The Patterson Family Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 58-2145618 · since 1995atlpattersonfamilyfoundation.com·Atlanta, Georgia·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$561k
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$100 to $25,000
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$2,500
Typical grant (median)
44 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • If your work is in Georgia, particularly metropolitan Atlanta or North Georgia, and falls under Christian unity, economic empowerment, K–12 education or the environment, the Foundation's priorities fit, but it generally does not provide operating support, so frame your request around a programme that can show tangible results over the life of a grant.
  • Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $100 and $25,000, with a median of about $1,300, though the largest grant was $75,000, so a programme-specific request of that size is realistic.
  • Start with the short form, and if your work aligns, the Foundation invites a two-page letter of inquiry, which must be received 30 days before a Board meeting to be considered at that meeting.
  • Repeat funding matters: in its most recent filing, 58% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded before, and its Executive Director or a Board Member researches requests and may ask for follow-up meetings, calls or a site visit, so building a relationship helps, and you should leave at least two years between requests.
  • Individuals, political causes, and independent schools (unless a trustee or family member has a relationship or special interest) should not apply, nor should activities the Board considers anti-Christian.

Overview

The Patterson Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia.

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’s grantmaking priorities are Christian unity, economic empowerment, K–12 education and the environment. It supports efforts towards reunification of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches and dialogue among Judeo-Christian traditions. Its economic empowerment work aims to give low-income young people and their families a fair chance to overcome poverty and become self-sufficient, and to build skills for taking control of personal finances. In education, it seeks to improve the quality of K–12 education. Environmental grants support strategic efforts to improve quality of life in Georgia, particularly metropolitan Atlanta and North Georgia. It prefers to direct funding to Georgia, with an emphasis on metropolitan Atlanta, and generally does not provide operating support; it prefers programmes that can demonstrate tangible results over the life of a grant.

Themes

  • Christian unity
  • Economic empowerment
  • K-12 education
  • Environment

Geographic Focus

Priority: Georgia; metropolitan Atlanta; North Georgia.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Political Causes
  • Independent Schools, except where trustees or other family members have a relationship or special interest
  • Activities considered anti-Christian by the Board of Directors

How to apply

Organisations begin by completing the short form. Those whose work aligns with the Foundation’s interests are invited to submit a two-page letter of inquiry (LOI).

Deadlines: An LOI must be received 30 days before a Board meeting to be considered at that meeting.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 58% 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 132 grants to organisations were about $1,300 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • The Foundation prefers programmes that can demonstrate tangible results over the life of the grant.
  • The Foundation’s Executive Director or a Board Member researches requests considered and may ask for follow-up meetings, calls or a site visit.
  • Organisations must leave at least two years between grant requests; this does not prevent proactive funding of previously funded organisations.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

Georgia94%
Colorado3%
New York2%
Illinois<1%
Maryland<1%
Texas<1%

6 other states: <1%

  • The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to organisations The Patterson Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

44 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $2,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 44 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k36%
$1k–$2.5k11%
$2.5k–$5k9%
$5k–$10k5%
$10k–$25k14%
$25k–$50k16%
$50k–$100k9%

Median $2,500 (tax year 2024)

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

  • Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School · Capital Expense Fund
    $75,0002024 tax year
  • Trinity Community Ministries · Restoration Model
    $65,0002024 tax year
  • Ron Clark Academy · Alumni Gap Scholarship Fund
    $50,0002024 tax year
  • City of Refuge · Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant
    $50,0002024 tax year
  • Chastain Park Conservancy · to support Rebuilding the Pavilion
    $40,0002024 tax year
  • Atlanta Botanical Garden · Atlanta's Garden Gateway Campaign
    $30,0002024 tax year
  • Create Your Dreams · Five Core Programs
    $30,0002024 tax year
  • Ignatius House · Center for Spiritual Wellness
    $25,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

  • Solon P Patterson — President, Director
  • Nancy Patterson — Director
  • Marianna R Patterson — Secretary, Treasurer, Director
  • Joseph Peter Patterson — Director
  • John Solon Patterson — Director
  • Carolyn Patterson — Director, Executive Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$466,897$294,799$15,324,156Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$524,803$257,205$16,717,264Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$808,957$560,889$18,032,860Filing 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.

Sources

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