The Martha And Wilton Looney
The Martha And Wilton Looney Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia, established in 1993. The foundation provides financial assistance to exempt organizations through grants and philanthropic support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.1M
-2.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+6.0% YoY
Grant Count
28
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$69K
-9.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Martha And Wilton Looney reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Health
- Social services
- Community development
- Children and youth
- Arts and culture
- Science and research
The foundation supports both general operating support and project-specific funding for nonprofit organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains tight relationships with established partners. New applicants rarely succeed without existing connections, as 0% of recent recipients were new grantees.
Grant Range
$20,000 to $50,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation demonstrates highly concentrated geographic giving:
- 82% of all grants are awarded in Georgia
- Within Georgia, funding concentrates in Atlanta (79%), with smaller allocations to Decatur (4%) and Milton (4%)
- Additional grants have been made in South Carolina, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $19,147,182
- Total revenues: $1,572,201
- Total expenses: $1,962,172
- Total grants, contributions: $503,500
Historical Assets:
- Total assets across all years: $34,366,936
Funding Trajectory: The foundation has demonstrated strong growth, with a 403% increase in annual giving over a seven-year period, indicating expanding philanthropic capacity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,147,182 | $19,537,153 | $19,255,938 |
| Revenue | $1,572,201 | $2,123,359 | $1,586,128 |
| Expenses | $1,962,172 | $1,842,194 | $1,575,555 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,936,156 | $1,826,351 | $1,561,258 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,066,249 | $1,321,125 | $931,331 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,729,137 | $1,878,527 | $1,826,199 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
167 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Emory University ($300,000), Lovett School ($200,000), The Museum Of Contemporary Art Of G ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Canine Assistants Milton, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance ForExempt Activities | $60,000 |
| Visiting Nurse Health System Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $10,000 |
| Camp Sunshine Decatur, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $50,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $50,000 |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $300,000 |
| Childrens Healthcare Of Atl Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $100,000 |
| Westminister Schools Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $25,000 |
| Atlanta Botanical Garden Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $25,000 |
| Georgia Eye Bank Inc Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $50,000 |
| Good Samaritan Health Ctr Atlanta, GA | To Provide Financial Assistance For Exempt Activities | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Wilton D. Looney is listed as the primary contact for the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvia L Dick | Chairman | — | — |
| Amy D Hurst | Trustee | — | — |
| Bruce L Dick | Secretary/Treas | — | — |
| Laura D Moses | Trustee | — | — |
| Allison D Blaisdell | Trustee | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
A Looney Family Endowed Professor position in Cancer Research was established at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute
Gillespie named the first Looney Family Endowed Professor in Cancer ResearchWilton D. Looney made a $2 million gift to establish the Wilton D. Looney Directorship at Emory's Carlyle Fraser Heart Center
Gillespie named the first Looney Family Endowed Professor in Cancer ResearchWilton Looney contributed $1 million to Children's Healthcare for a pediatrics center
Column: Wilton Looney gives Children\u2019s Healthcare $1 million for pediatrics\The Southern Education Foundation awards the Ginny Looney award to young leaders from Georgia and North Carolina
Young leaders from GA, NC receive SEF Ginny Looney award - Southern EducationFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Martha And Wilton Looney fund?
The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Education • Health • Social services • Community development • Children and youth • Arts and culture • Science and research The foundation supports both general operating support and project-specific funding for nonprofit organizations.
How do I apply for a grant from The Martha And Wilton Looney?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $350,000 • Median grant size: $20,000 to $50,000 • Recent annual giving: $1,935,000 (2024) • Total historical giving: $10,010,500 across 293 grants **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • 24 grants awarded in the most recent tax year • Notable recent grants include: • Emory University: $300,000 • The Lovett School: $200,000 • Shepherd Center Foundation: $100,000 **Applicant Profile:** The foundation maintains tight relationships…
Where does The Martha And Wilton Looney make grants?
The foundation demonstrates highly concentrated geographic giving: • 82% of all grants are awarded in Georgia • Within Georgia, funding concentrates in Atlanta (79%), with smaller allocations to Decatur (4%) and Milton (4%) • Additional grants have been made in South Carolina, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia
What size grants does The Martha And Wilton Looney award?
In 2024, The Martha And Wilton Looney awarded 28 grants totaling $1.9M — an average of about $69K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Martha And Wilton Looney required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Martha And Wilton Looney reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Martha And Wilton Looney's EIN?
The Martha And Wilton Looney's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2022885. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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