North Georgia Community Foundation
The North Georgia Community Foundation (NGCF) is a public charity based in Gainesville, Georgia, established in 1985. It supports charitable giving and nonprofit organizations in North Georgia through grants and scholarships, and provides nonprofits with professional development and educational opportunities.
Key facts about North Georgia Community Foundation
In short: North Georgia Community Foundation gave $11.9M across 245 grants in 2025 (avg $49K), mostly in Georgia. 35% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 58-1610318
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,892,507
- Grants made (2025)
- 245
- Average grant
- $48,541
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (85 of 244, 2025)
- Total assets
- $182,111,364
- Primary geography
- Georgia (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Deadline
- The separate Community Impact Grant listing gives a May 31, 2026 deadline; that date has passed.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$182.1M
+44.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.9M
-40.7% YoY
Grant Count
245
+15.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$49K
-48.4% YoY
Is North Georgia Community Foundation open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 85 of 244 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $65K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
NGCF’s mission is to help people and nonprofits invest generously in the lives of those who call its community home. Its Community Grant Program supports organizations and programs intended to improve quality of life in North Georgia.
The 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, human services, animal welfare, health, environmental work, arts and culture, and religion. These are represented among grantees such as Brenau University, whose stated mission emphasizes students’ personal and professional fulfillment; Eagle Ranch, which says it works to renew relationships for children and families; and Elachee Nature Science Center, whose mission is to promote environmental understanding through education and conservation. Other recipients include Good News Clinics, which says it provides free medical care to people in Hall County who cannot afford it, and Corner Farms Forsyth, which says it works with teens facing challenges.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NGCF reported 245 grants totaling $11,892,507. Grant amounts ranged from $5,119 to $1,355,337, with a median of $15,000. Separately, the foundation’s filing says it awarded more than $13 million in grants and scholarships during the year.
Review Cycle
** The separate Community Impact Grant listing gives a May 31, 2026 deadline; that date has passed.
Open Grants
22 open opportunities from North Georgia Community Foundation
Audrey Davenport Scholarship Grant
North Georgia Community Foundation
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Chantal and Tommy Bagwell Family Scholarship Grant
North Georgia Community Foundation
Amount
US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Charles Black Construction Company, Inc. Scholarship Grant
North Georgia Community Foundation
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with North Georgia Community Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NGCF is based in Gainesville and describes its work as serving North Georgia. Its Community Grant Program eligibility page lists Banks, Barrow, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Pickens, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties. In filing year 2025, 95% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 245 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
960 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA Gainesville, GA | ANIMAL WELFARE | $1,355,337 |
| BRENAU UNIVERSITY Gainesville, GA | EDUCATION | $621,086 |
| EAGLE RANCH Chestnut Mountain, GA | HUMAN SERVICES | $611,883 |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - NORTHEAST G Jefferson, GA | EDUCATION | $540,947 |
| ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN Gainesville, GA | ENVIRONMENTAL | $393,068 |
| NORTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM FOU Gainesville, GA | HEALTH | $383,058 |
| NORTHEAST GEORGIA HISTORY CENTER Gainesville, GA | ARTS & CULTURE | $353,224 |
| GAINESVILLE FIRST UNITED METHODIST Gainesville, GA | RELIGION | $342,699 |
| THE HAMBIDGE CENTER FOR THE CREATIV Rabun Gap, GA | ARTS & CULTURE | $244,649 |
| ELACHEE NATURE SCIENCE CENTER INC Gainesville, GA | ENVIRONMENTAL | $217,789 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s website reported $181.8 million in assets as of November 30, 2025. Filing-year financial figures are:
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $182,111,364 | $63,239,090 | $16,602,167 | $11,892,507 |
| 2024 | $126,048,419 | $25,767,110 | $24,140,383 | $20,038,898 |
| 2023 | $122,001,601 | $20,384,753 | $15,654,092 | $12,121,375 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $182,111,364 | $126,048,419 | $122,001,601 |
| Revenue | $63,239,090 | $25,767,110 | $20,384,753 |
| Expenses | $16,602,167 | $24,140,383 | $15,654,092 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $9,331,930 | $10,601,017 | $5,240,695 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michelle Prater as President-CE, Lisa Warwick as Senior VP FI, Megan Evans as VP Communica, and Margaux Dolenc as VP Nonprofit. It also lists Andy Bangs, Scott Barloga, Mark Bell, Chad Black, Jeff Cohen, and Carole Ann Daniel as board members.
