The Magnus Foundation concentrates on local, community-focused philanthropy in and around Gainesville, GA, favoring faith-based private education and direct-service nonprofits. Recent giving shows strong support for a local Christian academy and a pregnancy care center, alongside investments in regional civic life through university athletics and the Junior League. Grants are sizable and targeted rather than highly diversified, indicating a preference for a small number of meaningful gifts to organizations that strengthen faith, family services, and community institutions.
A $55,000 grant to Lanier Christian Academy anchors the James D and Diane S Magnus Foundation’s recent record and signals a clear preference for local, targeted support. The foundation gives mainly in Georgia, with most grants landing in the state and many centered on Gainesville and nearby communities. Its recent awards show a mix of private Christian schooling, pregnancy care, homeless services, youth development, university athletics, and small civic or faith-based organizations. The foundation’s largest recent gifts are not spread across a wide national portfolio; instead, they concentrate on a compact set of institutions that serve the same region. Alongside Lanier Christian Academy, the group has funded Choices Pregnancy Care Center in Gainesville, the University of Georgia Athletic Association, and the Junior League of Gainesville. Those awards point to a donor profile that favors direct support for organizations with visible local or regional roles, including education, family services, and community life. The pattern is consistent with a community foundation style of giving: practical, relationship-centered grants to frontline providers and local institutions rather than large-scale, multi-state initiatives.
Private Christian education is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s recent grants. It gave $55,000 to Lanier Christian Academy in Flowery Branch in 2024 and $7,500 to the same school in 2023, both for private Christian education. Pregnancy-related health services also appear prominently. In 2023, the foundation awarded $50,000 to Choices Pregnancy Care Center in Gainesville for helping women with pregnancy-related health issues. Youth, family, and basic-needs services make up another cluster. The foundation gave $9,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Hall County for counseling, assistance, and education for young boys and girls, $21,000 and $14,000 to Good News at Noon for homeless men, and $8,000 to Salvation Army in Gainesville for clothing and lodging assistance. Its giving also reaches into religious support and community infrastructure, including $5,000 to North Georgia Chaplain and $5,000 to the Junior League of Gainesville for community enhancement.
$276K
$1.5M
$213K
$294K
Most grants fall between $3K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
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A small number of relatively large, local grants focused on a mix of faith-based education and direct service organizations; concentrated, targeted philanthropy rather than many small awards or broad geographic distribution.
Notable grantees: Lanier Christian Academy, Choices Pregnancy Care Center, University of Georgia Athletic Association, Junior League of Gainesville
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $10,000. That distribution fits a pattern of recurring support rather than isolated major awards. Some recipients appear in more than one year, including organizations that received grants in both 2023 and 2024, which suggests ongoing relationships with selected local and regional groups. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent awards also show a mix of restricted program support and general or operating support, depending on the recipient and purpose.
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Georgia, which accounts for 92% of grants. Gainesville appears often among recipient locations, along with Athens, Flowery Branch, and other nearby cities. The foundation also gives outside Georgia, but the non-Georgia awards are limited to a few recipients in Colorado, Alabama, and North Carolina. In the recent-grants list, Colorado Springs, Gulf Shores, and Flat Rock each appear once, showing that the foundation’s reach extends beyond its core local footprint but remains small and selective.
The recent grants point to private Christian education, pregnancy care, homeless services, youth programs, and faith-based or civic groups. Examples include a Christian academy, a pregnancy care center in Gainesville, homeless services for men, and community organizations such as the Junior League of Gainesville.
The grant-size distribution centers on relatively small awards: p25 is $2,500, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $10,000. Recent grants also include larger one-time awards such as $55,000, $50,000, and $35,500.
Yes. Georgia is the top state by grant count, and 92% of grants go to recipients in Georgia. Recent recipient cities include Gainesville, Athens, Flowery Branch, Oakwood, and Cleveland.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years in the recent grants list, including Lanier Christian Academy, Good News at Noon, University of Georgia Athletic Association, Young Life, Hall County Humane Society, and Georgia Mountain Foodbank. That pattern suggests recurring relationships with selected organizations.
