Lonnie L Michael Foundation
The Lonnie L Michael Foundation is a private foundation based in Athens, Georgia. It distributes funds to charitable organizations, with its filing describing support for religious, academic, health care, homeless, and other charitable organizations in the Athens area.
Lonnie L Michael Foundation at a glance
In short: Lonnie L Michael Foundation gave $41K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Georgia. 34% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $41,364
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,379
- -12.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $875
- Total assets
- $1,053,976
- +16.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (10 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (88% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Lonnie L Michael Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1819 S Lumpkin St Apt 5, Athens, GA 30606
Phone: (706) 548-1832
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lonnie L Michael Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was UGA Foundation ($13K). Together the top 10 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 111 grants of 111 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it supports organizations in the Athens, Georgia area. In 2025, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia. The remaining reported shares were Ohio (7%), Illinois (2%), New York (2%), and Pennsylvania (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lonnie L Michael Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 29 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $998; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $563 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 48% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 87% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 $20K (2020) to $42K (2024). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $41K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UGA Foundation Athens, GA | Scholarships for Research | $12,500 |
| The State Botanical Garden of Georg Athens, GA | To Provide Art as Organization Support | $3,314 |
| Mission of Sight Marion, OH | To Provide Support | $3,000 |
| Lawrenceville Central Hispanic SDA Lawrenceville, GA | To Provide Support | $2,500 |
| Athens Academy Athens, GA | To Provide Scholarships | $2,000 |
| TDNR Corporation Atlanta, GA | To Provide Support | $2,000 |
| Thrive Academy Atlanta, GA | To Provide Support | $1,650 |
| Athens Area Humane Society Athens, GA | To Help with Dog and Cat Rescue | $1,500 |
| Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation Athens, GA | Medical Help for Underpriviledged | $1,000 |
| Athens Tech Foundation Inc Athens, GA | Scholarships | $1,000 |
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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 | $1,053,976 | $184,569 | $115,210 | $41,364 | 30 | $41,364 | $184,569 | $43,911 |
| 2024 | $908,502 | $19,225 | $112,882 | $42,312 | 27 | $42,312 | $19,225 | $39,975 |
| 2023 | $772,172 | $-13,528 | $92,888 | $23,469 | 15 | $23,469 | $15,114 | $33,704 |
| 2022 | $723,732 | $11,121 | $79,254 | $22,158 | 23 | $22,158 | $11,121 | $38,482 |
| 2021 | $908,078 | $82,612 | $88,239 | $21,050 | 16 | $21,050 | $82,612 | $41,386 |
| 2020 | $838,782 | $25,713 | $99,217 | $20,450 | 10 | — | $25,713 | $40,274 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lonnie L Michael Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44K 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 states that its charitable distributions are intended to better the lives of people served by organizations in the Athens area. Its 2025 grants included support for scholarships, medical assistance, cancer support, dog and cat rescue, and other organizational purposes.
Among its grantees, Athens Academy describes its mission as seeking excellence with honor through an independent college-preparatory school; Athens Tech Foundation says it partners with Athens Technical College and the community to build the workforce; and The Cancer Foundation says its mission is to alleviate the financial burden of cancer. Mercy Health Center describes providing care to low-income uninsured neighbors in the Athens area, while Project Chimps says it provides lifetime care for former research chimpanzees.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $41,364. Grants ranged from $75 to $12,500, with a median grant of $875. The largest grant was $12,500 to UGA Foundation for scholarships for research. Other notable grants included $3,314 to The State Botanical Garden of Georgia for art as organizational support; $3,000 to Mission of Sight for support; and $2,500 to Lawrenceville Central Hispanic SDA for support.
Other 2025 recipients included Athens Academy ($2,000 for scholarships), Athens Area Humane Society ($1,500 for dog and cat rescue), and Athens Tech Foundation, Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation, and The Cancer Foundation ($1,000 each). Additional grants included $750 to Mercy Health Center and $500 each to Extra Special People, Eagle Ranch, and Project Chimps.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists three trustees: Jennifer T Fitzgerald, Michael K Fitzgerald Jr, and Catherine D Fitzgerald.
Lonnie L Michael Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine D. Fitzgerald
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$33K (2020) → $28K (2025)
Michael K. Fitzgerald Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$33K (2020) → $29K (2025)
Jennifer T. Fitzgerald
Trustee
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $29K, to Michael K Fitzgerald Jr (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Lonnie L Michael Foundation
How much does Lonnie L Michael Foundation give each year?
Lonnie L Michael Foundation gave $41K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $42K across 27 grants.
What is Lonnie L Michael Foundation's typical grant size?
Lonnie L Michael Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $875, and its average grant was $1,379, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lonnie L Michael Foundation that year got $998 on average.
Where does Lonnie L Michael Foundation give grants?
Lonnie L Michael Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Athens, GA (13 grants) and Atlanta, GA (5 grants).
Does Lonnie L Michael Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Lonnie L Michael Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Provide Support" (14 grants).
Who are Lonnie L Michael Foundation's largest grantees?
Lonnie L Michael Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include UGA Foundation ($12,500), The State Botanical Garden of Georg ($3,314) and Mission of Sight ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lonnie L Michael Foundation?
Lonnie L Michael Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $41K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $44K (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 Lonnie L Michael Foundation fund?
The foundation states that its charitable distributions are intended to better the lives of people served by organizations in the Athens area. Its 2025 grants included support for scholarships, medical assistance, cancer support, dog and cat rescue, and other organizational purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lonnie L Michael Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lonnie L Michael Foundation's EIN?
Lonnie L Michael Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6005600. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Lonnie L Michael Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
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