Joseph B Whitehead Foundation
The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia. It invests in metro Atlanta to help people—especially children—thrive, and reports awarding more than 2,900 grants totaling $1.6 billion since its inception.
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation at a glance
In short: Joseph B Whitehead Foundation gave $76.1M across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $1.9M), mostly in Georgia. 39% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $76,134,821
- -12.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- -2.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,856,947
- -10.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $450,000
- Total assets
- $717,275,390
- +76.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (14 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Joseph B Whitehead Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- Review Cycle
- Requests received by February 1 are considered in April; requests received by August 15 are considered in November.
- Deadline
- Requests received by February 1 are considered in April; requests received by August 15 are considered in November.
- Contact
Application contact: Erik S Johnson President
Mailing address: 191 Peachtree St Suite 3540, Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 522-6755
Website: https://jbwhitehead.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Joseph B Whitehead Foundation
Who Joseph B Whitehead Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta ($24.0M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $67.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
217 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 53 grants of 217 (24%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s grantmaking is limited to the 13-county metro Atlanta region: Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale counties. Its 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Georgia recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Joseph B Whitehead Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 36 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $382K; repeat grants $3.2M. How we count
Medians: $300K first-time, $525K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $67.3M (2020) to $103.8M (2023). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $76.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Greater Atlanta Atlanta, GA | Priority initiatives of Smart Start to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education in metro Atlanta. | $15,939,786 |
| Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta 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. | $15,000,003 |
| Partners for HOME Atlanta, GA | Support of citywide strategy to develop new housing units and scale services for the homeless. | $12,000,000 |
| Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Atlanta, GA | For the Joseph B. Whitehead Child Well-Being Fund. | $7,500,002 |
| United Way of Greater Atlanta Atlanta, GA | Priority initiatives of the Regional Commission on Homelessness. | $5,000,000 |
| Atlanta Community Food Bank East Point, GA | Support of capacity-building needs to meet increased demand for food assistance. | $2,100,000 |
| Atlanta Community Food Bank East Point, GA | $19.3 million campaign to expand food distribution capacity with capital and technology updates. | $2,000,030 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta Atlanta, GA | Operating support. | $2,000,000 |
| Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Atlanta, GA | Support of Learn4Life's Atlanta Vision Project to provide vision care for elementary school students in metro Atlanta. | $1,500,000 |
| Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement Duluth, GA | Operating support for organization working to improve K-12 public education through leadership development. | $1,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $717,275,390 | $352,630,813 | $81,954,449 | $76,134,821 | 41 | $77,039,660 | $349,349,077 | $98,357,552 |
| 2024 | $406,203,252 | $265,452,577 | $92,123,494 | $87,085,069 | 42 | $87,948,533 | $262,655,213 | $90,421,699 |
| 2023 | $192,205,042 | $86,804,202 | $106,211,060 | $103,833,578 | 47 | $104,521,295 | $86,367,786 | $87,290,725 |
| 2022 | $161,682,970 | $53,119,400 | $81,479,954 | $79,299,883 | 47 | $80,225,170 | $52,615,794 | $91,542,550 |
| 2021 | $148,285,590 | $58,163,845 | $72,130,736 | $70,200,626 | 40 | $70,818,089 | $57,727,320 | $82,299,838 |
| 2020 | $126,495,959 | $57,729,215 | $68,912,193 | $67,286,808 | 49 | — | $57,378,463 | $76,816,407 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph B Whitehead Foundation reported a distributable amount of $98.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated aim is to ensure everyone, especially children, has the opportunity to thrive. Its five funding areas are early childhood education, K-12 education, children and youth, health, and human services. It supports established public charities with strong leadership, a broad base of financial support, demonstrated outcomes, and the capacity to sustain their work. Grants often support one-time needs, including capital projects and programmatic expenses.
