Atlanta, Georgia, which is the location of the family company’s headquarters. The foundation does not publicly share its grantmaking guidelines.
This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits, as it only funds pre-selected organizations.
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