The Pittulloch Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $5,729,281 (2024)
• Assets: $28,592,917 (2024)
• Grant Range: $1,500 - $500,000
• Number of Grants: 43 grants (2023)
• Geographic Focus: Georgia (primary), New York, North Carolina, Florida
• Application Method: Invitation only - no public application process

Contact Details

Address: 1000 Abernathy Rd, Suite 325, Atlanta, GA 30328

Phone: 678-926-5900

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. All contributions are made to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Pittulloch Foundation Inc was established in 1985 as a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia. With assets of approximately $28.6 million and annual charitable disbursements of $5.7 million (2024), the foundation focuses primarily on mental health services for children and education initiatives. The foundation takes a strategic approach to grantmaking, focusing on prevention of root causes rather than reactive interventions. Notable partnerships include the multi-year collaboration with Resilient Georgia to establish trauma-informed care coalitions across the state. The foundation operates exclusively through trustee discretion, making contributions only to preselected charitable organizations aligned with their mission.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with open applications. Instead, trustees identify and select organizations for funding based on strategic priorities. Recent grants have included:

• Resilient Georgia Partnership: Multi-year grants ranging from $200,000 to $600,000 to regional coalitions addressing childhood trauma and mental health
• Typical grant range: $1,500 - $500,000
• Average number of grants per year: 40-45 organizations

Priority Areas

Mental Health Services for Children

• Trauma-informed care and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) prevention
• Mental health system change for children, youth, and families
• Child sexual abuse prevention training
• Behavioral health support for individuals birth through age 26

Education

• Higher education support
• Reading promotion and early literacy
• Early childhood education
• Strategic placement of Head Start centers

Human Services

• Support for children and youth programs
• Leadership development
• Community-based services for families

Geographic Priorities

• Primary focus: Georgia (statewide)
• Secondary areas: New York, North Carolina, Florida

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation:

• Does not accept unsolicited grant applications
• Focuses exclusively on preselected organizations
• Prioritizes prevention-focused initiatives over reactive programs

Governance and Leadership

Lynn Pattillo Cohen - Director and Chairman
Lynn Pattillo serves as President and Chairman of the foundation. She brings extensive board experience from organizations including The Atlanta International School, The Foundation Center, Early Learning Property Management, Wesley Woods, Duke Divinity School, Emory Board of Visitors, and Citizens Trust Bank. She has participated in Leadership Georgia, Leadership DeKalb, and Leadership Atlanta.

The foundation has stated its focus is on "prevention of root causes with a statewide focus," working strategically with partners such as Early Learning Property Management on Head Start center placement, the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy to train over 155,000 people on child sexual abuse prevention, and Georgia State University's Reading Recovery Department.

Other Board Members (as of 2024):

• Robert C. Goddard - Director
• Michael G. Kerman - Secretary
• Anita Kern - Director

All officers and directors serve without compensation, demonstrating a commitment to maximizing charitable impact.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Pittulloch Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grant decisions are made at the discretion of the board of trustees, who identify organizations aligned with the foundation's strategic priorities. Organizations are typically approached by the foundation rather than applying directly.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has demonstrated a pattern of working through strategic partnerships and intermediary organizations. Specific approaches they have used include:

Partnership Model: The foundation has worked extensively with Resilient Georgia as an intermediary, partnering to establish regional coalitions across Georgia. Through this partnership, the foundation funded community foundations and regional organizations in 2019 and beyond, suggesting they may discover grantees through trusted intermediary organizations.

Board Connections: Lynn Pattillo Cohen's extensive involvement in Atlanta's philanthropic and educational sectors (including boards at The Foundation Center, Early Learning Property Management, Wesley Woods, Duke Divinity School, and Emory) indicates the foundation may identify organizations through board members' networks and professional connections.

Geographic Strategy: The foundation has demonstrated a particular approach of supporting "regionally-focused" initiatives within Georgia, suggesting that organizations addressing statewide issues through regional implementation may align with their interests.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly available as the foundation does not operate on an application cycle. Grants appear to be awarded throughout the year at the discretion of trustees.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation selects organizations proactively rather than reviewing applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, examining their funded projects reveals key priorities:

Prevention-Focused Approach: The foundation explicitly focuses on "prevention of root causes" rather than reactive interventions. Projects addressing upstream factors—such as trauma prevention, early childhood education, and systems change—align with this philosophy.

Systems Change and Training: The foundation has supported large-scale training initiatives, such as partnering with the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy to train 155,000 people on child sexual abuse prevention. This suggests interest in capacity-building and systemic impact.

Multi-Year Commitments: Recent grants through Resilient Georgia have been structured as multi-year commitments ($200,000 over two years; $600,000 over four years), indicating the foundation values sustained impact over one-time interventions.

Collective Impact Framework: The Resilient Georgia partnership specifically employs the Collective Impact framework, bringing together education, healthcare, social services, mental health providers, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and families. This cross-sector collaboration model appears to resonate with the foundation's approach.

Geographic Coverage: The foundation has supported both statewide initiatives and "regionally-focused" programs, suggesting interest in scalable models that can address specific community needs while contributing to broader state-level impact.

Age-Specific Focus: Projects serving individuals "birth through 26 years old and their families" have received significant support, indicating a clear demographic priority.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only grantmaking: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications; organizations are selected by trustees based on strategic alignment
• Prevention over reaction: Projects addressing root causes and upstream interventions are prioritized over reactive services
• Strategic partnerships matter: The foundation works through intermediary organizations like Resilient Georgia, suggesting partnerships with established players may create visibility
• Mental health and education nexus: The strongest alignment appears to be at the intersection of children's mental health and educational outcomes
• Multi-year funding available: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make substantial multi-year commitments ($200,000-$600,000) for strategic initiatives
• Collective impact orientation: Cross-sector collaboration and systems change approaches align with the foundation's funding philosophy
• Geographic focus: While primarily Georgia-focused, the foundation also supports work in New York, North Carolina, and Florida

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Pittulloch Foundation Inc Form 990-PF filings (2024): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/581651352
• Cause IQ - The Pittulloch Foundation profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/pittulloch-foundation,581651352/
• Instrumentl 990 Report - The Pittulloch Foundation Inc: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/the-pittulloch-foundation-inc
• Resilient Northeast Georgia - Grant Overview: https://resilientnortheastgeorgia.org/grant-overview/
• Resilient Georgia - Introducing 8 Regional ACEs/TIC Coalitions: https://www.resilientga.org/post/introducing-resilient-georgia-s-8-regional-aces-tic-coalitions
• Georgia Association of Community Foundations - Resilient Middle Georgia overview: https://gafcp.org/2020/08/20/resilient-middle-georgia/
• Foundation Directory Online (Candid): https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=PITT025
• Accessed: January 2026