The Zeist Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker Atlanta, GA EIN: 58-1890927 Website

The Zeist Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in 1989 in Georgia and headquartered in Atlanta. The foundation embraces a holistic approach to addressing the needs of underserved children through direct grantmaking and place-based philanthropic activities. The foundation is recognized for its innovative community-focused work and collaborative partnerships with nonprofit organizations across Georgia.

Key facts about The Zeist Foundation Inc

EIN: 58-1890927
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $15,637,668
Grants made (2024): 89
Average grant: $175,704
Median grant: $75,000
New grantees (estimate): 21% first-time grantees (19 of 89, 2024)
Total assets: $268,216,908
Primary geography: Georgia (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply: Grant applications are accepted through an invitation-only process. Full details ↓

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.

Who The Zeist Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Zeist Foundation Inc's 89 itemized 2024 grants were Georgia (99%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (75 grants), Sandy Springs, GA (2 grants) and Duluth, GA (2 grants). None of its 89 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Health & Human Services" (35 grants), "Education" (28 grants) and "Arts & Culture" (21 grants).

Is The Zeist Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

21%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 19 of 89 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $126K; repeat grants $189K. How we count

Medians: $100K first-time, $75K repeat.

55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving grew 53% from 2021 to 2024. Method
In 2024 it paid out 142% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with The Zeist Foundation Inc

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$268.2M

+6.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$15.6M

+0.3% YoY

Grant Count

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$176K

+0.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Zeist Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports nonprofits working in the following areas:

Education
Human Services
Arts and Culture
Health and Human Services

The foundation's approach emphasizes serving children, youth, and families with a particular commitment to underserved populations.

Grantmaking

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds primarily in Georgia and North Carolina, with particular emphasis on:

Edgewood neighborhood of Atlanta — the foundation's primary place-based philanthropy focus
Atlanta Public Schools Maynard Jackson High School cluster
Statewide Georgia funding through traditional grantmaking

Grant Distribution by State

Georgia $15.5M (99%)

North Carolina $100K (1%)

Share of all 89 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

District of Columbia Georgia North Carolina Texas

Cities

AtlantaDuluthDurhamChambleeSandy SpringsFayettevilleMariettaSt Simons IslandDecaturEast PointPeachtree CornersRoswellWashingtonAthensAugustaCarrolltonClarkstonColumbusEllenwoodGainesville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $252,415,307
Total Revenue: $7,884,497
Total Expenses: $22,052,600
Total Giving: $15,637,668

Staff: 4 employees (as of 2023), with one staff member dedicated full-time to place-based philanthropic activities in the Edgewood community.

Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since May 1990 EIN: 58-1890927

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$268,216,908	$252,415,307	$246,685,997
Revenue	$23,557,701	$7,884,497	$11,964,064
Expenses	$21,572,703	$22,052,600	$18,399,880
Qualifying Distributions	$17,752,436	$17,632,385	$13,280,633
Net Investment Income	$19,960,880	$3,607,344	$7,024,004
Distributable Amount	$12,507,811	$12,205,449	$14,075,935

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 1, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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

479 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Emory University ($1,550,000), Whitefoord Inc ($1,525,000), Wylde Center the ($1,230,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
EMORY UNIVERSITY Atlanta, GA	HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES	$1,550,000
WHITEFOORD INC Atlanta, GA	EDUCATION	$1,525,000
WYLDE CENTER THE Atlanta, GA	COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT	$1,230,000
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR GREATER ATLANTA Atlanta, GA	COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT	$1,021,000
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Atlanta, GA	ARTS & CULTURE	$725,000
FERNBANK MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY THE Atlanta, GA	EDUCATION	$600,000
HIGH MUSEUM OF ART Atlanta, GA	ARTS & CULTURE	$600,000
ATLANTA BRAVES FOUNDATION Atlanta, GA	HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES	$500,000
CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA Atlanta, GA	HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES	$500,000
RONALD MC DONALD HOUSE CHARITIES Atlanta, GA	HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES	$500,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Co-Founders:

Dr. George Brumley
Mrs. Jean Brumley

The Board of Directors is actively involved in the grantmaking process, including site visits, proposal reviews, and grant award notifications.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Nancy J Brumley-Robitaille	Co-President/Director	16	$37,916
Marie B Foster	Co-President/Director	16	$37,917
R Brad Foster	Director	8	$35,000
M Harrison Hackett	Director	13	$19,583
R Nicholas Foster	Director	13	$19,583
Eileen Higgins	Assistant Treasurer	13	—
Atiba Mbiwan	Executive Director	40	$280,000
Danielle Gray	Associate Director	40	$165,000

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has made significant recent grants supporting arts education and mental health services:

High Museum of Art Awarded Grant From The Zeist Foundation to Support Education

**High Museum of Art** received a $1.45 million grant to support the Education Department

Zepf Center Receives $100,000 Grant to Support FIRST Episode Psychosis Services

**ArtsNOW** received a $100,000 grant to bring arts integration programming to metro Atlanta

ArtsNOW Receives $100,000 Grant from The Zeist Foundation to Bring Arts Integration

**Zepf Center** received a $100,000 grant to support FIRST Episode Psychosis Services

ArtsNOW Receives $100,000 Grant from The Zeist Foundation to Bring Arts Integration

Contact Information

Website: zeistfoundation.org
Address: 3715 Northside Pkwy NW Bldg 300-195, Atlanta, GA 30327-2873
Telephone: 404-949-3160

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Zeist Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation supports nonprofits working in the following areas: • **Education** • **Human Services** • **Arts and Culture** • **Health and Human Services** The foundation's approach emphasizes serving children, youth, and families with a particular commitment to underserved populations.

How do I apply for a grant from The Zeist Foundation Inc?

Grant applications are accepted through an invitation-only process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does The Zeist Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation funds primarily in Georgia and North Carolina, with particular emphasis on: • **Edgewood neighborhood of Atlanta** — the foundation's primary place-based philanthropy focus • **Atlanta Public Schools Maynard Jackson High School cluster** • Statewide Georgia funding through traditional grantmaking

What size grants does The Zeist Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Zeist Foundation Inc awarded 89 grants totaling $15.6M — an average of about $176K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Zeist Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Zeist Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.