The Southern Company Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving on bolstering the engineering talent pipeline through a major partnership with Georgia Tech. Its grants support university-led workforce development and STEM capacity-building activities tied to Southern Company’s needs, reflecting a strategic, corporate-aligned philanthropic approach focused on higher education and engineering workforce preparation in Georgia.
A $7 million grant to Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. in 2025 anchors Southern Company Charitable Foundation Inc.’s recent giving and points to a clear priority: building the engineering pipeline Southern Company relies on. The foundation pairs that scale with long-term support for Georgia Tech, including a $4 million award in 2025 for current operations and a permanent endowment directed toward attracting and retaining eminent teacher-scholars. It also funded a $2 million Southern Company Chair in Equity-Centered Engineering in 2023, showing that its higher-education giving is not limited to facilities or general support. Beyond engineering talent development, the foundation’s grant list includes disaster relief, medical education, children’s health, housing stability, and public-interest work. Recent awards also reached the American National Red Cross, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, and Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, indicating a mix of institutional support and response-oriented philanthropy. The pattern is corporate and university-linked, but it extends into community needs through selected grants tied to crises, access, and service capacity.
Engineering and faculty support are central to this foundation’s higher-education grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $7 million to Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. for the Southern Company Foundation engineering pipeline, and another $4 million to the same grantee for current operations and a permanent endowment aimed at attracting and retaining eminent teacher-scholars. Equity in engineering also appears in a $2 million gift in 2023 for the Southern Company Chair in Equity-Centered Engineering. Outside engineering, the foundation supports health-related institutions and children’s services. It gave $1 million to University of Georgia Foundation for UGA Medical School and $1 million to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation for the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta North Druid Hills campus. Its civic and community grants include $300,000 to Council on Criminal Justice for advancing safety and justice, and $100,000 to Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation for Atlantans facing housing issues and intimate partner abuse.
Typical grants are modest relative to the largest awards: the distribution sits at $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $11,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also shows a handful of very large, targeted gifts that sit alongside many smaller awards. The foundation appears repeatedly in the same recipient relationships over multiple years, especially with Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. and American Red Cross affiliates. Its structure is corporate philanthropy rather than a DAF, and it does not make program-related investments. The filing data also indicates it funds individuals. No application process is described in the source data.
$10.5M
$97.9M
$19.3M
$11.4M
Most grants fall between $1K and $11K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$11K
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Highly concentrated: very few, large grants directed to a single institutional partner (Georgia Tech Foundation), indicating strategic, program-specific investment rather than broad or diverse grantmaking.
Notable grantees: Georgia Tech Foundation Inc
Giving is regional and heavily centered in the Southeast, with 35% of grants going to recipients in Georgia. Atlanta is the clearest hub, appearing across multiple recipients including Georgia Tech Foundation Inc., Park Pride Inc., Ebenezer Building Foundation, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, and Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. Outside Georgia, the foundation has also given to Washington, DC-based organizations and to recipients in Mississippi State, MS; Austin, TX; Braselton, GA; and West Palm Beach, FL. All recorded grants in the dataset went to US recipients.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on higher education and engineering, especially Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. The foundation also supports children’s healthcare, disaster relief, housing stability, criminal justice, cybersecurity, and arts and museum organizations.
The stated grant-size distribution is $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $11,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes several seven-figure gifts, showing a wide spread between routine grants and major commitments.
Yes. Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. appears multiple times across 2023 and 2025, including awards for the engineering pipeline, operations and endowment support, equity-centered engineering, and educational matching gifts. American Red Cross affiliates also appear in more than one year.
Georgia receives 35% of the grants by recipient location, and Atlanta appears frequently in the recent grants list. The foundation also gives to recipients in Washington, DC; Mississippi State, MS; Austin, TX; Braselton, GA; and West Palm Beach, FL.
