Joseph B Whitehead Foundation
Annual Giving
$87.1M-16% YoY
Grants
42
Median Grant
$500K
Organizations Funded
80
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Foundation Overview
Mission
The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation is an independent private foundation that seeks to help people in need in metro Atlanta, particularly children, by investing in education, health and economic opportunity. The Foundation pursues its mission by responding to community needs, typically making grants to well-established organizations with strong leadership and a broad base of support.
Focus Areas
Grant Types
Funded Initiatives
$1.5B+ in grants since inception, $91.7M across 40 grants recent year ($50K-$50M range), Smart Start early childhood partnership with United Way, A.G. Rhodes $10M campaign, Marcus Autism Center strategic plan, Atlanta Day Shelter, statewide child sex trafficking response coordination
How to Apply
Online grant portal using Blackbaud YourCause system. February 1 deadline for April Board meeting. Must upload materials as single PDF. Site visits and meetings with staff before Board decision. Decision within one week of Board meeting. 5-page grant letter maximum.
Does Not Fund
Geographic restriction to metro Atlanta (13 counties), no startup/seed funding, no individual grants, generally no basic operating expenses, no annual operating support, no independent schools (limited charter school support), must have $500K+ annual budget with full-time paid staff, not sole/lead funder preference
Based on publicly available information from the foundation's 990 filings and website.
Giving History
$87.1M
Grants
42
Median
$500K
States
2
$103.8M
Grants
47
Median
$500K
States
2
$79.3M
Grants
47
Median
$500K
States
2
Grant Size Distribution
$500K
Typical Grant (Median)
$100K
Smallest
$250K
25th Pctile
$1.8M
75th Pctile
$20.0M
Largest
Excludes grants ≤ $5K. Half fall between $250K and $1.8M.
Largest Recent Grants
$20.0M
2024
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
GA · For the Joseph B. Whitehead Fund to support Achieve Atlanta, an initiative to improve the postsecondary success of students in Atlanta Public Schools.
$14.7M
2024
United Way of Greater Atlanta
GA · Priority initiatives of Smart Start to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education in metro Atlanta.
$10.0M
2024
Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities
GA · $67 million campaign to construct Ronald McDonald House at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's North Druid Hills campus.
$7.0M
2024
The Salvation Army
GA · $35 million campaign to construct the Center of Hope and expand programs.
$5.0M
2024
United Way of Greater Atlanta
GA · Priority initiatives of the Regional Commission on Homelessness.
Geographic Focus
Top states by total grant dollars. Based on IRS filing data.
Financial Overview
Grants paid shown as percentage of total assets
Data sourced from IRS 990 and 990-PF filings and publicly available foundation websites. Grant data, financial figures, and organizational details reflect historical filings and may not represent current operations or funding priorities. Verify directly with the foundation before applying. See an issue? Let us know.