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Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc

Annual Giving
$18.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M
Decision Time
2mo

Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $18,257,623 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $349+ million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Approximately 6-8 weeks (notification in late January for applications due in mid-October to early November)
  • Grant Range: $1,000 - $80,000
  • Geographic Focus: 11 counties in Georgia (Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Meriwether, Muscogee, Quitman, Stewart, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, and Webster) and Lee and Russell Counties in Alabama

Contact Details

  • Website: https://cfcv.com
  • Phone: 706-320-0027
  • Address: 1340 13th Street, Columbus, GA 31901
  • Grants Contact: Kelli Parker, Vice President, Grants & Programs

Overview

Established in 1998, the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley (CFCV) has grown to become a major philanthropic force in the region, holding more than $349 million in total assets and having distributed $307+ million in grants since inception. The foundation has received $498+ million in contributions over 25 years from approximately 472 donors annually. CFCV manages more than 350 different funds, making grants every year to support education, community-building, workforce development, and quality of life initiatives. The foundation's mission is to "enable and promote philanthropy that inspires, facilitates and fosters a vibrant and engaged Chattahoochee Valley." CFCV earned a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, demonstrating strong financial accountability and leadership practices.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Impact Grants: $3,000 - $25,000 (awarded annually from the Community Endowment Fund and named sub-funds including The Moselle W. and H. Quigg Fletcher, Jr., Endowment Fund; The Susan and Butch Cochran Family Fund; The Fred and Catalina Aranas Family Fund; and The Chattahoochee Valley Fair Fund). In 2023, $155,100 was awarded to nine projects. Applications typically due mid-October to early November; online application only.

WestPoint Fund: $3,000 - $10,000 (most grants in this range). Focuses on innovative education and community building for children in grades K-12 in Lanett, Opelika, and Valley, Alabama, as well as LaGrange and West Point, Georgia. Applications typically due in December; notification in late January; online application only.

Knight Foundation Fund: Approximately $400,000 distributed annually for community initiatives. Application process not publicly detailed.

Discretionary Grants: Range from $1,000 to $80,000, though most average between $3,000 and $5,000. CFCV accepts unsolicited grant applications for discretionary grants.

Priority Areas

CFCV prioritizes programs that align with regional strategic initiatives:

  • Education and Workforce Development: Programs targeting K-12 students, workforce training, entrepreneurship, and trade schools
  • Community Building: Projects that enhance quality of life, cultural programming, and civic engagement
  • Economic Development: Entrepreneurial support, business incubators, and commerce development
  • Environmental Conservation: Native species restoration and river conservation
  • Homelessness Prevention: Through the "Home for Good" initiative aiming to make homelessness rare, brief, and a one-time occurrence
  • Trauma-Informed Practices: Via the "Resilient Chattahoochee Valley" coalition focusing on children ages 0-16 in high-poverty communities
  • Columbus 2025 Strategic Plan Priorities: Enterprising Culture, Cohesive Image and Identity, Talented Educated People, Targeted Economic Development, and Vibrant and Connected Places

The foundation prioritizes organizations demonstrating:

  • Organizational expertise in delivering quality services
  • Capacity to mobilize resources including financial support, in-kind support, and volunteers
  • Sound management and administration with clearly defined governance structure
  • Evidence of careful planning to address community needs
  • Creative solutions without duplicating other effective efforts
  • Collaborative efforts involving multiple nonprofits

What They Don't Fund

WestPoint Fund specifically excludes:

  • Capital or building campaigns
  • General operating expenses (rent, utilities, staff salaries)
  • Scholarship programs

General restrictions across all programs:

  • Emergency grants
  • Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) public charities, units of government, or public education institutions
  • Private foundations (Section 509(a) organizations)
  • Projects outside the 13-county service area

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

Betsy W. Covington - President & CEO (joined the Community Foundation in 2001)

Kelli Parker - Vice President, Grants & Programs

Board of Directors

Chair: Melissa E. Gauntt, President & CEO of East Alabama Chamber of Commerce

Secretary: Robert E. Nobles, Director of Portfolio Management at Blue Trust

Treasurer and Chair, Investment Committee: J. Len Williams, Columbus Affordable Housing Services

Chair, Distributions Committee: Geniece R. Granville, Vice President & General Manager (Columbus) at Davis Broadcasting, Inc.

