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Fay S And W Barrett Howell Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$0.9M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $928,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Atlanta, GA area with some NY presence
  • Total Assets: $23 million
  • Median Grant: $38,000
  • Number of Grants: 22 (2024)

Contact Details

Address: Garden City, NY 11530
EIN: 58-6026027
Foundation Type: Private Family Foundation

Note: The foundation does not have a public website, email, or phone number for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Fay S And W Barrett Howell Family Foundation Inc has been tax-exempt since December 1952, making it a longstanding private family foundation with over 70 years of philanthropic activity. With total assets of $23 million and annual distributions of approximately $928,000, the foundation represents the philanthropic legacy of W. Barrett Howell and Fay Sheffield Howell. The foundation focuses primarily on supporting organizations in the Atlanta, Georgia area despite being registered in Garden City, New York. Major funding areas include arts and culture, healthcare, education, and community development. The foundation's approach reflects the personal connections and interests of the Howell family, particularly their commitment to educational opportunities for underserved children and support for Atlanta's major cultural institutions. W. Barrett Howell, who passed away in 2016 at age 87, was a sixth-generation Atlantan who co-founded The Study Hall, an after-school program serving children in Atlanta's Peoplestown neighborhood.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single discretionary grantmaking program managed by family trustees. Grants are awarded on an invitation-only basis to preselected organizations. Recent grants (2024) have ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, with a median grant size of $38,000.

Application Method: Invitation only - the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Arts & Culture: Major support for Atlanta arts institutions including the Woodruff Arts Center, High Museum of Art, and Cathedral of St. Philip
  • Healthcare: Grants to health centers serving underserved populations, including Good Samaritan Health Center and CDC Foundation
  • Education: Focus on educational opportunities for underserved children, particularly in Atlanta
  • Community Development: Support for community-based organizations

Top Recent Grant Recipients (2024):

  • Cathedral of St. Philip: $100,000 (General Support)
  • Woodruff Arts Center: $100,000 (General Support)
  • Good Samaritan Health Center: $75,000 (General Support)
  • CDC Foundation: $65,000 (General Support)
  • High Museum of Art: $60,000 (General Support)

Geographic Focus

The foundation's grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Atlanta, Georgia, reflecting the Howell family's deep roots in the city (W. Barrett Howell was a sixth-generation Atlantan). While registered in New York, the vast majority of grants support Georgia-based organizations.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's Form 990-PF states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations," indicating they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited grant requests
  • Individual applicants
  • Organizations outside their existing network

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by an all-volunteer board of family trustees. All board members serve unpaid.

Current Board Members:

  • W. Barrett Howell II - Trustee/President (son of founders)
  • Fay Howell - Trustee/Chair (co-founder)
  • Ron Bobo - Trustee/Vice President
  • Parker Grandits - Trustee/Secretary and Treasurer
  • Margize Howell - Trustee
  • Caroline Howell - Trustee
  • Georganna Howell - Trustee
  • Fay Lidji - Trustee

The board composition is predominantly family members, reflecting the private family foundation structure. The continued involvement of co-founder Fay Howell and the leadership of W. Barrett Howell II ensures continuity with the foundation's original mission and values.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation does not have a public application process. According to their Form 990-PF filing, the foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to organizations with which the family has existing relationships or personal connections.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, the foundation operates on its own internal timeline for identifying and supporting organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from the general public.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply as the foundation only supports preselected organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since this is an invitation-only funder, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals:

Organizations that receive support typically have:

  • Established presence in Atlanta: The vast majority of grants support Atlanta-based organizations, reflecting the family's deep ties to the city
  • Focus on accessible services: Healthcare and educational organizations serving underserved populations align with the family's demonstrated commitment through The Study Hall
  • Cultural prominence: Major arts institutions like the Woodruff Arts Center and High Museum receive substantial support
  • General operating support: Most grants are for "general support" rather than specific programs, suggesting the foundation trusts recipient organizations to use funds where most needed

The Howell Family's Philanthropic Philosophy:

Based on W. Barrett Howell's co-founding of The Study Hall, the family demonstrated belief in hands-on, relationship-based philanthropy. As noted in his obituary, he "served on The Lovett School board and realized the difference a good education can make, which motivated him and others to build a small school in Peoplestown, a neighborhood in southeast Atlanta." This suggests the foundation values:

  • Direct impact on underserved communities
  • Education as a transformative force
  • Long-term institutional relationships
  • Atlanta-based impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - they only fund preselected organizations
  • Atlanta focus is paramount - despite NY registration, grantmaking is concentrated in Atlanta, GA
  • Relationship-based giving - the foundation supports organizations connected to family members and their networks
  • Preference for established institutions - top grants go to well-known cultural and healthcare organizations
  • General operating support - the foundation typically provides unrestricted funding rather than project-specific grants
  • Multi-generational commitment - with over 70 years of grantmaking and second-generation leadership, the foundation maintains consistent values
  • Not a prospect for cold outreach - organizations without existing connections to the Howell family should not pursue this funder

References

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