Author Archives: Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Ever wonder why homeownership seems increasingly unattainable in metro Atlanta? Once reason is that over the past five years in Georgia, home sales prices have increased by 57% while wages have only grown by 17%. Natallie Keiser, executive director of HouseATL, discusses other reasons for the homeownership gap and the policy actions that could help […]

By Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Matthew Todd, program associate, Housing Funds for the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, recently spoke with Jennifer Rentenbach, senior attorney at the Atlanta Legal Aid Society’s Home Defense Program, about the organization’s critical work in housing advocacy, the challenges homeowners experience and the resources available to protect and empower them in […]

By Kaela Hammond and Lauren Thomas Priest, program officers, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta The racial wealth gap in Atlanta is staggering. For every $1 of wealth the average Black family in Atlanta holds, the average white family in Atlanta holds $46. As a result:  Wealth determines many factors in our lives—where we can afford […]

By Quameiha Raymond-Ducheine, storytelling associate As graduation season approaches, 55 newly selected 5 Strong Scholars eagerly await their first semester. The auditorium at Atlanta Metropolitan College is brimming with excitement as scholars gather for their monthly college preparation session. These sessions equip students with the tools needed to excel in higher education.  The primary mission […]

By Anthony Wilson, II, executive director, Equity in Education “For some kids, school is the only thing that they have.” Kellye Britton, a friend and former Equity in Education Fellow, made this point recently, and I had to really let that sink in.  If school is the only thing some kids have, then what happens […]

By Atlanta Habitat for Humanity staff In the bustling urban landscape of Atlanta, homeownership represents more than just a place to live – it signifies stability, investment, and a pathway to building intergenerational wealth. However, behind the city’s gleaming skyline lies a stark reality: Black homeowners are disproportionately displaced from their homes and are less […]

By Kelli Stewart, co-founder, L.E.A.D. Center for Youth If you’re born into poverty in Atlanta, you have a 4% chance of breaking free. My husband CJ is part of that tiny percentage of people who were able to break the cycle of poverty. Now, as the Chief Visionary Officer of our nonprofit organization, L.E.A.D. Center […]

By Nailah Jones, communications associate, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta The “American Dream” passed down from generation to generation has always included the house with the white picket fence. But that dream remains a fantasy for most. And even with a college education that is supposed to be a pathway to a better life, adults […]

By Erica Stephens, executive director, Nana Grants The post-COVID, remote-work narrative has largely focused on why employees want to work from home without looking at systemic inequities and issues driving the desire for remote work: childcare, transportation, financial pressure and undesirable work environments. Several major companies including Dell, Boeing and UPS have announced return-to-work mandates […]

By Community Foundation Staff In 2023, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s GoATL Economic Inclusion Fund, in partnership with other mission-aligned lenders in Georgia, launched GoGeorgia Capital. GoGeorgia Capital gives small business owners access to multiple loan programs to fund their growth. Applicants can access loans for working capital, facility expansion, and more. Making Magnolias is […]

By Charles Phaneuf, vice president Strategy, South Arts Earlier this month, my colleagues and I were thrilled to attend the first in-person Georgia Arts Day since 2019! The two-day event was hosted by Georgians for the Arts, with the first day focused on peer-to-peer networking and learning at the Center for Puppetry Arts while the […]

By Waduda Muhammad, executive director, Georgians for the Arts I cannot express the sheer gratitude, fulfillment and joy that I felt and received in making this event come to fruition and for it to be such a success. It has been a very long past three years as Georgians for the Arts strived to recover […]

By Kristin Allin, Chelsea Arkin and Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown, co-chairs, HouseATL Policy Working Group Progress is made when people take the initiative to fix broken systems by working together. HouseATL is a coalition of 385 civic leaders from business, finance, foundations, government, grassroots organizations, healthcare, and law committed to addressing the growing housing crisis in […]

By Ian Connell, program coordinator, The Horizon Forum Atlanta is setting a precedent of collaboration among nonprofit leaders, donors and community foundations to build institutional strength in the Muslim philanthropic community and grow its integration into the world of philanthropy at large. In a remarkable display of unity and commitment, a collective of over 20 […]

As your go-to partner for philanthropic planning, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is here to help you match your client’s goals with the right charitable fund to fulfill their ambitions. At first, the options can feel overwhelming, but each fund type is designed to do something different.  Here’s a quick primer on a few […]

By Dominque Feloss, program associate, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Postsecondary education- including certifications, 2-year degrees, 4-year degrees, and graduate degrees- are still impactful ways to achieve economic mobility. An associate degree adds about $7,300 to a high school graduate’s annual income, while earning a bachelor’s degree adds $26,000 annually (Asset Funders). However, as the […]

By Jovan Paige, program officer Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta From coast to coast, there is an undeniable surge of interest and participation in democracy, signifying a fresh wave of accountability and empowerment. This trend is particularly pronounced in metropolitan hubs like Atlanta, where our community has a rich history of active civic engagement. In […]

In October 2022, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and a collaborative of nearly 50 partners worked with Wells Fargo on the Wealth Opportunity Realized Through Homeownership (WORTH) initiative. The group had one, singular goal: to build or preserve 6,000 homes for families of color by 2026. Just one year after that announcement, initial results […]

Located in southwest Atlanta, Historic Thomasville is a strong and tight-knit community. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has collaborated with residents for years. In 2022, conditions at the Forest Cove apartments reached crisis level. The Community Foundation partnered with the City of Atlanta and other organizations in a $9+ million effort to relocate roughly […]

By Erica Stephens, Founder & Executive Director, Nana Grants, Inc. The United States marched off a child care cliff last week. How else can I describe our relentless move toward this inevitable outcome? This manufactured crisis is the result of expiring pandemic emergency relief funds that had helped thousands of child care centers pay their […]