Grantees illustrate the range of work supported. United Way of an individual recipient describes its mission as bringing people and resources together to improve the well-being of children, families, and individuals. The Atlanta Community Food Bank says it works to engage, educate, and empower the community to fight hunger. Boys & Girls Clubs of an individual recipient describes its work as creating safe, inclusive environments to help young people thrive.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation awarded 41 grants totaling $76,134,821. Grant amounts ranged from $100,000 to $15,939,786, with a median grant of $450,000. Notable awards included $15,939,786 to United Way of an individual recipient for early childhood education initiatives; $15,000,003 to the Community Foundation for an individual recipient for the Joseph B. Whitehead Fund supporting an individual recipient; and $12 million to Partners for HOME for a citywide strategy to develop housing and expand services for people experiencing homelessness. Other large grants included $7,500,002 to the Community Foundation for an individual recipient for the Joseph B. Whitehead Child Well-Being Fund and $5 million to United Way of an individual recipient for regional homelessness initiatives.
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit an informal inquiry before making a formal request through the Foundation’s online application portal. The request should be in letter form and include an organizational description, purposes, programs, staffing, and governing board; recent financial statements and the latest audit report; a project description and funding justification; an itemized project budget with other support received or anticipated; and evidence of the applicant’s tax-exempt status and that it is not a private foundation. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) public charities located or operating in the 13-county metro Atlanta area, with paid full-time staff and an annual budget over $500,000. The Foundation does not fund individuals, churches, conferences, debt relief, fundraising events, professional associations, sponsorships, or startups. It does not typically fund annual operations or ongoing program costs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists E Jenner Wood III as Trustee-Chair; Lawrence L Gellerstedt III and Joseph A Arnold as trustees; Erik S Johnson as president, elected February 1, 2025; Eli P Niepoky as treasurer; and Sara E Blalock as secretary, elected February 1, 2025. P Russell Hardin is listed as president, retired January 31, 2025.
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation is led by Erik S Johnson, President - Elected since 2025 (on filings since 2020); all 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Erik S Johnson
President - Elected
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice President & Secretary, 2021
Vice President & Secretary → President - Elected, 2025
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$56K (2020) → $99K (2025)
P Russell Hardin
President - Retired
President → President - Retired, 2025
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$109K (2020) → $215K (2025)
E Jenner Wood III
Trustee- Chair
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $35K (2025)
Lawrence L Gellerstedt III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$25K (2020) → $25K (2025)
Joseph A Arnold
Trustee
Trustee- Elected → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$19K (2024) → $25K (2025)
Eli P Niepoky
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$39K (2021) → $75K (2025)
Sara E Blalock
Secretary - Elected
New on the 2025 filing
8 hrs/week
$51K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: James B Williams (2020–2024) — Trustee-
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $215K, to P Russell Hardin (President - retired 1/31/2025). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Joseph B Whitehead Foundation
How much does Joseph B Whitehead Foundation give each year?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation gave $76.1M across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $87.1M across 42 grants.
What is Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's typical grant size?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $450,000, and its average grant was $1,856,947, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joseph B Whitehead Foundation that year got $382K on average.
Where does Joseph B Whitehead Foundation give grants?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (31 grants), East Point, GA (2 grants) and Norcross, GA (2 grants).
Does Joseph B Whitehead Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 12% of Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 41) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's largest grantees?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta ($24,000,005 across 3 grants), United Way of Greater Atlanta ($20,939,786 across 2 grants) and Partners for HOME ($12,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Joseph B Whitehead Foundation?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation reported $717.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $77.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $98.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Joseph B Whitehead Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated aim is to ensure everyone, especially children, has the opportunity to thrive. Its five funding areas are early childhood education, K-12 education, children and youth, health, and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph B Whitehead Foundation?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check jbwhitehead.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's EIN?
Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6001954. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Joseph B Whitehead Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joseph B Whitehead Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-b-whitehead-foundation-morg_5b08478f99504fa988e521033ee69ac2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_586001954_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joseph B Whitehead Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-b-whitehead-foundation-morg_5b08478f99504fa988e521033ee69ac2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Joseph B Whitehead Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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