The John & Polly Sparks Foundation concentrates its giving into a very small number of large, unrestricted grants, primarily supporting health care and medical education in the Atlanta area alongside faith-based social service providers. Most awards are general operating gifts to established institutions, with one dominant beneficiary receiving multi-million dollar support across multiple grants.
Highly concentrated: very few, large general operating grants; repeat funding to a primary beneficiary alongside substantial gifts to major regional medical and faith-based institutions.
A $3.7 million general operating grant to a “See Attached” recipient in 2024 stands out in the John & Polly Sparks Foundation’s recent record, and it sits alongside another multi-million dollar award in 2023 to the same category of beneficiary. That pattern signals a funder that uses large, unrestricted gifts rather than project-specific awards. The foundation’s recent grants also point to a clear Atlanta-centered set of priorities: children’s health care, medical education, and faith-based social service providers. In 2025, the foundation gave $500,000 to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Inc for general operating support and $421,029 to Emory University for general operating support, showing continued emphasis on institutions with broad service roles. Other awards in the same year reached Grady Health Foundation, The Morehouse School of Medicine Inc, and Christian City Inc, all on a general operating basis. The portfolio is compact but high-dollar, with most grants made to established nonprofits rather than individuals or project-specific efforts. The foundation’s latest 990 year on file is 2025, and its annual grants total more than $10.4 million.
Health care is the clearest thread in the John & Polly Sparks Foundation’s recent giving. In 2025, it gave $500,000 to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Inc for general operating support, $250,000 to Grady Health Foundation for general operating support, and $200,000 to The Morehouse School of Medicine Inc for general operating support. Academic and medical education is another visible area: Emory University received $421,029 in 2025 on a general operating basis. The foundation also supports faith-based social service and residential care organizations. Christian City Inc received $350,000 in 2025, while Youth for Christ received $30,000 and Must Ministries received $30,000, all as general operating gifts. Several other 2025 grants went to organizations working in food assistance, family support, housing, and behavioral health, including Atlanta Community Food Bank Inc, Nami Georgia Inc, and Nicholas House Inc.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile, even though a small number of awards are much larger. Recent giving suggests repeat support to the same recipients over time, including the large unnamed beneficiary that received multi-million-dollar general operating grants in both 2023 and 2024. The John & Polly Sparks Foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or program-related investments. The grant data provided shows general operating support as the dominant mode of giving.
$3.1M
$74.9M
$7.9M
$3.9M
Most grants fall between $15K and $30K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$30K
About 2% of grants go to recipients in GA.
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Notable grantees: SEE ATTACHED (primary multi-million dollar beneficiary), Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc., Emory University, Christian City, Inc.
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Georgia, which accounts for the largest share of recipient locations in the recent grants list. Atlanta appears repeatedly, including awards to Emory University, Grady Health Foundation, the Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta Community Food Bank Inc, and Nicholas House Inc. Other Georgia cities in the recent record include Brookhaven, Norcross, Decatur, Marietta, Loganville, and Perry. Outside Georgia, the foundation also gave to organizations in New York, Washington, DC, Santa Monica, Bradenton, Hillsborough, Clinton, and New Jersey. All of the listed grants go to US recipients.
The foundation’s recent grants go to established nonprofits working in health care, medical education, faith-based social services, food assistance, housing, and behavioral health. Examples in the data include large gifts to health institutions, as well as support for community food banks, family service organizations, and residential care providers.
Its grant-size distribution is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes several much larger general operating grants, including awards in the hundreds of thousands and multi-million-dollar range.
No. The foundation is listed as not funding individuals and not making program-related investments. The recent grants record shows nonprofit recipients only.
Georgia is the top state by grant count in the recent data. Atlanta appears most often, with multiple recipients there, and other Georgia locations include Brookhaven, Norcross, Decatur, Marietta, Loganville, and Perry.
The recent grants are overwhelmingly general operating gifts. The largest awards in the file, including the multi-million-dollar grants and the 2025 health-related awards, are all listed as general operating support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHILDRENS' HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA | BROOKHAVEN, GA | $500,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY | ATLANTA, GA | $387,302 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CHRISTIAN CITY INC | UNION CITY, GA | $300,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| GRADY HEALTH FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $250,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NARSAD BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FDN | NEW YORK, NY | $225,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | ATLANTA, GA | $200,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FAMILIES 4 FAMILIES | LOGANVILLE, GA | $85,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE COMMUNITY FDN FOR GREATER ATLANTA | ATLANTA, GA | $60,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| 247 GATEWAY LLC | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NAMI GEORGIA INC | ATLANTA, GA | $40,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| YOUTH FOR CHRIST | NORCROSS, GA | $40,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| RESILIENT GEORGIA INC | ATLANTA, GA | $35,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CHRIS 180 INC | ATLANTA, GA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| RAINBOW VILLAGE | DULUTH, GA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| GEORGIA WORKS | ATLANTA, GA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PASSION FOR HAITI FOUNDATION INC | BRADENTON, FL | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ABBA HOUSE | DAWSONVILLE, GA | $30,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ATLANTA RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CARINGWORKS INC | DECATUR, GA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PENFIELD ADDICTION MINISTRIES INC | UNION POINT, GA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ENCORE COMMUNITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| OUR HOUSE INC | DECATUR, GA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| 3KEYS INC | CHAMBLEE, GA | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THORNWELL HOME | CLINTON, SC | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HILLSIDE | ATLANTA, GA | $21,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FAITHBRIDGE FOSTER CARE INC | ALPHARETTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NICHOLAS HOUSE INC | ATLANTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| JOHN HOPKINS BAYVIEW MEDICAL CENTER | BALTIMORE, MD | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| GEORGIA CENTER FOR CHILD ADVOCACY INC | ATLANTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THIS MUST BE THE PLACE | COLUMBUS, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MUST MINISTRIES | MARIETTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF METRO ATL | ATLANTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SOLOMON'S TEMPLE FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE INC | HILLSBOROUGH, NJ | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK INC | ATLANTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE NORTH GWINNETT | BUFORD, GA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| GEORGIA PARENT SUPPORT NETWORK INC | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN CARE | UNION CITY, GA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ATLANTA MISSION | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HOPE ATLANTA | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HAPEVILLE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | HAPEVILLE, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| AMERICA'S VETDOGS | SMITHTOWN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| BANNERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| WHITEFOORD-MERIDIAN EDUCATION RESOURCE | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER INC | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| GEORGE WEST MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION | BROOKHAVEN, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CLUBHOUSE ATLANTA INC | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SAMARITANS PURSE | BOONE, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
CHILDRENS' HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA
$500,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
EMORY UNIVERSITY
$387,302UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NARSAD BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FDN
$225,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FAMILIES 4 FAMILIES
$85,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$50,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NAMI GEORGIA INC
$40,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$40,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
PASSION FOR HAITI FOUNDATION INC
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ABBA HOUSE
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
PENFIELD ADDICTION MINISTRIES INC
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
ENCORE COMMUNITY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
3KEYS INC
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THORNWELL HOME
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
JOHN HOPKINS BAYVIEW MEDICAL CENTER
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF METRO ATL
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SOLOMON'S TEMPLE FOUNDATION INC
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE INC
$20,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
THE NORTH GWINNETT
$15,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
GEORGIA PARENT SUPPORT NETWORK INC
$15,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN CARE
$15,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
HAPEVILLE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
BANNERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
WHITEFOORD-MERIDIAN EDUCATION RESOURCE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
CLUBHOUSE ATLANTA INC
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL