The Cousins Foundation Inc
The Cousins Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1963, it supports nonprofit organizations through general operating, program, and capital grants, with a geographic focus on Metro Atlanta and other communities important to the family.
Key facts about The Cousins Foundation Inc
In short: The Cousins Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $67K), mostly in Georgia. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 58-6043765
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,335,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $66,750
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 20, 2024)
- Total assets
- $61,144,048
- Primary geography
- Georgia (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The foundation accepts unsolicited requests through a public online Letter of Intent (LOI) process; it also identifies and invites potential partners. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None stated.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.1M
+9.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-27.7% YoY
Grant Count
20
-33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$67K
+8.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cousins Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Cousins Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 20 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 44% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 56% 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 (2020–2024). 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
The foundation’s mission is to tackle big problems and build collaborative relationships in support of holistic approaches that address the root causes of social and economic disparities in the communities it serves. It supports innovative ideas and organizations, including early-stage efforts, and looks for passionate, capable leaders pursuing long-term solutions.
Its stated focus areas are Community Wellness, Educational Opportunities, Economic Empowerment, Housing Security, and Community Arts. The foundation’s application materials also include Holistic Community Revitalization. The listed priorities include access to mental and physical health services, equitable educational opportunities, economic mobility, stable housing, and community arts.
2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Next Generation Men & Women describes its mission as bringing college and career readiness to underserved Atlanta students; Leap Year says it prepares students to reach their academic and leadership potential through college attendance; and COR says it works to disrupt race- and poverty-based inequities. Other 2024 grantees include youthSpark, whose mission includes combating youth trafficking, exploitation, and abuse, and the National Black Arts Festival, which supports and presents art and artists of African descent.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $1,335,000. Awards ranged from $20,000 to $200,000, with a median grant of $50,000. Among the largest grants were $200,000 to Oglethorpe University and $100,000 each to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, COR Inc, Leap Year, Next Generation Men & Women, and PAW Kids. Other grants included $75,000 to youthSpark and $55,000 to the National Black Arts Festival.
Review Cycle
None stated.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Cousins Foundation Inc
Ready to take the next step with The Cousins Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Funding is focused on organizations based in Metro Atlanta, with priority for initiatives serving the Carver cluster attendance zone in South Atlanta, East Lake, and Grove Park. The application materials identify these as Tier 1 areas, Metro Atlanta counties—Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton—as Tier 2, and Georgia statewide or other locations as Tier 3. The foundation also occasionally funds efforts in other communities important to the family. In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 4% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2024) to $3.9M (2020). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ogelthorpe University ($200K). Together the top 10 received $980K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 148 (42%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ogelthorpe University Brookhaven, GA | General Purpose | $200,000 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Cor Inc Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Leap Year Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Next Generation Men & Women Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Paw Kids Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Youthspark Inc Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $75,000 |
| National Black Arts Festival Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $55,000 |
| Agape Youth & Family Center Atlanta, GA | General Purpose | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $61,144,048 | $2,384,411 | $2,276,819 | $1,335,000 | 20 |
| 2023 | $55,760,843 | $2,058,339 | $2,551,414 | $1,845,219 | 30 |
| 2022 | $51,597,750 | $1,678,562 | $2,760,627 | $1,595,250 | 24 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,144,048 | $55,760,843 | $51,597,750 |
| Revenue | $2,384,411 | $2,058,339 | $1,678,562 |
| Expenses | $2,276,819 | $2,551,414 | $2,760,627 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,561,108 | $1,887,692 | $1,730,149 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,762,996 | $1,414,617 | $1,287,033 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,781,835 | $2,537,495 | $2,473,556 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lillian C. Giornelli as president/trustee; William C. Wren, Grady Cousins, Ann D. Cousins, Thomas G. Cousins, and Shirley Franklin as trustees; Tiffany Padolsky as secretary; Dana Jackson as treasurer; and Paula Andrews as vice president.
The Cousins Foundation Inc is led by Lillian C. Giornelli, President & Trustee on every filing since 2020; none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lillian C. Giornelli
President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ann D. Cousins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Grady Cousins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Thomas G. Cousins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
William C. Wren
Trustee
Vice President & Trustee → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Shirley Franklin
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Tiffany Padolsky
Secretary
Assistant Secretary → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Dana Jackson
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Paula Andrews
Vice President
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Katie Long (2023) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Amy Clarke (2020–2022) — Assistant Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Tiffany Padolsky Foundation Office
Mailing address: 830 Glenwood Ave Se Suite 510-205, Atlanta, GA 30316
Phone: (404) 233-4339
Email: tpadolsky@cffdn.org
Website: https://cousinsfoundations.org
Frequently asked questions about The Cousins Foundation Inc
How much does The Cousins Foundation Inc give each year?
The Cousins Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 30 grants.
What is The Cousins Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Cousins Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $66,750, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Cousins Foundation Inc give grants?
The Cousins Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (16 grants).
Does The Cousins Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Cousins Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Cousins Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Cousins Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Ogelthorpe University ($200,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta ($100,000) and Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Cousins Foundation Inc?
The Cousins Foundation Inc reported $61.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.8M (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 The Cousins Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to tackle big problems and build collaborative relationships in support of holistic approaches that address the root causes of social and economic disparities in the communities it serves. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cousins Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests through a public online Letter of Intent (LOI) process; it also identifies and invites potential partners. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cousins Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Cousins Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-6043765. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Cousins Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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.
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