The purposes include private Christian education, pregnancy-related health support, athletic program funds, homeless assistance, counseling and education for children, food assistance, animal shelter operating expenses, chaplain support, and general operating support for local charities.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY | FLOWERY BRANCH, GA | $101,400 | 2026 | SUPPORT PRIVATE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION |
| TOUCHDOWN CLUB | ATHENS, GA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION | ATHENS, GA | $27,300 | 2026 | FUNDS FOR THE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY |
| COVENANT COLLEGE | LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT TO HELP PROVIDE A RANGE OF ACADEMIC & CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS |
| NATIONAL FOOTBAL FOUNDATION | IRVING, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YOUNG LIFE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $8,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR AT RISK YOUTH PROGRAMS |
| EAGLE RANCH | CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN, GA | $6,350 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT AND IN MEMORY OF PHILIP CARL MCDONALD, BETTY STRICKLAND, LAVERN R. PORTER, & KEN NIX |
| GOOD NEWS CLINIC | GAINESVILLE, GA | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM "BILLY" H SLACK III |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF HALL COUNTY | GAINESVILLE, GA | $5,750 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF JOHNNY WOODCOCK & JODEE BARRETT |
| GEORGIA BASEBALL FUND | ATHENS, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES | GAINESVILLA, GA | $2,500 | 2026 | CHAPLAIN'S FUND |
| NORTH GEORGIA CHAPLAIN | OAKWOOD, GA | $2,500 | 2026 | CHAPLAIN FUND |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,600 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF ROBERT "BOB" L. HAMRICK, SR. & PAYL TALMADGE MARTIN |
| NORTH GEORGIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR THE MATHIS COMMUNITY HOPE FUND & FOR THE BRENAU UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP FOR WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN MEMORY OF BETTY NORTON |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF CHERYL RAWLS & SUPPORT FOR THE CHILDREN'S MINISTRY IN HONOR OF JIM WISEHART |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FUNDER | ATHENS, GA | $1,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR THE REDCOAT BAND ENRICHMENT FUND & THE COACH MARK RICHT NUEROLOGICAL DISEASES RESEARCH FUND |
| THE RIGHT RECOVERY | CLEVELAND, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR THE MCKENZIE CRENSHAW MEMORIAL FUND IN MEMORY OF KRISTY CRENSHAW NIX |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF HENDERSON COUNTY | HENDERSONVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF LARKIN MURPHY |
| WABASH COUNTY CANCER SOCIETY | NORTH MANCHESTER, IN | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF DANIEL & BARBAR SPEICHER |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF LANIER | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | OPERATION OF PROGRAM TO ASSIST YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WITH COUNCILING, ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION. |
| SHANE CLARK MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TDNR CORP | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF EMILY DANTZLER |
| ELIZA BAKER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $528 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOSPICE OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA | GAINESVILLE, GA | $500 | 2026 | SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF ROSE "MARIE" ROUSE JUSTUS |
| IGLESIA GENERACION DE FE | ORLANDO, FL | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LAKE LANIER OLYMPIC PARK FOUNDATION | GAINESVILLE, GA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF CALLIER "DANNY" DUNAGAN JR. |
| HALL COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS | GAINESVILLE, GA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF JUDY MECUM |
| GOOD NEWS CLUB OF GWINNETT | SUWANEE, GA | $500 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR THE GWINNETT CHAPTER OF THE CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP IN MEMORY OF WANDA HUDSON |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GAINESVILLE | GAINESVILLE, GA | $500 | 2026 | FLOWER COMMITTEE SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF CAROLYN JACOBS |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION | ATHENS, GA | $31,000 | 2025 | FUNDS FOR THE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY |
| CHOICES PREGNANCY CARE CENTER | GAINESVILLE, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY | FLOWERY BRANCH, GA | $12,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PRIVATE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION |
| CLASSIC CITY COLLECTIVE | ATHENS, GA | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YOUNG LIFE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR AT RISK YOUTH PROGRAMS |
| HALL COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY | GAINESVILLE, GA | $6,500 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION FOR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR ANIMAL SHELTER |
| COVENANT COLLEGE | LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, GA | $5,000 | 2025 | FUNDS FOR THE BASKETBALL FUND |
| EVERETT GIRLS' SOCCER BOOSTERS | EVERETT, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR GIRLS SOCCER PROGRAM |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HALL COUNTY | GAINESVILLE, GA | $3,000 | 2025 | OPERATION OF PROGRAM TO ASSIST YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WITH COUNCILING, ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION. |
| MISCELLANEOUS SMALL AMOUNTS | GAINESVILLE, GA | $3,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS SMALL LOCAL CHARITIES |
| NORTH GEORGIA CHAPLAIN | OAKWOOD, GA | $2,500 | 2025 | CHAPLAIN FUND |
| GLORY HOPE AND LIFE | GAINESVILLE, GA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE WITH CANCER PATIENTS |
| FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES | ATHENS, GA | $2,500 | 2025 | CHAPLAIN'S FUND |
| ELIZA BAKER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HENDERSON CO | HENDERSONVILLE, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | KENMURE FIGHTS CANCER FUND |
| NORTH GEORGIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE MATHIS COMMUNITY HOPE FUND |
| AMERICAN BRAIN FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HALL COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GEORGIA MOUNTAIN FOODBANK | GAINESVILLE, GA | $1,000 | 2025 | ADDRESS HUNGER, HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE BY SERVING THOSE IN NEED |
LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
$101,400SUPPORT PRIVATE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
TOUCHDOWN CLUB
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FUNDS FOR THE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY
GENERAL SUPPORT TO HELP PROVIDE A RANGE OF ACADEMIC & CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS
NATIONAL FOOTBAL FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT FOR AT RISK YOUTH PROGRAMS
EAGLE RANCH
$6,350GENERAL SUPPORT AND IN MEMORY OF PHILIP CARL MCDONALD, BETTY STRICKLAND, LAVERN R. PORTER, & KEN NIX
GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF JOHNNY WOODCOCK & JODEE BARRETT
GEORGIA BASEBALL FUND
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
$2,500CHAPLAIN'S FUND
NORTH GEORGIA CHAPLAIN
$2,500CHAPLAIN FUND
THE SALVATION ARMY
$1,600GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF ROBERT "BOB" L. HAMRICK, SR. & PAYL TALMADGE MARTIN
SUPPORT FOR THE MATHIS COMMUNITY HOPE FUND & FOR THE BRENAU UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP FOR WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN MEMORY OF BETTY NORTON
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF CHERYL RAWLS & SUPPORT FOR THE CHILDREN'S MINISTRY IN HONOR OF JIM WISEHART
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FUNDER
$1,500SUPPORT FOR THE REDCOAT BAND ENRICHMENT FUND & THE COACH MARK RICHT NUEROLOGICAL DISEASES RESEARCH FUND
THE RIGHT RECOVERY
$1,000SUPPORT FOR THE MCKENZIE CRENSHAW MEMORIAL FUND IN MEMORY OF KRISTY CRENSHAW NIX
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF HENDERSON COUNTY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF LARKIN MURPHY
WABASH COUNTY CANCER SOCIETY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF DANIEL & BARBAR SPEICHER
OPERATION OF PROGRAM TO ASSIST YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WITH COUNCILING, ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION.
SHANE CLARK MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TDNR CORP
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF EMILY DANTZLER
ELIZA BAKER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
$528GENERAL SUPPORT
HOSPICE OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA
$500SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF ROSE "MARIE" ROUSE JUSTUS
IGLESIA GENERACION DE FE
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
LAKE LANIER OLYMPIC PARK FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF CALLIER "DANNY" DUNAGAN JR.
HALL COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS
$500GENERAL SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF JUDY MECUM
GOOD NEWS CLUB OF GWINNETT
$500SUPPORT FOR THE GWINNETT CHAPTER OF THE CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP IN MEMORY OF WANDA HUDSON
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GAINESVILLE
$500FLOWER COMMITTEE SUPPORT IN MEMORY OF CAROLYN JACOBS
FUNDS FOR THE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY
CHOICES PREGNANCY CARE CENTER
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
$12,000SUPPORT PRIVATE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
CLASSIC CITY COLLECTIVE
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
HALL COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY
$6,500GENERAL CONTRIBUTION FOR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR ANIMAL SHELTER
EVERETT GIRLS' SOCCER BOOSTERS
$5,000SUPPORT FOR GIRLS SOCCER PROGRAM
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF HALL COUNTY
$3,000OPERATION OF PROGRAM TO ASSIST YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS WITH COUNCILING, ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION.
MISCELLANEOUS SMALL AMOUNTS
$3,000VARIOUS SMALL LOCAL CHARITIES
NORTH GEORGIA CHAPLAIN
$2,500CHAPLAIN FUND
GLORY HOPE AND LIFE
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE WITH CANCER PATIENTS
ELIZA BAKER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HENDERSON CO
$1,000KENMURE FIGHTS CANCER FUND
SUPPORT FOR THE MATHIS COMMUNITY HOPE FUND
AMERICAN BRAIN FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HALL COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ADDRESS HUNGER, HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE BY SERVING THOSE IN NEED