J. Bulow Campbell Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 58-0566149 · since 1942jbcf.org·Alabama, Atlanta, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$40M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$150k to $1.5M

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$400k

Typical grant (median)

57 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Foundation funds capital projects in education, youth development, human services, public spaces and cultural institutions, with priority given to organisations in Atlanta and Georgia while eligible organisations in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee can also apply; it does not encourage requests for programme or operating support, so a capital project is the better fit.
A realistic request sits in the typical range of $150,000 to $1,500,000, and half of its grants are $500,000 or less, so a modest request suits a small charity.
Approach is by a one-page letter of request ahead of the quarterly deadlines of January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1; the Foundation encourages applicants to contact staff before submitting and to submit well before the deadline so staff can offer feedback, and it asks applicants to work with staff rather than approach trustees directly, which points to a relationship-led process.
With 33% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in the two prior filings, new applicants clearly do receive funding too, so a lack of prior history need not discourage an approach.
The Foundation says it does not fund current operating expenses or programmes, annual operating support, grants to individuals (including financial aid or for education), festivals, special events or conferences, films or documentaries, start-up funding or seed money, or individual church congregations, so organisations seeking support of that kind should not apply.

Overview

J. Bulow Campbell Foundation is a US private foundation based in Atlanta, GA.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on organisations in Atlanta and Georgia, while eligible organisations in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee can also apply; support outside Georgia is limited. It awards most grants for capital purposes in education, youth development, human services, public spaces and cultural institutions. Its grants are made mainly for capital projects and it does not encourage requests for programme or operating support. The Foundation considers grants only to tax-exempt institutions classified by the IRS as not private foundations, and typically supports well-established nonprofits with track records of mission achievement. Christian-based institutions and organisations emphasising Christian principles receive additional consideration. For educational institutions, privately supported and accredited bodies receive priority; support for publicly supported universities is limited to members of the Georgia Research Alliance.

Themes

Education
Youth development
Human services
Public spaces
Cultural institutions

Geographic Focus

Alabama; Florida; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee. Priority: Atlanta; Georgia.

What They Don't Fund

Current operating expenses or programs
Annual operating support
To individuals, including financial aid or for education
Festivals, special events or conferences
Films or documentaries
Start-up funding or seed money
To individual church congregations

How to apply

Applicants submit a one-page letter of request. The board gives requests preliminary consideration at quarterly meetings; requests selected for further consideration receive a detailed staff study, including an onsite visit, before a later quarterly meeting.

Deadlines: Letters of request are due January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 each year.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 33% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 168 grants to organisations were $500,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

Applicants are encouraged to communicate with Foundation staff before submitting a letter of request.
Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals well before the deadline so staff have time to offer feedback.
The Foundation is most responsive when organisations have reliable cost estimates, have made significant progress toward their fundraising goal, and plan to start the project within 12–18 months.
The Foundation prefers proportional grants rather than underwriting a large percentage of a project or campaign.
The Foundation typically supports established organisations with experienced leadership, demonstrated financial stability and measurements of success.
Christian-based institutions and organisations emphasising Christian principles receive additional consideration.
Privately supported and accredited educational institutions receive priority; public universities are supported only when they are members of the Georgia Research Alliance.
Applicants should work with Foundation staff and avoid direct contact with trustees.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Georgia100%

The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 33% of grant dollars went to organisations J. Bulow Campbell Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
6% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

57 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $400k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 57 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$100k–$250k32%

$250k–$500k21%

$500k–$1M25%

$1M and over23%

Median $400k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$4,500,0002024 tax year
Salvation Army · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$3,253,1042024 tax year
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$2,500,0002024 tax year
Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$2,000,0002024 tax year
Wesleyan School · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$2,000,0002024 tax year
YMCA of Georgia's Piedmont · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$1,800,0002024 tax year
Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$1,500,0002024 tax year
City of Refuge · Support exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$1,500,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Anne H Marino — Trustee
John C Hamilton — Trustee
John Stephenson Jr — Trustee
Clayton F Jackson — Trustee
Elizabeth H Verner — Executive Director
Malon W Courts — Trustee, Investment Committee Chair
James B Patton — Trustee, Vice-Chairman
Richard C Parker — Trustee, Chairman

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$42,081,265	$34,849,591	$674,807,024	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$46,312,501	$34,088,568	$715,985,768	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$50,720,551	$39,961,109	$757,384,408	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.