Immediate Past Chair and Chair, Board Development: Rodney K. Mahone, Chief Revenue Officer at The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Additional Board Members: Kathelen V. Amos, Nicholas G. Bettin (SVP, Global Chief Risk Officer at Aflac Incorporated), and others

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online. Late, incomplete, emailed, and paper applications will not be considered.

For Community Impact Grants:

  • Applications typically open mid-October and close early to mid-November
  • Online application through the foundation's website

For WestPoint Fund:

  • Applications typically open in early November
  • Deadline in mid-December (December 12, 2025 for current cycle)
  • Online application only

For Other Grant Programs:

  • Contact Kelli Parker, Vice President, Grants & Programs at 706-320-0027 for specific program details
  • The foundation occasionally hosts grantmaking information sessions at local libraries

Decision Timeline

  • Application Period: Mid-October to early November (Community Impact Grants); early November to mid-December (WestPoint Fund)
  • Notification: Late January (approximately 6-8 weeks after deadline)
  • Project Period: Typically February 1 through December 31 of the grant year
  • Final Reports: Due 30 days after project end date (January 31 for December 31 project end)

Success Rates

The foundation made 196 awards in 2023, 235 in 2022, 268 in 2021, and 243 in 2020. Specific application-to-award ratios are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly available. Contact the foundation directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and recent grant awards, successful applications demonstrate:

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: The 2023 Community Impact Grants focused heavily on Columbus 2025 strategic plan priorities. All nine funded projects addressed entrepreneurship, workforce development, cultural programming, or environmental conservation. Organizations should explicitly connect their projects to regional strategic initiatives.

Innovation and Non-Duplication: The WestPoint Fund guidelines specifically state preference for "innovative projects that demonstrate creative solutions without duplicating other effective efforts." This could include "new ideas an organization is looking to test on a small scale or an innovative addition or spin on an existing project in response to changing community needs."

Collaborative Approach: CFCV prioritizes "collaborative efforts that involve multiple nonprofits." Projects demonstrating partnerships or filling gaps in the community service landscape are favored.

Organizational Capacity: The foundation looks for evidence of:

  • Expertise in delivering quality services
  • Ability to mobilize diverse resources (financial, in-kind, volunteers)
  • Sound governance structure and financial systems
  • Careful planning based on community needs assessment

Leveraging Additional Funding: While the WestPoint Fund committee will consider funding 100% of a project, the foundation "would like to see an effort by the organization to secure additional funding," suggesting that demonstrating other funding sources strengthens applications.

Measurable Impact: Recent grant recipients included specific, measurable outcomes in their project descriptions (e.g., workforce development programs, specific restoration efforts, defined outreach programming).

Examples of Recently Funded Projects (2023 Community Impact Grants):

  • Boys and Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley: Workforce Development Programs ($15,000)
  • Historic Columbus: Heritage Park and Chattahoochee Promenade Revitalization Project ($25,000)
  • StartUP Columbus: The Mill District Commerce Entrepreneur Training ($17,500)
  • Truth Spring, Inc.: Trade School Workforce Development ($15,000)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Strategic alignment is critical: Explicitly connect your project to Columbus 2025 strategic priorities, Home for Good, or Resilient Chattahoochee Valley initiatives to demonstrate regional impact
  • Innovation matters more than size: The foundation values creative solutions and willingness to test new ideas, even on a small scale, over traditional approaches
  • Demonstrate community collaboration: Show how your project partners with other organizations or fills a genuine gap in community services
  • Geographic eligibility is strict: Ensure your project serves the 13-county service area (11 Georgia counties plus Lee and Russell Counties in Alabama)
  • Online applications only: No exceptions for late, incomplete, email, or paper submissions—plan ahead for the mid-October to December application windows
  • Attend information sessions: The foundation hosts grantmaking information sessions at local libraries, providing valuable insights into their priorities and application process
  • Build organizational capacity: Beyond the specific project, demonstrate your organization's governance, financial systems, and resource mobilization capabilities

References

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