Eden Charitable Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $945,000 (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $655,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Georgia with some national reach

Contact Details

Address: 9182 Selborne Ln, Palmetto, GA 30268-2268
Phone: (770) 463-4146
EIN: 45-4093034

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Eden Charitable Foundation Inc. was established in 2012 as a private grantmaking foundation in Palmetto, Georgia. With total assets of approximately $15-24 million, the foundation distributed $945,000 in grants during 2023 across 5 awards. The foundation is managed by Carol Lynn Eden, an Atlanta-area philanthropist with a deep commitment to music education and environmental causes. The foundation's approach reflects the legacy of Carol Lynn Eden's late father, Ralph Moseley Eden, a 1927 Mercer Law graduate who instilled in his children a love of classical music despite not being a musician himself. The foundation operates with no full-time employees and makes all grants to preselected charitable organizations through trustee discretion.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate structured grant programs with published guidelines. All grants are made through trustee discretion to preselected organizations. Recent grant amounts have ranged from approximately $10,000 to $655,000.

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant recipients, the foundation's funding priorities include:

Arts and Music Education

• Classical music organizations and orchestras
• Youth music development programs
• String music education initiatives

Environmental and Agricultural Causes

• Organic agriculture research and advocacy
• Sustainable farming initiatives
• Environmental education

Youth Development

• Children's camps and recreational programs
• Talent development initiatives

Past Grant Recipients

Organizations that have received support include:

• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra
• Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University
• Camp Sunshine
• Rodale Institute
• Georgia Organics
• Franklin Pond Chamber Music
• South Fulton Institute
• Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust

What They Don't Fund

As a private foundation making grants to preselected organizations, the foundation does not fund unsolicited requests from organizations not already known to the trustees.

Governance and Leadership

Manager: Carol Lynn Eden

Carol Lynn Eden is an Atlanta-area philanthropist who serves as Vice Chair of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She has demonstrated significant commitment to music education, having pledged at least $2.5 million to endow scholarships in memory of her father at Mercer University's Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, in addition to establishing a $50,000 per year expendable scholarship fund for McDuffie Center students. Her philanthropic focus reflects her father's passion for classical music and extends to environmental sustainability causes.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's trustees to organizations with which they have pre-existing relationships.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made proactively by trustees rather than in response to applications.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations seeking funding from this foundation would need to:

• Have established relationships with foundation trustees, particularly Carol Lynn Eden
• Align closely with the foundation's demonstrated priorities in classical music education and environmental sustainability
• Be positioned within the foundation's geographic focus areas, particularly Georgia and the Atlanta metropolitan area
• Demonstrate excellence in string music education or organic/sustainable agriculture initiatives

Organizations should note that the foundation's giving pattern shows a preference for established institutions with strong track records rather than startup organizations.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This foundation only makes grants to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals
• Relationship-driven grantmaking: All funding decisions are made through trustee discretion based on existing relationships
• Clear thematic focus: Strong emphasis on classical music education (especially string instruments) and environmental sustainability/organic agriculture
• Geographic concentration: Primarily supports Georgia-based organizations with particular focus on the Atlanta area
• Significant grant range: Individual grants can range from $10,000 to over $650,000, indicating capacity for both modest and substantial awards
• Family foundation character: Reflects the personal interests and values of the Eden family, particularly in honoring Ralph Moseley Eden's legacy through music education support
• Connection to Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Carol Lynn Eden's leadership role at ASO suggests importance of this institution to the foundation's mission

References

• Cause IQ. "Eden Charitable Foundation | Palmetto, GA." https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/eden-charitable-foundation,454093034/ (Accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Eden Charitable Foundation Inc." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/454093034 (Accessed January 2026)
• Grantmakers.io. "Eden Charitable Foundation Inc." https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/454093034-eden-charitable-foundation-inc/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Mercer University McDuffie Center for Strings. "McDuffie Center for Strings scholarship established in memory of 1927 Mercer Law graduate Ralph Moseley Eden." https://mcduffie.mercer.edu/news/mcduffie-center-for-strings-scholarship-established-in-memory-of-1927-mercer-law-graduate-ralph-moseley-eden (Accessed January 2026)
• The Org. "Lynn Eden - Vice Chair at Atlanta Symphony Orchestra." https://theorg.com/org/atlanta-symphony-orchestra/org-chart/lynn-eden (Accessed January 2026)
• IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022-2024) available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and GuideStar