Whitehead Foundation Grants Program

Whitehead Foundation Grants Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Joseph B Whitehead Foundation
Last Updated: December 22, 2025

Summary

The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation supports various initiatives in metro Atlanta, focusing on early childhood education, K-12 education, human services, health, and youth development. The foundation seeks to enhance educational opportunities and improve quality of life for vulnerable populations. Through collaborations with established organizations, it aims to address community needs and invest in proven solutions that empower children and families, ultimately fostering economic opportunities and health improvements in the region.

Overview

The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation is an independent private foundation that seeks to help people in need in metro Atlanta, particularly children, by investing in education, health and economic opportunity. Our Approach We pursure our mission by responding to community needs, typically making grants to organizations with strong leadership and a broad base of support. The Foundation seeks to help organizations with the proven ability to meet ongoing needs stretch further than they could otherwise. Generally, the Foundation prefers not to be the principal funder for a project, but to participate with the community in supporting initiatives led by others. The Foundation will occasionally make leading grants when the need is great and the initiative is compelling. Program Areas The Foundation makes grant to qualified nonprofit organizations. Grants are typically awarded for capital needs, programs or other initiatives of well-established charitable organizations in the following program areas: Early Childhood Education The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation believes that quality early childhood education helps lay the foundation for children’s future success. It primarily invests in early learning through Smart Start at the United Way of Greater Atlanta, which works to improve the quality of care and education for all children ages birth through five. The Foundation’s investments in early childhood education make up a significant part of our average grants portfolio (see graph). The Foundation provides annual support to Smart Start and occasionally considers grants to other organizations working to improve early childhood education in metro Atlanta. Priorities United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Smart Start initiative, with a focus on school readiness, professional development for teachers and quality improvements to childcare centers; Implementation of the state’s Quality Rated system ;Initiatives focused on early language and literacy to ensure children are reading on grade level by third grade.What We Fund Initiatives to expand access to early childhood education; Initiatives to improve the quality of early childhood education. K-12 Education The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation seeks to improve K-12 education at the state level and within Atlanta Public Schools. The Foundation believes that education is key to creating opportunity and ending generational poverty for children in our community. The Foundation’s investments in K-12 education make up a significant part of our average grants portfolio (see graph). The Foundation supports organizations working to positively impact the academic success of students and to close the achievement gap. Priorities Systemic improvements to public K-12 education in Georgia;Initiatives to improve K-12 education within Atlanta Public Schools;Strategies to help Atlanta Public Schools students graduate and successfully pursue and complete post-secondary education.What We FundInitiatives to improve educational standards, teacher quality and school leadership development;Initiatives focused on persistence to graduation and college access and completion; Initiatives to educate at-risk children;Charter schools in metro Atlanta with broad private support, high academic standards and a track record of success; Special education schools in Metro Atlanta . Children & Youth The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation maintains a special focus on helping children and youth in need in Metro Atlanta. The Foundation works to strengthen child welfare in Georgia and to support the development of Atlanta’s youth into healthy, responsible and productive citizens. The Foundation’s investments in children and youth make up a significant part of our average grants portfolio (see graph). We work with the State of Georgia to address challenges in child welfare, and we support the capital and capacity-building needs of youth development organizations in metro Atlanta. Priorities Improvements in child welfare at the state level, with an emphasis on prevention and intervention strategies Youth development and academic enrichment programs for underserved youth in metro Atlanta that operate at scale with strong outcomes, community support and school- or district-level partnerships Capital or capacity-building needs of organizations providing residential or therapeutic care in metro AtlantaWhat We Fund Residential and/or therapeutic care for children and youth; Youth development organizations. Human Services The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation supports well-established human services organizations that work to improve the quality of life for people in need in Metro Atlanta. The Foundation seeks to fund proven solutions to meet the needs of the region’s most vulnerable populations. The Foundation’s investments in human services make up a significant part of our average grants portfolio (see graph). We support the capital and capacity-building needs of well-established, Atlanta-based human service organizations serving homeless and low-income individuals. Priorities Initiatives of the United Way of Greater Atlanta’s Regional Commission on Homelessness to reduce homelessness in Metro Atlanta;Programs providing job training and employment services.What We Fund Adult and family services, including assistance with basic needs; Supportive and transitional housing;Services for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and disabled. Health The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation seeks to strengthen the health safety net in Metro Atlanta. We place particular emphasis on improving health outcomes for children. The Foundation’s investments in health make up a significant part of our average grants portfolio (see graph). We typically make grants for capital projects or to build the capacity of Atlanta-based health organizations that effectively serve low-income families and underserved populations. Priorities Access to affordable healthcare for underserved populations in Atlanta;Improved health outcomes for Atlanta’s children.What We Fund Health outreach and services to populations in need;Health education, screening and prevention;Senior health services.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Your organization may be eligible for a grant if it:Is a 501(c)(3) public charity.Is located or operating in metro Atlanta, as defined by the United Way of Greater Atlanta to include Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties.Has paid full-time staff and an annual operating budget above $500,000.Aligns with the Foundation’s program interests in Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education, Children & Youth, Human Services or Health.

Ineligibility

Organizations outside the 13-county metro area specified under Eligibility will not be considered.What We Do Not Fund Organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status Organizations without a presence in metro Atlanta Churches or their denominational programs Conferences Debt relief Endowments Festivals, performances or exhibits Films or documentaries Fundraising events Individuals Individual public schools Individual research products Loans Political campaigns or lobbying activities Professional associations Private schools Sponsorships or special events Startup organizations or seed fundingAdditional Restrictions Specifically for:Early Childhood Education:  Individual early childhood education programs.K-12 EducationIndividual public schools or school programs.HealthAnnual operating support.The Foundation does not typically provide annual operating support. We prefer to make one-time grants to help organizations with a proven track record of success stretch further to seize new opportunities or to meet one-time extraordinary needs.The Foundation prefers not to fund staff positions, administrative expenses, ongoing program support or programs that re-grant funds.Foundation does not provide startup or seed funding for new organizations or to launch an affiliate of a national organization.