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Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$0.5M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M

Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • EIN: 58-2396540
  • Annual Giving: $499,070 (2023)
  • Assets: $20.4 million
  • Average Grant: $62,384
  • Geographic Focus: Multi-state (DC, FL, MA, MD, ME, NC, NY, GA)
  • Foundation Type: Private Family Foundation
  • Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: 1266 W Paces Ferry Rd NW #615, Atlanta, GA 30327-2306

Phone: (404) 240-7710

EIN: 58-2396540

Principal: Nick Kramsoff

Note: This foundation does not have a public website or published application guidelines.

Overview

The Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation Inc. was established in 2000 as a private family foundation by Susanne Marcus Collins (1956-2021), daughter of Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus. The foundation has assets totaling approximately $20.4 million and currently distributes approximately $500,000 annually in grants. The foundation's distinctive mission is "to make people's lives better by combining the performing arts and healing." Since 2020, the foundation has awarded 22 individual grants totaling $1,404,454 across multiple states including Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Maine, and Washington DC. In 2003, the foundation received the Outstanding Foundation in Philanthropy award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Western North Carolina, recognizing its commitment to innovative charitable work.

Funding Priorities

Focus Areas

The foundation supports projects that combine performing arts with healing and therapeutic applications, with a particular emphasis on:

Neuroscience and Brain Health Research

  • Non-invasive, drugless therapies for neurological conditions
  • PTSD and traumatic brain injury treatment
  • Insomnia and sleep disorders
  • Migraine and chronic pain management
  • Post-concussion syndrome in athletes
  • ADHD and Asperger Syndrome research

Performing Arts Programs

  • Music and sound-based therapeutic interventions
  • Arts education and training programs
  • Creative arts initiatives that promote healing

LGBTQ+ Youth Support

  • Job training and career development for homeless LGBTQ+ youth
  • Arts-based internship programs
  • Educational preparation and vocational training

Notable Grant Recipients

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center - Since 2011, the foundation has provided approximately $2.3 million in support for brainwave research directed by Dr. Charles H. Tegeler. This includes:

  • $729,000 in seed funding (2011-2012) to create the HIRREM research program
  • $1 million grant (2013) to expand clinical studies
  • $620,000 grant (2014) for controlled clinical trials with athletes

DNR Studios - Supported the creation of Studio A and partnerships with the LGBT Center and the Ali Forney Center to launch the LEAP Program, providing music industry internships for homeless and at-risk LGBTQ+ youth ages 16-24.

Grant Range

  • Average Grant: $62,384
  • Total Annual Giving: Approximately $500,000
  • Number of Grants: Typically 8 grants per year
  • Notable Large Grants: The foundation has awarded grants ranging from standard operating support to multi-year commitments exceeding $1 million for specific research programs

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Nick Kramsoff - Principal

Directors:

  • Rachel Collins (Foreign Director) - Highest compensated individual at $122,297 annually
  • Grant Smith (Director)
  • Jo Pitkin (Director)
  • Martina G. Williams (Director)

Project Manager:

  • Martha Jones

Founder's Legacy

Susanne Laurie Marcus Collins (1956-2021) was a Kirkland College/Hamilton College graduate (Class of 1978) who majored in creative writing. She married Peter Collins, a sign language interpreter, social worker, and guitarist, in 1994 after meeting at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival. As the daughter of Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus, Susanne was determined to run her own charitable private family foundation with a unique mission combining her passions for the arts and healing.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private family foundation, the Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation operates through trustee discretion and typically does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation appears to identify and select grant recipients through board member networks, research into organizations aligned with their mission, and established relationships in the fields of neuroscience research and performing arts.

The foundation files Form 990-PF annually with the IRS (most recent filing November 6, 2024), which provides details on grant recipients and can be accessed through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer, GuideStar, or Candid's Foundation Directory.

Decision Timeline

Information about specific decision timelines is not publicly available. As a private family foundation operating without a formal application cycle, grant decisions are made at the discretion of the board of directors throughout the year.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not accept public applications, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals key alignment factors:

Mission Alignment is Critical The foundation's distinctive focus on "combining the performing arts and healing" is not merely aspirational - it is evident in their major funding decisions. Projects must demonstrate a clear connection between creative/artistic interventions and measurable health or healing outcomes.

Multi-Year Commitment to Proven Concepts The Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center grants demonstrate the foundation's willingness to provide substantial, sustained funding to research programs that show promise. Their support increased from $729,000 in seed funding to over $2.3 million total, indicating they reward measurable progress and scientific rigor.

Innovation in Therapeutic Approaches Dr. Tegeler's HIRREM research represents non-invasive, drugless therapy - a theme consistent with the foundation's interest in alternative, holistic approaches to healing. The foundation appears particularly interested in novel methodologies that challenge conventional medical treatment paradigms.

Social Impact Through Arts The DNR Studios/LEAP Program grant illustrates the foundation's commitment to using performing arts as a vehicle for social change, particularly for marginalized populations. This program combined music industry training with support for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, embodying both the "arts" and "healing" (social healing) aspects of their mission.

Geographic Flexibility Despite being headquartered in Atlanta, GA, the foundation funds projects across multiple states (DC, FL, MA, MD, ME, NC, NY), indicating they prioritize mission alignment over geographic proximity.

Research Rigor and Measurable Outcomes The foundation's support for peer-reviewed medical research at Wake Forest Baptist suggests they value scientific methodology, measurable outcomes, and the potential for research findings to be published and replicated.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This is a private family foundation that does not accept unsolicited proposals. Traditional grant writing approaches will not be effective.

  • Unique Niche Focus: Organizations must authentically combine performing arts with healing/therapeutic outcomes - this is not a general arts funder or a general health funder.

  • Relationship-Driven Grantmaking: With only 8 grants per year averaging $62,384, this foundation works with a small number of carefully selected partners, likely identified through board connections and research.

  • Significant Outlier Grants: While average grants are ~$62,000, the foundation has demonstrated capacity for multi-million dollar, multi-year commitments to aligned research programs.

  • Continued Operations Post-Founder: Despite founder Susanne Marcus Collins passing away in 2021, the foundation continues active grantmaking with professional management, indicating long-term sustainability.

  • Research the Form 990-PF: Organizations interested in understanding this foundation's priorities should review recent Form 990-PF filings to see current grant recipients and identify patterns in funding decisions.

  • Board Connections Matter: With Rachel Collins (likely a family member) serving as Foreign Director, family connections and trusted relationships appear central to the foundation's operations.

References

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