North Georgia Community Foundation is led by Michelle Prater, President-Ce since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 4 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michelle Prater
President-Ce
President - → President-Ce, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$158K (2020) → $259K (2025)
Randall Frost
Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lisa Warwick
Senior Vice President Fi
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$135K (2024) → $157K (2025)
Megan Evans
Vice President Communications
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$109K (2024) → $121K (2025)
Margaux Dolenc
Vice President Nonprofit
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$107K (2025)
Brian Steines
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Chad Black
Board Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kristi Griffin
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mary Helen McGruder
Board Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Christina Jones
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Steve Mickens
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Tom Johnston
Board Member
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Don Grimsley
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
John Vardeman
Board Member
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Tate O'Rouke
Board Member
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Jason Voyles
Board Member
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Mark Bell
Board Member
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Andy Bangs
Board Member
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Carole Ann Daniel
Board Member
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Jeff Cohen
Board Member
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Martha Spence
Board Member
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Scott Barloga
Board Member
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Trey Wood
Board Member
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Hart Payne
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
James McCoy
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Kelly Miles
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Rachel Marshall
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Steven Smith
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Brian Horton (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Linda Hardie (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Hart Wilheit (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Robert Shippey (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Tracy Moon (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Charlie Fiveash (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Cooper (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Ann Nixon (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Blair Diaz (2020–2023) — Chair
- Former: Brian Whalen (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Gowan (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Tammy Caudell (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Lydia Sartain (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Cal Johnson (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Linda Foster (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Brian Tam (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Natalie Teston (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Phill Bettis (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Rob Fowler (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Bob Prim (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Greg Rhodes (2020) — Board Member
- Former: John Jay Jacobs (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Lance Carpenter (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Phillippa Lewis Moss (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Rusty Hopkins (2020) — Treasurer
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
Contact
Mailing address: 340 Jesse Jewell Pkwy Se, Gainesville, GA 30501
Phone: (770) 535-7880
Website: https://ngcf.org
Frequently asked questions about North Georgia Community Foundation
How much does North Georgia Community Foundation give each year?
North Georgia Community Foundation gave $11.9M across 245 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $20.0M across 213 grants.
What is North Georgia Community Foundation's typical grant size?
North Georgia Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $48,541, across 245 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from North Georgia Community Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does North Georgia Community Foundation give grants?
North Georgia Community Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Gainesville, GA (63 grants), Cumming, GA (33 grants), Atlanta, GA (23 grants) and Athens, GA (7 grants).
Does North Georgia Community Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 245 grants with a stated purpose on North Georgia Community Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (82 grants), "Human Services" (72 grants) and "Religion" (36 grants).
Who are North Georgia Community Foundation's largest grantees?
North Georgia Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Humane Society of Northeast Georgia ($1,355,337), Brenau University ($621,086) and Eagle Ranch ($611,883), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is North Georgia Community Foundation?
North Georgia Community Foundation reported $182.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $63.2M.
What does North Georgia Community Foundation fund?
NGCF’s mission is to help people and nonprofits invest generously in the lives of those who call its community home. Its Community Grant Program supports organizations and programs intended to improve quality of life in North Georgia. The 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including education, human services, animal welfare, health, environmental work, arts and culture, and religion. These are represented among grantees such as Brenau University, whose stated mission em…
How do I apply for a grant from North Georgia Community Foundation?
In filing year 2025, NGCF reported 245 grants totaling $11,892,507. Grant amounts ranged from $5,119 to $1,355,337, with a median of $15,000. Separately, the foundation’s filing says it awarded more than $13 million in grants and scholarships during the year. Among the largest reported grants were $1,355,337 to the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia for animal welfare; $621,086 to Brenau University for education; $611,883 to Eagle Ranch for human services; $540,947 to Boy Scouts of America–Nor…
What is North Georgia Community Foundation's EIN?
North Georgia Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1610318. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching North Georgia Community Foundation by hand.
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