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Anverse Inc

Annual Giving
$4.4M
Grant Range
$0K - $2.6M

Anverse Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,444,362 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available (invitation only)
  • Grant Range: $23 - $2,600,000
  • Median Grant: $12,000
  • Total Assets: $121.7 million
  • Number of Grants (2023): 57
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Georgia, with grants to other states and Puerto Rico
  • Application Method: Does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: Cartersville, GA

Note: Contact information is not publicly available. The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

Anverse Inc was established in June 2001 as a private grant-making foundation, funded primarily by proceeds from the sale of Prestige Communications of NC Inc. (a cable television company) to Adelphia for approximately $700 million in 2000. With assets totaling approximately $121.7 million, the foundation distributes over $4.4 million annually through approximately 57 grants. Led by President Jonathan J. Oscher and Executive Director Marty Sonenshine, Anverse operates as both a family foundation and operating entity, maintaining a deliberate low public profile. The foundation's philosophy emphasizes wanting "the focus to be on the organizations we assist and the people they are helping" rather than on the foundation itself. Most of Anverse's grants have supported organizations in Georgia, particularly in their home base of Cartersville, with funding ranging from after-school programs and homeless shelters to children's camps and significant cultural arts infrastructure.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Anverse Inc does not operate formal grant programs with set application cycles. Instead, grants are made through trustee discretion and invitation only. The foundation has demonstrated significant variation in grant sizes:

  • Major Capital/Infrastructure Grants: Up to $2.6 million (as seen with Georgia Museums Inc)
  • Operating Support Grants: $250,000 - $500,000 range for ongoing program operations
  • General Grants: Median of $12,000, with grants as small as $23

Priority Areas

Based on recent grant-making activity (2023), Anverse Inc has supported:

  • Arts and Culture: Major support for Western art museums and cultural infrastructure, including nearly $30 million investment in cultural arts centers devoted to Western art
  • Youth Development: After-school programs operated by religious organizations
  • Education: Scholarship foundations and educational programs
  • Community Development: Public-private partnerships centered on arts and culture as drivers of economic growth
  • Social Services: Homeless shelters and children's camps
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Georgia-based organizations, particularly in Cartersville, with some support for organizations in Puerto Rico and other states

Notable 2023 grant recipients include:

  • Georgia Museums Inc: $2,600,000 for capital expenditures
  • First Presbyterian Church: $470,000 for operating grant for after-school program
  • Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico: $313,000 for program grants
  • Douglas Street United Methodist Church: $271,000 for operating grant for after-school program
  • Etowah Scholarship Foundation: Support for operations, staff, and employee matching grants

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from any organization.

Governance and Leadership

President: Jonathan J. Oscher

Executive Director: Marty Sonenshine (Compensation: $174,160)

The foundation operates with a philosophy of working anonymously and maintaining a low public profile. According to available information, Anverse prefers to work in "many different communities" and wants "the focus to be on the organizations we assist and the people they are helping."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Anverse Inc explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications.

Grants appear to be made through:

  • Trustee discretion and initiative
  • Pre-existing relationships with community organizations
  • Invitation from foundation leadership
  • Strategic partnerships identified by the foundation

Getting on Their Radar

Based on available information, Anverse Inc has leveraged public-private partnerships with elected officials, agency leaders, and nonprofits to respond to community needs. The foundation has used specific mechanisms including:

  • The Benevolence Fund: A program that has seeded long-term change in communities
  • Challenge Grants: Used to encourage matching support and sustainability
  • Civic Partnerships: Collaborations that ensure resources reach where they are most needed

The foundation appears to identify organizations through board connections and community involvement. For example, there is documented overlap between foundation leadership and Georgia Museums Inc., which operates the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville.

Geographic Focus for Relationship Building: Organizations based in Cartersville, Georgia, or those working in communities where Anverse has historical ties (including Carroll County, Maryland, where their founding company operated) may have greater visibility to the foundation.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As an invitation-only funder, decision timelines are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation made 57 grants in 2023 from an undisclosed number of organizations considered.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, analysis of Anverse's grant-making patterns reveals the following characteristics of funded organizations:

Geographic Proximity: The majority of grants support Georgia-based organizations, particularly those in Cartersville where the foundation is headquartered.

Scale and Impact: The foundation supports both small grassroots initiatives (grants as low as $23) and major capital projects (grants up to $2.6 million), suggesting flexibility in responding to community needs of various scales.

Community Infrastructure: Significant investment in cultural and educational infrastructure that serves as a catalyst for broader community and economic development, as evidenced by the nearly $30 million in support for cultural arts centers.

Operating Support: Multiple large operating grants to after-school programs ($270,000-$470,000 range) indicate willingness to provide substantial ongoing support rather than only project-based funding.

Public-Private Partnership Approach: The foundation values collaborations with elected officials, agency leaders, and other nonprofits, suggesting that organizations positioned within broader community coalitions may align with their funding philosophy.

Long-term Relationship Building: References to "seeding long-term change" and multi-year support suggest preference for sustained engagement over one-time grants.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Available: Anverse Inc does not accept unsolicited proposals—do not submit applications unless specifically invited by the foundation
  • Geographic Focus is Critical: Nearly all funding goes to Georgia organizations, with strong preference for Cartersville-based nonprofits and those in communities where the foundation has historical ties
  • Relationship-Driven: The foundation identifies opportunities through board connections, civic partnerships, and community involvement rather than competitive applications
  • Extreme Range in Grant Sizes: From $23 to $2.6 million indicates the foundation responds to specific needs rather than following predetermined grant size categories
  • Culture and Youth Focus: Arts/culture infrastructure and youth development programs (particularly after-school initiatives) represent significant portions of the grant portfolio
  • Low Public Profile: The foundation intentionally maintains anonymity and directs attention to grantee organizations rather than its own role
  • Operating Support Available: Unlike many foundations that prefer project grants, Anverse provides substantial multi-year operating support to aligned organizations

References

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