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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA

Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Contact information:

50 Hurt Plaza, Suite 449

Atlanta, GA 30303 

Phone: 404-688-5525

Fax: 404-688-3060

Website: http://www.cfgreateratlanta.org/

Type of foundation: Community

Types of grants: General operating, capacity-building.

Description: Rather than focusing its grantmaking through traditional program areas, the Foundation provides support for:  
 

  • General Operating.
  • Nonprofit Effectiveness: organizational and professional development opportunities through management consulting grants, scholarships for workshops, classes and/or coaching.
  • Advancing Public Will: helping organizations engage and educate their stakeholders and other community audiences to mobilize public will and influence public policies.
  • Innovation: encouraging new, creative thought and partnerships that may lead to better efficiencies, services, sector strength and/or civic engagement. 

The Common Good Funds program is the Foundation's largest competitive grants program. Common Good grants focus on general support and building nonprofit effectiveness. In evaluating applicants, the Foundation looks for organizations that have a clear vision of their role in making a difference in the community; demonstrate effectiveness through the investment of time and personnel in measuring and planning for success; and have written strategic plans that cover three or more years, include goals and methods to measure effectiveness and are used to form an annual work plan.

Common Good General Operating grants provide unrestricted funding to grantees. They are available to support an organization's ongoing administrative and infrastructure costs and/or to maintain existing, effective programs that fit the general grant focus of the Foundation. Nonprofit effectiveness grants support strategic planning and business analysis; board development; fund development planning and advocacy.

All organizations that receive discretionary grants are also eligible for funding to attend trainings, workshops and conferences led by the Foundation or other organizations. Grantees are also considered for a custom-designed package of professional resources or services to help the recipient respond to a key organizational challenge or opportunity in one of the Foundation's primary focus areas. Some organizations are selected to receive a Nonprofit Toolbox, enabling them to work with a specialist to create a package of organizational assistance.

The Foundation also runs several Community Initiatives, through which it partners with other funders and community organizations to address key issues. Among these are:

  • Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, which supports small and medium-sized arts groups in the Atlanta area with operating budgets below $2 million.
  • Local Funds, with the goal of building philanthropy at the local level in order to build stronger communities.
  • Atlanta AIDS Fund, focused on HIV/AIDS prevention education, advocacy and service efforts.

These initiatives have their own deadlines and guidelines.

Sample grants:

  • $156,625 to Independent Media Artists of Georgia via multiple grants (2008).
  • $50,000 to Independent Feature Project (NY) via multiple grants (2008).
  • $7,500 to Legacy Films (Roswell, GA) for production of videos (2008).
  • $5,675 to Public Broadcasting Atlanta via multiple grants (2008).

(It is unclear from the 2008 PF-990 and from the Foundation's 2008 Annual Report which of these grants were donor-advised and which may have come from the Foundation's discretionary funds.)

Fit for public broadcasting: The Foundation is a prospect for public media organizations serving the 23-county metropolitan Atlanta region. Applicants should demonstrate convergence with the Foundation's priority focus areas.

Eligibility: To be eligible for a grant from the Common Good Funds, organizations must:

  • Be located and providing services within the Foundation's 23-county service area.
  • Have 501(c)(3) status.
  • Be registered with the Georgia Secretary of State as a nonprofit.
  • Have a minimum two-year operating history after receiving its 501(c)(3) classification.
  • Have an annual operating budget more than $100,000 and less than $15 million as reflected in the most recently filed I.R.S. Form 990.
  • Have at least one full-time paid employee (paid minimum wage or more, working 2,080 hours or more) for at least 12 months.
  • Have a written strategic or business plan.
  • Receive funding from at least three different types of sources such as individuals, foundations, businesses, churches and government but excluding The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
  • Have audited financial statements for the past two fiscal years (organizations with budgets over $250,000) or two years of financial statements reviewed by an independent, certified public accountant (organizations with budgets of $100,000- $249,999).
  • Have filed their final reports if a former Common Good Funds grant recipient.
  • Have a Board of Directors where all members donate cash or make financially measurable in-kind contributions each fiscal year.
  • Have a Board of Directors with representation from the community served.

The Foundation will not provide:

  • Operating expenses for private and publicly funded schools (K-12) and institutions of higher learning.
  • Grants to individuals.
  • Fundraising and marketing events. 
  • Endowment funds.
  • Capital campaign contributions (for building construction or renovation) or use of funds to cover capital campaign feasibility studies or campaign implementation expenses. This does not include regular maintenance and capital improvements.  

Deadline: The Common Good Funds program offers two application cycles (Spring and Fall).

How to apply: Organizations interested in applying to the Common Good Funds should first review the guidelines. The first step is to submit a letter of intent. After reviewing the letters of intent, the Foundation will invite 20-30 organizations to submit final applications.

Giving range: Common Good Funds General Operating grants range from $10,000 –  $75,000 over a 12-month period. Organizations can request no more than 10 percent of the organization's annual operating budget for each year funds are requested. These grants may be awarded for periods of 12 or 24 months.

Assets: $623,078,050 (year ending December 31, 2008)

Total giving: $96 million (2008)

View 2008-09 Annual Report.