In conjunction with the annual National Philanthropy Day celebration, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta announces awarding more than $1.9 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the metro region. Grants were awarded through the Foundation’s General Operating Support program after a rigorous competitive process, and provide funding to nonprofits that are most effective in their work addressing the region’s biggest challenges. A total of $1,903,000 was awarded to 21 organizations.

General operating support grants are flexible, allowing nonprofits to determine where the funding can have the greatest impact for their organization. Organizations use these funds to invest in themselves: adding expertise to staff, underwriting facilities expenses or purchasing program supplies, all things that contribute to the organizations’ impact.

These competitive grants supplement the more than $100 million in annual donor-advised grants from Community Foundation donors that support thousands of organizations from our region, throughout the U.S. and across the globe. In 2018, the Foundation awarded $128 million in funding to 10,100 nonprofits, with 83 percent of that funding remaining here in the 23-county metro region.

Funding for these annual competitive grants comes from the Community Foundation’s endowment funds, made possible by donors who gave generously to allow the Foundation to steward resources to nonprofits in perpetuity. Donors who established these endowed funds include Catherine Arnold and Sara Horne Smith.

“Throughout our history the Community Foundation has been at the forefront of responding to our region’s greatest challenges, and today that challenge is two-fold: our position as the leading city in the U.S. for income inequality, and the reality that our region has one of the country’s fastest growing rates for suburbanization of poverty,” said Alicia Philipp, president, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “For our competitive grantmaking we aim to support nonprofits that are working most effectively to build a more equitable region where all of our neighbors have the opportunity to thrive.”

Grants are awarded to nonprofits in sectors including the arts, community development, education and well-being. This grant cycle supports a diverse cross section of the Atlanta region’s nonprofits, awarding funding to organizations that represent a broad range in budget, impact and services. Awarded organizations have annual budgets spanning from $250,000 to more than $22 million.

“These grant recipients truly represent best practices in nonprofits across our region, from effective financial management to strong and impactful programs,” said Lita Pardi, director of resource deployment, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “A total of 217 eligible organizations applied for funding which necessitates a comprehensive process of analyzing nonprofits to ensure that the funding we have for these grants is going to have the greatest return for our region.”

A comprehensive list of competitive grant recipients follows. (* indicates that grant will be paid out over a two-year period)

Grants supporting the arts:

These grants are awarded to small and midsized arts organizations that help to build a dynamic arts ecology to ensure all residents have access to high-quality cultural experiences and diverse artistic programs.

Arts Clayton.: $100,000*

C4 Atlanta: $50,000*

Cultural Arts Council Douglasville Douglas County: $48,000*

Dad's Garage: $100,000*

Out of Hand Theater: $53,000*

Grants supporting community development:

These grants are awarded to nonprofits that advocate for equitable economic growth, strong civic health and safe, sustainable communities.

Georgia Justice Project: $150,000*

Global Growers Network: $80,000*

Hope Atlanta (Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta): $130,000*

Grants supporting education:

These grants are awarded to nonprofits that improve outcomes and expand opportunities for all learners across the education spectrum.

Future Foundation: $100,000*

Greening Youth Foundation: $40,000

Literacy Action: $125,000*

Partners Advancing Student Success (previously known as Communities In Schools of Carrollton City and Carroll County): $67,000*

Grants supporting well-being:

These grants are awarded to nonprofits that ensure a healthy, safe and engaged region, where all residents have access to quality health care and nutritious food.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta: $100,000*

Fulton County Court Appointed Special Advocates: $75,000

Goshen Valley Foundation: $110,000*

Whitefoord (Meridian Education Resource Group): $150,000*

Grants supporting well-being through the Atlanta AIDS Fund:

These grants support metro Atlanta’s HIV/AIDS advocacy, prevention education and service efforts through funding and leadership.

Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition: $37,000

Empowerment Resource Center (HIV/AIDS Empowerment Resource Center for Young Women): $101,500*

Jerusalem House: $101,500*

Positive Impact Health Centers: $126,000*

Saint Joseph's Mercy Care Services: $59,000