The Community Foundation Gifts Over $3 million to Nonprofits Across the 23-County Atlanta Region

ATLANTA – May 19, 2015 – The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest foundations connecting passionate donors with their philanthropic purpose, announced today its board’s approval of $3,011,203 in grants and support to local nonprofit organizations.

“As philanthropists, people invest their personal resources—be they financial, intellectual or physical to improve the well-being of our region,” said Alicia Philipp – president, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “Here at The Community Foundation, we advise our donors and their families with deep expertise on the issues affecting our community and the programs that can drive positive impact in regards to those issues. We have a variety of partnerships, services and offerings that can enhance the capacity of these local nonprofits to deliver this positive change. After a rigorous evaluation process, our board endorses the grants The Community Foundation believes will drive the most positive change through the financial support this $3 million outlay provides.”

On May 13, 2015, the board of The Community Foundation unanimously approved over $3 million in grants from competitive programs and field of interest funds. Highlights of those grants, listed by area of program focus, include:

Children, Youth and Education
Metropolitan Youth Opportunities Initiative – Supports youth aging out of foster care. These grants honor National Foster Care month in May and will support the purchase of items that directly help program participants.

• A Friend’s House – $4,936
• Carrie Steele-Pitts Home, Inc. – $3,838
• CHRIS Kids – $4,900
• The Center for Children and Young Adults – $5,000
• Creative Community Services – $4,996
• Families First – $5,000
• Multi-Agency Alliance for Children – $5,000

Civic Engagement
Civic Engagement – Provides funding to nonprofit organizations implementing civic engagement strategies.

• Southface Energy Institute – $15,000
• Welcoming America – $25,000

Local Programming
Clayton Local Fund – Offers an annual grantmaking program, philanthropic learning opportunities and community awareness activities focused in Clayton County.

• Angkor Resource Center – $5,000
• Arts Clayton, Inc. – $5,000
• House of Dawn – $5,000
• Scholar Works Enterprises of Georgia – $5,000

Fayette Local Fund – Offers annual grantmaking to nonprofit organizations in Fayette County.

• Association of Village Pride – $2,936.80
• FACTOR – $2,935.80
• Fayette Senior Services – $2,500

Real Life Center – $2,500

Nature and Environment
Grants to Green – Strengthens nonprofits through sustainability and environmentally-focused knowledge. These implementation grants provide funds for organizations to make green improvements to facilities.

• A Child’s Voice Advocacy Center, Inc. – $12,002
• Arts Clayton – $31,963
• Atlanta Community Toolbank – $238,581
• Avondale Education Association – $178,441
• Camp Twin Lakes – $74,186
• Decatur Cooperative Ministry – $25,714
• Emory University School of Medicine – $183,278
• Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, Inc. – $370,074
• McIntosh Trail Early Childhood Development – $16,507
• Morgan County Foundation – $230,927
• Project Community Connections – $9,469
• Shining Light Ministries – $5,842
• The Elaine Clark Center – $98,875
• Zoo Atlanta – $258,025

Nonprofit Capacity-Building and Tools

Strategic Restructuring Fund – Provides funds and/or management consulting services to support nonprofits as they assess and implement substantive restructuring efforts to promote more effective operations.

• Two organizations received a total of $55,000

Nonprofit Scholarships – Provides scholarships for professional development opportunities for staff and board members of nonprofits.

• 32 organizations received a total of $17,912

Nonprofit Toolbox – Provides nonprofit organizations with custom-designed consulting services and tools to strengthen their management, governance and operations.

• 10 organizations received $91,900 in management consulting services

In 2014, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta distributed $107 million to support nonprofits in the Atlanta region and beyond. Preliminary results from 2014 indicate that The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta received more than $80 million from donors who choose to connect their passion with purpose through The Community Foundation’s spectrum of services (unaudited).

Recent grant results include a collective of positive work on behalf of Atlanta’s 23-county area. For example, in early 2015, the Foundation made inaugural grants from its new A Place to Perform Fund, which provides grants to nonprofit arts organizations to help them gain access to performance venues to produce performing arts experiences for the public. Georgia Ensemble Theatre received a grant to remount Almost Heaven at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, enabling it to experiment in a new venue that will likely supplement its revenue stream and build its audience. Another example is Go Eat Give, an organization dedicated to promoting cross-cultural connection and understanding through global service, community education and international travel. Go Eat Give received a grant from One Region Atlanta to provide six destination dinners that provide participants with education and an authentic cultural experience.

“Just as our grants to Georgia Ensemble Theatre and Go Eat Give have changed our region for the better,” continued Philipp, “these 2015 grants will plant seeds of positive change for the communities and audiences they serve. It is an honor to represent our diverse donor base and consistently seek opportunities to connect their passions with purpose.” Nonprofits interested in applying for additional grants can do so via The Community Foundation’s website. Visit www.cfgreateratlanta.org or call 404-688-5525 for more information.

About The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Since 1951, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen the Atlanta region through philanthropy. By connecting the passions of our donors with the purposes they strive to improve, The Community Foundation provides quality services to donors and innovative leadership on community issues. Lead by four goals: engaging philanthropists; strengthening nonprofits; advancing public will; and practicing organizational excellence, in 2014 The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta received more than $80 million from donors (unaudited) and the Foundation distributed more than $107 million to support nonprofits throughout the 23-county region and beyond. For more information, visit: www.cfgreateratlanta.org.

For more information:
Erin Dreiling
Marketing and Communications Manager
404-588-3207
edreiling@cfgreateratlanta.org