The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $5,549,000 (2023)
Total Assets: $92.9 million (2023)
Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited proposals
Grant Range: Varies widely from $5,000 to multi-million dollar commitments
Geographic Focus: Primarily metropolitan Atlanta, with selective grants in Georgia and nationally (e.g., Maine)
Foundation Type: Private family foundation
Founded: 1996 (successor to Wilbur Fisk Glenn Memorial Foundation, founded 1937)

Contact Details

Address: 42 Lenox Pointe NE, Atlanta, GA 30324-3169

Phone: 404-214-9755

Website: www.glennfamilyfdn.org

Executive Director: Suzanna Stribling
Email: suzanna@glennfamilyfdn.org

Important Note: The foundation accepts proposals by invitation only and does not accept uninvited proposals.

Overview

The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1996 as the successor to the Wilbur Fisk Glenn Memorial Foundation, which was founded in 1937 by Thomas K. Glenn primarily as a means of introducing his two sons to philanthropy. With assets of approximately $92.9 million and annual giving of $5.5 million, the foundation has channeled more than $75 million into Atlanta-area projects over its history. The foundation's mission is to enhance the quality of human life by making grants that reflect the keen interests and passions of the foundation's trustees and which are structured to achieve significant impact. Most grants are made to organizations serving metropolitan Atlanta, though the foundation has supported selective projects beyond Georgia, including the Tom Glenn Community Impact Fund at the Island Institute in Maine. The foundation maintains a deliberately small staff to allow more dollars to flow to the community rather than to overhead and salary.

Funding Priorities

Grant Making Philosophy

The foundation makes grants for strategic purposes that significantly enhance an organization's effectiveness or capacity and leverage other sources of support. The foundation often attempts to address organizational needs that are not easily funded by other sources. Grants reflect the keen interests and passions of the foundation's trustees rather than responding to a predetermined program area list.

Major Areas of Impact

The foundation has demonstrated sustained commitment to several areas:

Healthcare and Medical Research

Glenn Family Breast Center at Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University - $14 million total ($10 million initial investment in 2010, with additional gifts)
Glenn Family Wellness Clinic at Skyland Trail - first facility in Atlanta to offer integrated medical care for adults diagnosed with mental illness
Pediatric research at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Youth Mental Health

Glenn Family Residence Hall at Skyland Trail's J. Rex Fuqua Adolescent Campus - $2 million gift supporting 26 private patient rooms for adolescents ages 14-17
$1 million gift to Skyland Trail's $18 million "Changing Minds Campaign"

Food Security

Atlanta Community Food Bank's new facility - 346,000 square feet enabling nearly triple the volume of food distribution
Support for the Farmer Fund at Georgia Organics during COVID-19

Education and Youth Development

The Glenn Institute for Philanthropy and Service Learning at Westminster Schools (established 2003)
Lou Glenn Children's Garden at Atlanta Botanical Garden (created 2015) - serves 250,000 children and families annually

Civil and Human Rights

National Center for Civil and Human Rights - founding donor (one of the largest private donors at opening in 2014, with $1 million+ gift)

Social Courage Recognition

Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage at Georgia Institute of Technology - funded in perpetuity (established 2009), awards $100,000 to recipients who demonstrate exceptional courage on important social issues

Community Economic Development

Tom Glenn Community Impact Fund at Island Institute, Maine - provides grants, loans, and equity investments for small businesses and community infrastructure; has provided nearly $2 million since establishment

COVID-19 Response

During 2020-2021, the foundation distributed more than $5.3 million in COVID-related grants:

Individual grants to 54 local nonprofits ranging from $5,000 to $150,000
$430,000 to COVID Response Funds including Latino Community Fund, Farmer Fund at Georgia Organics, Metro Atlanta Arts Fund, and Atlanta Women's Foundation
$795,000 collaborative grant (with six other Atlanta foundations) to address housing instability resulting from the pandemic
$50,000 to Athens Area Community Foundation COVID-19 Community Response Fund
$30,000 to Cobb Community Foundation

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated on their website, the foundation's history suggests they focus on:

Organizations and projects in metropolitan Atlanta (with rare exceptions)
Strategic, capacity-building initiatives rather than general operating support
Projects that can leverage additional funding sources
Areas aligned with trustee interests and passions

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

All trustees serve without compensation:

Thomas K. Glenn II - Trustee
Louise Glenn - Trustee
Louisa Glenn D'Antignac - Trustee (also holds the Louisa and Rand Glenn Family Chair in Breast Cancer Research at Emory)
Rand G. Hagen - Trustee (active in mental health initiatives)

Staff

Suzanna Stribling, Executive Director (since 2010)

Compensation: $207,500 (full-time)
Prior experience: Founding director of Georgia Center for Nonprofits; multiple positions at Southeastern Council of Foundations/Philanthropy Southeast (2004-2010)
Education: Master's degree from School of Library and Information Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; BA in English from Berry College
Professional credential: CAE (Certified Association Executive), earned 2010

The foundation intentionally maintains a small staff to maximize grant dollars rather than overhead.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation accepts proposals by invitation only and does not accept uninvited proposals.

According to their website: "Because of this [small staff size], we choose to limit proposals to those we actively solicit, and we do not accept uninvited proposals."

