The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Region: United States

Funder Name: THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA EIN: 81-0566018 Funder Website: www.cfgreateratlanta.org ProPublica URL: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/81-0566018

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $195 million (2023)
• Total Assets: $1.4 billion
• Success Rate: ~10% (competitive grants)
• Decision Time: 10-12 weeks
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $75,000 (General Operating Support)
• Geographic Focus: 23-county Atlanta metro region

Contact Details

Website: www.cfgreateratlanta.org Email: info@cfgreateratlanta.org | grants@cfgreateratlanta.org Phone: 404-688-5525 Location: Atlanta, GA

Pre-Application Support: Application orientations and office hours available for most grant programmes; subscribe to Nonprofit News newsletter for updates

Overview

Founded in 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is one of the top 20 community foundations among approximately 750 nationally, serving as Georgia's second largest foundation. With $1.4 billion in current assets managed through 1,000+ donor funds, the Foundation distributed over $195 million in grants in 2023. The Foundation connects donors, nonprofits, and community leaders across a 23-county Atlanta region, focusing on five primary areas: arts, community development, education, health and human services, and nonprofit effectiveness. Under the leadership of President & CEO Frank Fernandez since 2020, the Foundation has intensified its focus on equity of opportunity and addressing systemic challenges including affordable housing. The Foundation holds a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and is accredited by the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, receiving national recognition for its innovative approaches, including Harvard University's recognition of Atlanta's affordable housing model.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

General Operating Support (GOS)

• Range: $10,000 - $75,000
• Duration: 12-month period
• Application: Highly competitive annual cycle
• Description: Unrestricted funding for high-performing nonprofits that meet rigorous standards, widely viewed as "the gold standard of nonprofit excellence"

Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund (MAAF)

• Range: $10,000 minimum, up to 30% of applicant's total annual operating expenses
• Focus: Small to midsize arts organisations with annual operating budgets under $2 million
• Application: Annual application cycle with specific deadlines
• Description: Since 1993, supporting literary and performing arts organisations in the 11-county Atlanta region

A Place to Perform

• Focus: Nonprofit literary and performing arts organisations
• Purpose: Access to performance venues and facilities in the 11-county Atlanta region
• Restrictions: Does not fund artistic/general production costs or fundraising event space
• Application: Annual cycle (typically August deadline)

Housing Stability Grants

• Focus Areas: Eviction prevention services and financial assistance; services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness
• Geographic Focus: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties
• Application: Annual cycle with applicant webinars

The Neighbourhood Fund

• Focus: Neighbourhood-based project grants addressing local issues
• Eligible Areas: Historic Thomasville, South Cobb, and South Fulton
• Unique Feature: Available to community groups without 501(c)(3) status
• Application: Annual cycle (typically opens August, due September)

Frances Hollis Brain Foundation

• Preference: Organisations that have received prior funding
• Application: Invitation-based in annual grant year (typically May deadline)

Vote Your Voice Field Strengthening Grants

• Focus: Organisations engaging communities of colour in voting and civic actions
• Reach: Year-round engagement support
• Geographic Scope: Multi-state (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi)

Atlanta AIDS Fund

• Range: $35,000 - $70,000
• Focus: HIV/AIDS-service organisations

Additional Programmes: Extra Wish, Grants to Green, Nonprofit Toolbox

Priority Areas

• Arts & Culture: Literary and performing arts organisations, particularly small to midsize groups with budgets under $2 million
• Community Development: Neighbourhood-based initiatives, affordable housing (TogetherATL Affordable Housing Fund with $200M+ pledge), place-based community improvement
• Education: Early learning, post-secondary education, workforce preparation
• Health & Human Services: HIV/AIDS services, housing stability, eviction prevention, services for individuals experiencing homelessness
• Nonprofit Effectiveness: Capacity building, organisational development
• Civic Engagement: Voter outreach and civic participation, particularly in communities of colour
• Equity & Opportunity: Addressing systemic challenges, racial equity, equitable access to resources

What They Don't Fund

• Private family foundations (from donor-advised funds)
• Fundraising event tickets or sponsorships where cost is not fully tax-deductible
• Rental space for fundraising events (A Place to Perform programme)
• Artistic or general production costs (A Place to Perform programme)
• Organisations without 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsor (except Neighbourhood Fund)
• Late or incomplete applications

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Frank Fernandez, President & CEO (joined August 2020)

