The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia. Its 2025 filing reports 29 grants totaling $1,892,000 to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Georgia.
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation at a glance
In short: The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation gave $1.9M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $65K), mostly in Georgia. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,892,000
- +70.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +31.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $65,241
- +29.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $4,718,836
- -14.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (9 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (93% 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 The Jim and Billie Ellis 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: 5855 Peachtree Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30341
Phone: (770) 458-6811
Website: https://jimellis.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wellspring Living ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 116 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia, 6% to North Carolina, and 1% to Missouri. Florida accounted for 0% of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 29 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $63K; repeat grants $66K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 106% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 806% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $918K (2022) to $1.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wellspring Living Atlanta, GA | General | $300,000 |
| My Brother's Keeper Doraville, GA | General | $225,000 |
| Atlanta Mission Atlanta, GA | General | $150,000 |
| Ga Fire Fighters Atlanta, GA | General | $127,000 |
| Eagle Ranch Florery Branch, GA | General | $125,000 |
| Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, GA | General | $100,000 |
| North Gwinnett Co-Op Buford, GA | Generalgeneral | $100,000 |
| Salvation Army Norcross, GA | General | $100,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Ministries Boone, NC | General | $100,000 |
| Home Repairs Ministries Duluth, GA | General | $75,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation?
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 | $4,718,836 | $1,081,256 | $1,895,100 | $1,892,000 | 29 | $1,893,000 | $79,156 | $234,815 |
| 2024 | $5,532,680 | $1,000,226 | $1,114,582 | $1,112,400 | 22 | $1,113,400 | — | $280,939 |
| 2023 | $5,647,720 | $1,092,644 | $1,224,516 | $1,212,731 | 18 | $1,213,582 | $129,771 | $281,075 |
| 2022 | $5,778,908 | $1,001,744 | $931,744 | $917,500 | 23 | $918,200 | $79,683 | $290,789 |
| 2021 | $5,708,908 | $1,075,035 | $1,016,268 | $1,000,000 | 24 | — | $79,601 | $287,220 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $235K 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
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Wellspring Living describes its mission as transforming the lives of people at risk of or victimized by sexual exploitation. Eagle Ranch says it works to restore and renew relationships for children and families, while Home Repairs Ministries engages volunteers in repairs and maintenance for homeowners in distress. Community Friendship describes its work as providing assistance and a supportive community for people whose mental illnesses affect their participation in community life, employment, and relationships.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $1,892,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $300,000, with a median grant of $50,000. The largest awards included $300,000 to Wellspring Living, $225,000 to My Brother’s Keeper, $150,000 to Atlanta Mission, $127,000 to GA Fire Fighters, and $125,000 to Eagle Ranch. Other reported awards included $100,000 each to Emory University School of Medicine, North Gwinnett Co-op, Salvation Army, and Samaritan’s Purse Ministries.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brooke E. Gatlin as trustee and secretary/treasurer, Karen E. Black as trustee and vice president, and Kristi E. Cohron as trustee and president.
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation is led by Kristi E. Cohron, Trustee & President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kristi E. Cohron
Trustee & President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Brooke E. Gatlin
Trustee, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Karen E. Black
Trustee & Vice President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Billie S. Ellis (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: James W. Ellis Jr. (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: James E. Ellis (2021–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation
How much does The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation give each year?
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation gave $1.9M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 22 grants.
What is The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's typical grant size?
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $65,241, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation that year got $63K on average.
Where does The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation give grants?
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (10 grants) and Duluth, GA (2 grants).
Does The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 90% of The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Generalgeneral" (3 grants).
Who are The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's largest grantees?
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wellspring Living ($300,000), My Brother's Keeper ($225,000) and Atlanta Mission ($150,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation?
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $235K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation fund?
No separate mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Wellspring Living describes its mission as transforming the lives of people at risk of or victimized by sexual exploitation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Jim and Billie Ellis 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 The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's EIN?
The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2500810. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-jim-and-billie-ellis-foundation-morg_d8cdbacab4bc437b8227deb4cb4e9c68
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_582500810_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-jim-and-billie-ellis-foundation-morg_d8cdbacab4bc437b8227deb4cb4e9c68},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 The Jim and Billie Ellis 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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