When the foundation identifies an organization or project of interest to the trustees, they reach out directly to solicit a proposal. Grants reflect the keen interests and passions of the foundation's trustees rather than responding to open applications.

Getting on Their Radar

IMPORTANT NOTE: While this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there are specific ways organizations have successfully connected with the foundation:

Foundation-Initiated Relationships

The foundation actively identifies organizations through trustee connections and community involvement
Trustees have deep roots in Atlanta's philanthropic community and specific passion areas (healthcare, education, mental health, food security, civil rights)
Executive Director Suzanna Stribling has extensive networks through her previous leadership roles at Georgia Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy Southeast

Demonstrated Approaches That Have Led to Funding

Major institutional partnerships: The foundation has shown willingness to make transformational gifts to established Atlanta institutions (Emory University, Westminster Schools, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Georgia Tech)
Collaborative funding opportunities: During COVID-19, the foundation joined other Atlanta foundations in collaborative approaches to community challenges
Trustee board service: Several funded organizations have connections to trustees who serve on their boards or advisory committees
Regional foundation networks: The foundation is connected to networks like Philanthropy Southeast and National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP), where Executive Director Stribling is active

Foundation's Documented Interests Based on grant history 2020-2023 (available on their website), the foundation has demonstrated interest in:

Healthcare innovation and integrated care models
Youth mental health and adolescent services
Food access and security
Education and youth development
Civil and human rights
Arts and culture (through COVID response)
Economic development in coastal communities
Projects that serve vulnerable populations in Atlanta

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation works by invitation only, the traditional application success factors don't apply. However, analyzing their grant history reveals what attracts the foundation's attention:

What the Foundation Values

Strategic Impact and Capacity Building The foundation's stated approach is to make "grants for strategic purposes that significantly enhance an organization's effectiveness or capacity." Their major gifts demonstrate this:

Glenn Family Breast Center: $14 million to create a comprehensive research and treatment center
Glenn Institute at Westminster: Endowed program creating long-term impact on youth philanthropy
Tom Glenn Community Impact Fund: Revolving fund providing grants, loans, and equity
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize: Endowment funding prize in perpetuity

Leverage and Sustainability The foundation explicitly seeks grants that "leverage other sources of support" and often addresses "organizational needs that are not easily funded by other sources." Examples:

Skyland Trail campaigns where Glenn funding catalyzed larger capital campaigns
COVID housing instability work where foundation joined collaborative funding to access federal resources
Atlanta Community Food Bank facility expansion enabling tripled capacity

Naming Opportunities and Legacy Many major grants include naming opportunities that honor family members:

Glenn Family Breast Center
Glenn Family Wellness Clinic
Glenn Family Residence Hall
Lou Glenn Children's Garden
Tom Glenn Community Impact Fund
The Glenn Institute for Philanthropy and Service Learning
Louisa and Rand Glenn Family Chair in Breast Cancer Research

Innovation and New Models The foundation has funded pioneering approaches:

First integrated medical care facility for mental health patients in Atlanta (Glenn Family Wellness Clinic)
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage - unique international award for moral courage
Children's garden serving 250,000 children annually with nature-based learning

Trustee Passion Areas Grants reflect individual trustee interests:

Breast cancer research and treatment (connection to Louisa Glenn D'Antignac)
Adolescent mental health (Rand G. Hagen's involvement with Skyland Trail)
Coastal Maine communities (Tom Glenn II's connection to Island Institute)
Youth philanthropy education (multi-generational Glenn family commitment)

Red Flags to Avoid

Based on their stated approach:

Organizations without strategic plans or capacity-building needs
Projects that don't leverage additional funding sources
General operating support without strategic purpose
Organizations outside metropolitan Atlanta (with rare exceptions for trustee passion projects)
Projects that could be easily funded through traditional sources

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

This is an invitation-only funder - Do not submit unsolicited proposals. The foundation will reach out if interested in your organization.
Think strategic and transformational - The foundation makes grants that "significantly enhance an organization's effectiveness or capacity," not incremental improvements. Their average grant is substantial, and they favor projects that create lasting change.
Demonstrate leverage - Show how foundation funding will catalyze additional support from other sources. The foundation explicitly seeks grants that leverage other funding.
Build relationships through networks - The foundation's leadership is active in Atlanta philanthropic networks (Philanthropy Southeast, NCFP). Being visible in these circles may lead to organic connections.
Address gaps others won't fund - The foundation specifically mentions attempting to "address organizational needs that are not easily funded by other sources." If your project fills a unique gap, this aligns with their philosophy.
Consider collaborative approaches - The foundation's COVID-19 response showed willingness to join other funders in collaborative solutions to community challenges.
Focus on metropolitan Atlanta - Unless you have a specific trustee connection (like Island Institute's connection to Tom Glenn II), your organization should serve the Atlanta region.
Document impact and innovation - Their funded projects often pioneer new models or achieve measurable community impact at scale (e.g., tripling food bank capacity, serving 250,000 children annually).
Multi-year relationships - The foundation often makes multiple gifts to organizations over time (Emory, Skyland Trail, Westminster Schools), suggesting they value long-term partnerships over one-time grants.
If invited to submit, think big and strategic - When the foundation solicits a proposal, they're looking for transformational opportunities, not modest requests. Their grants range from five figures to eight figures depending on the strategic impact.