• Background: Over 20 years pursuing greater equity
• Vision: "Equity of opportunity is one of the primary social and racial challenges facing our region, and pursuit of greater equity for all has been my personal North Star for the past 20 years."
• On Community Foundations: Believes they are "set up to do" bringing "our donors together to tackle our respective community's biggest challenges"
• Leadership Philosophy: Challenges traditional charity models, emphasizing "for many years, while we don't use this term anymore, philanthropy has been defined by this idea of charity" with a one-directional relationship. Fernandez advocates for transformed approaches recognizing that "prosperity and that vitality is not evenly distributed" in Atlanta

Board Leadership

Doug Hooker, Board Chair (January 2023 - December 2025)

• Position: Executive Director, Atlanta Regional Commission
• Term: Three-year appointment

Board Structure

• 22-member board representing diverse expertise and backgrounds
• Members include leaders from business, nonprofit, civic, healthcare, and legal sectors
• Five new board members announced in March 2024, bringing expertise in healthcare, law, and diversity

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Create Profile

• Register through the Foundation's online Grants Portal
• Create or update organisation profile and Common Grant Application
• Profile serves as vital first step in building relationship with the Foundation

Step 2: Monitor Opportunities

• Subscribe to Nonprofit News newsletter for grant cycle announcements
• Review grant opportunities page regularly (cfgreateratlanta.org/grant-opportunities/)
• Note: Grant opportunities evolve throughout the year; at any given time, there can be a dozen funds with upcoming deadlines

Step 3: Attend Orientation

• Participate in application orientations and office hours (highly recommended but not required)
• Webinars offered for most grant programmes

Step 4: Submit Application

• Complete application through online portal
• Upload supporting materials: images, audio files, video files, hyperlinks, and documents that bring organisation's mission and programmes to life
• Contact grants@cfgreateratlanta.org with questions about registration and application

Application Components:

• Common Grant Application (through profile)
• Program-specific supplemental questions
• Supporting documentation demonstrating eligibility
• Multimedia materials showcasing organisational mission and impact

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline: 10-12 weeks from application deadline to decision notification

Example Timeline (Housing Stability Grants):

• May 22: Application period opens
• June 3: Applicant webinar
• July 3: Applications due
• September 17: Site visits and application review
• September 22-26: Notification of funding decisions
• Total: Approximately 12 weeks

Example Timeline (Neighbourhood Fund):

• August 5: Cycle opens
• September 12: Applications due
• September 15 - November 20: Review period
• Early December: Final decisions
• Total: Approximately 12 weeks

Review Process: All grant applications undergo rigorous internal due diligence and review process

Notification Method: Email notifications sent throughout process to provide guidance and next steps

Success Rates

General Operating Support (2019 cycle):

• 217 eligible organisations applied
• 21 organisations received funding
• $1,903,000 awarded
• Success Rate: 9.7%

Context: GOS grants are described as "highly competitive" with a "rigorous review process that is widely viewed as the gold standard of nonprofit excellence"

Annual Grantmaking Volume:

• 1,300+ awards annually in recent years
• Funding distributed to approximately 2,000 nonprofit organisations annually
• Average of $75 million+ in grants annually (beyond donor-advised fund giving)

Reapplication Policy

An Extra Wish Programme: Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in the next cycle

General Policy: Specific reapplication policies vary by programme. Contact grants@cfgreateratlanta.org for program-specific guidance

Frances Hollis Brain Foundation: Priority given to organisations that have received prior funding (suggests relationship-based approach)

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Foundation

On Building Relationships: Creating or updating a profile and Common Grant Application is described as "the vital first step to building an organisation's relationship with the Community Foundation" - emphasizing relationship over transactional approach

On Documentation: Applications should use multimedia materials (images, audio files, video files, hyperlinks) to "help bring the organisation's mission and programmes to life" - the Foundation values compelling storytelling

On Equity Focus: Fernandez emphasizes that applicants should understand the Foundation's commitment to equity, noting the Foundation works toward "what we all want: a safe, comfortable home that we can afford; the opportunity to exercise our gifts and talents and earn a living wage; and the chance to provide our children a foundation"

Recent Funded Projects

Vote Your Voice Initiative (2023): 68 organisations across five states received field strengthening grants

• Florida Student Power Alliance: Building people-powered Florida centred through youth leadership
• Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable: Advancing civic engagement of Black women voters
• Poder Latinx: Mobilising Latinx community for decision-making on economic, immigrant, and environmental issues

TogetherATL Affordable Housing Fund:

• Status: Home received $3.2 million investment (Atlanta's largest provider of permanent supportive housing for low-income individuals living with HIV)

Education Support:

• Nana Grants Inc. received $93,000 to pay for child care for low-income single mothers attending Atlanta Technical College

2018 General Operating Support: 29 high-performing nonprofits received total of $1.84 million

Key Success Terminology

The Foundation uses language emphasizing:

