The Simmons Foundation
The Simmons Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia. In its 2024 filing, it reported 33 grants totaling $515,309 to charitable organizations.
The Simmons Foundation at a glance
In short: The Simmons Foundation gave $515K across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Georgia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $515,309
- +133.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- +57.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,615
- +48.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,500
- Total assets
- $11,194,826
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Georgia (58% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Simmons 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: 1001 Summit Blvd Suite 1150, Atlanta, GA 30319
Phone: (404) 400-4200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Simmons Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was L'arche Atlanta ($75K). Together the top 10 received $397K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 69 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 20% to recipients in Colorado. Recipients in New Mexico and South Carolina each received 4% of grant dollars, and Texas recipients received 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Simmons Foundation gives
- 21% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 212% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 79% 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 (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $165K (2021) to $515K (2024). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $515K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| L'arche Atlanta Decatur, GA | 501(C)(3) Support | $75,000 |
| Atlanta Classical Academy Atlanta, GA | 501(C)(3) Support | $75,000 |
| Pace Academy Atlanta, GA | 501(C)(3) Support | $50,000 |
| Morehouse College Atlanta, GA | 501(C)(3) Support | $50,000 |
| Warner Village Denver, CO | 501(C)(3) Support | $45,000 |
| Theatrical Outfit Atlanta, GA | 501(C)(3) Support | $25,000 |
| Westminster Presbyterian Church Atlanta, GA | 501(C)(3) Support | $22,000 |
| Colorado Hosting Asylum Network Littleton, CO | 501(C)(3) Support | $20,000 |
| Among the Least Pagosa Springs, CO | 501(C)(3) Support | $20,000 |
| Akola Academy Dallas, TX | 501(C)(3) Support | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Simmons 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,194,826 | $786,599 | $663,197 | $515,309 | 33 | $515,309 | $597,840 | $649,600 |
| 2023 | $11,071,424 | $1,705,264 | $500,027 | $220,403 | 21 | $220,403 | $995,473 | $571,746 |
| 2022 | $9,866,187 | $9,031,565 | $181,968 | $174,280 | 8 | $174,280 | $5,112,283 | $2,856 |
| 2021 | $1,017,084 | $91,420 | $173,824 | $165,000 | 3 | $165,000 | $82,596 | $57,770 |
| 2020 | $1,098,994 | $12,449 | $193,821 | $185,000 | 4 | — | $5,808 | $55,925 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Simmons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $650K for 2024 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided in the available information. Its grantees describe a range of activities: Pace Academy says its mission is to create prepared, confident citizens who honor the school’s values; Colorado Hosting Asylum Network says it provides housing and other humanitarian assistance to people seeking asylum; and The Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra says it offers orchestral and choral concerts as well as education and community programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $515,309. Grants ranged from $74 to $75,000, with a median grant of $6,500. Its largest grants included $75,000 each to L’Arche Atlanta and Atlanta Classical Academy, and $50,000 each to Pace Academy and Morehouse College. Warner Village received $45,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists these trustees: G McKittrick Simmons, Gregory Lemos, Kristin Ferguson, Karen Hebert, and Sarah Matthews.
The Simmons Foundation's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
G. McKittrick Simmons
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Lemos
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Hebert
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristin Ferguson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Matthews
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Simmons Foundation
How much does The Simmons Foundation give each year?
The Simmons Foundation gave $515K across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $220K across 21 grants.
What is The Simmons Foundation's typical grant size?
The Simmons Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $6,500, and its average grant was $15,615, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Simmons Foundation give grants?
The Simmons Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (6 grants), Greenville, SC (6 grants), Santa Fe, NM (4 grants) and Denver, CO (2 grants).
Does The Simmons Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on The Simmons Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "501(C)(3) Support" (33 grants).
Who are The Simmons Foundation's largest grantees?
The Simmons Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include L'arche Atlanta ($75,000), Atlanta Classical Academy ($75,000) and Pace Academy ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Simmons Foundation?
The Simmons Foundation reported $11.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $515K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $650K (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 Simmons Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Simmons 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 Simmons Foundation's EIN?
The Simmons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2931165. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Simmons 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Simmons Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-simmons-foundation-morg_6189d74d39874939a8552e97abe3ee24
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_272931165_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Simmons Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-simmons-foundation-morg_6189d74d39874939a8552e97abe3ee24},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Simmons 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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