• Systems change alongside place-based work
• Equity and opportunity (not just charity)
• Community collaboration and collective impact
• Grassroots energy and neighbourhood empowerment
• High performance and excellence
• Transformational philanthropy (moving beyond traditional donor-recipient models)

Standing Out

Demonstrate High Performance: The Foundation seeks "high performing nonprofits" - strong track record and measurable outcomes are critical

Align with Equity Goals: Show understanding of and commitment to equity of opportunity, especially addressing disparities in communities of colour

Emphasize Community Engagement: Particularly for programmes like Neighbourhood Fund and Vote Your Voice, demonstrate authentic community connections and grassroots engagement

Show Regional Impact: Understand the 23-county service area and demonstrate how your work strengthens the Atlanta region

Use Compelling Storytelling: Leverage multimedia in applications to bring mission to life

Build Relationships Early: Engage with the Foundation before applying through orientations, office hours, and profile creation

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Competition is fierce: With only a ~10% success rate for competitive grants like General Operating Support, applications must demonstrate exceptional organisational performance and clear alignment with Foundation priorities

• Equity is central: President & CEO Frank Fernandez has made equity of opportunity the Foundation's "North Star" - applications should explicitly address how your work advances equitable access and opportunity, particularly for communities of colour

• Relationship matters more than transactions: The Foundation emphasizes profile creation as "the vital first step to building a relationship" - invest time in orientation sessions, office hours, and ongoing engagement rather than treating applications as one-time submissions

• Start early and stay informed: With a dozen different funds operating on various cycles throughout the year, subscribe to Nonprofit News and monitor opportunities regularly to identify the best fit for your organisation

• Demonstrate regional commitment: Serving 23 counties, the Foundation seeks organisations that strengthen the entire Atlanta region - show how your work contributes to broader community impact beyond a single neighbourhood or constituency

• Tell your story visually: The Foundation specifically encourages multimedia submissions including images, audio, video, and hyperlinks - invest in compelling materials that bring your mission to life beyond written narrative

• Understand the 10-12 week timeline: Plan organisational cash flow and programming around the Foundation's consistent 10-12 week decision timeline, and be prepared for site visits and additional due diligence during the review period

References

1. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2024). "Grant Opportunities." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/grant-opportunities/

2. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2024). "Reflections from Frank: What Atlanta taught me about community in 2024." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2024/12/17/reflections-from-frank-2024/

3. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2023). "2023 Annual Report." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2023ar/

4. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2022). "2022 Annual Report." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2022ar/

5. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2020). "2020 Annual Report." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2020ar/

6. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2020). "Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta names Frank Fernandez CEO." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2020/06/26/community-foundation-names-frank-fernandez-ceo/

7. Denver Frederick. (2023). "How the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta Combines Systems Change and Place-Based Work." Retrieved from https://denver-frederick.com/2023/02/28/18171/

8. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2024). "Board of Directors 2024." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/board-of-directors/

9. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2024). "Community Foundation announces five new Board members." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2024/03/12/community-foundation-announces-five-new-board-members/

10. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2019). "Community Foundation awards more than $1.9 million to nonprofits." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2019/11/06/2019-gos-grants/

11. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2018). "$1.84 million in competitive grants drives awareness of the region's most pressing needs." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2018/12/07/2018-gos-grants/

12. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2023). "Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and Southern Poverty Law Center announce recipients of Vote Your Voice field strengthening grants." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2023/10/23/vote-your-voice-grants/

13. Candid. (2024). "Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta | Foundation Directory." Retrieved from https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=ATLA001

14. Inside Philanthropy. (2024). "Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Grants: Grants for Georgia." Retrieved from https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/southeast-grants-funders/community-foundation-for-greater-atlanta-grants.html

15. New Georgia Encyclopedia. "Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta." Retrieved from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/community-foundation-for-greater-atlanta/

16. Charity Navigator. "Rating for The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta." Retrieved from https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/581344646

17. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2025). "2025 MAA Grant Guidelines." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-MAA-Grant-Guidelines.pdf

18. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. (2024). "A Place to Perform Guidelines." Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-APTP-Guidelines-FINAL.pdf

19. Atlanta Civic Circle. (2025). "What's the status of the Community Foundation's $200M affordable housing pledge?" Retrieved from https://atlantaciviccircle.org/2025/06/11/community-foundation-greater-atlanta-housing-pledge-update/

20. Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. "Nonprofits: Help Us Learn About Your Work!" Retrieved from https://cfgreateratlanta.org/nonprofits/

All sources accessed November 2024.