Yes. The recent grants include support for Hurricane Helene relief, Ukraine humanitarian response, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta North Druid Hills campus, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and organizations addressing housing issues and intimate partner abuse.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $7,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT SOUTHERN COMPANY FOUNDATION ENGINEERING PIPELINE |
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | CURRENT OPERATIONS AND FOR A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT, DIRECTED TOWARD THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF EMINENT TEACHER/SCHOLARS. |
| EBENEZER BUILDING FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS |
| PARK PRIDE INC | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT HANK AARON ACADEMY AT THE SOUTHSIDE |
| CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA NORTH DRUID HILLS CAMPUS |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2025 | HURRICANE HELENE DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA FOUNDATION | ATHENS, GA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT UGA MEDICAL SCHOOL |
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT TO NAME THE JOHN LEWIS STUDENT CENTER ON GEORGIA TECH CAMPUS |
| EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION INC | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SOUTHERN COMPANY EMPLOYEE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FOR HURRICANE HELENE |
| MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC | MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS | $500,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR CYBERSECURITY CENTER |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN |
| BONTERRA TECH LLC | AUSTIN, TX | $416,665 | 2025 | 2024 SOUTHERN EDUCATIONAL MATCHING GIFTS |
| COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE | ATLANTA, GA | $300,000 | 2025 | ADVANCING SAFETY AND JUSTICE |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE (WITH CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL) |
| AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION | BRASELTON, GA | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROJECTS |
| NATIONAL LINKS TRUST | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMMING |
| NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OPERATING EXPENSES |
| NORTHSIDE YOUTH ORGANIZATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | OPERATING SUPPORT/NYO FIELD OF DREAMS LIGHTS |
| FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | CYBERSPACE SOLARIUM COMMISSION 2.0 (CSC 2.0) |
| THE KING CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT DEXTER SCOTT KING MEMORIAL |
| AMERICAN VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ATLANTANS FACING HOUSING ISSUES AND INTIMATE PARTNER ABUSE |
| MAKE-A-WISH GEORGIA | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 WISH FUNDING |
| CARE | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | CARE IMPACT AWARDS 2024 |
| SOUTHERN YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $15,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| WOODRUFF ARTS CENTER - HIGH MUSEUM OF ART | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR HIGH MUSEUM OF ART |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2025 | AJC ATLANTA'S 2024 NATIONAL HUMAN RELATIONS AWARD DINNER HONORING DONNA HYLAND (NO PARTICIPATION) |
| NEW AMERICAN PATHWAYS | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PATHWAYS TO POSSIBILITIES |
| EDUCATION FARM | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $7,500,000 | 2024 | PROPEL CENTER: GLOBAL HBCU CAMPUS FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING |
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $7,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT SOUTHERN COMPANY FOUNDATION ENGINEERING PIPELINE |
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $4,000,000 | 2024 | CURRENT OPERATIONS AND FOR A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT, DIRECTED TOWARD THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF EMINENT TEACHER/SCHOLARS. |
| INROADS INC | ATLANTA, GA | $3,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT HBCU SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE |
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT TO NAME THE JOHN LEWIS STUDENT CENTER ON GEORGIA TECH CAMPUS TOTALING $4M. |
| CF FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | TOM AND ANN COUSINS LEGACY FUND |
| CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA NORTH DRUID HILLS CAMPUS |
| COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE | ATLANTA, GA | $300,000 | 2024 | ADVANCING SAFETY AND JUSTICE |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE (WITH CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL) |
| MOREHOUSE COLLEGE | ATLANTA, GA | $200,000 | 2024 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS |
| NORTHSIDE YOUTH ORGANIZATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $150,000 | 2024 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION | BRASELTON, GA | $150,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROJECTS |
| NATIONAL LINKS TRUST | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2024 | DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMING |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | AUBURN, AL | $111,831 | 2024 | 2023 MATCHING GIFTS - SC FOUNDATION MATCH |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | CSC 2.0 (CYBERSPACE SOLARIUM COMMISSION 2.0) |
| NUCLEAR THREAT INITIATIVE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OPERATING EXPENSES |
| THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND | ATLANTA, GA | $100,000 | 2024 | ALLIANCE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORIC SITES MEDGAR & MYRLIE EVERS HOME NATIONAL MONUMENT |
| UNITED WAY OF WEST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI | VICKSBURG, MS | $50,000 | 2024 | DISASTER RELIEF |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF GEORGIA | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2024 | OPERATING EXPENSES |
| ANNIKA FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $50,000 | 2024 | SHARE MY PASSION CLINIC IN GA, AS WELL AS OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE ANNIKA FOUNDATION |
| GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $33,667 | 2024 | 2023 MATCHING GIFTS - SC FOUNDATION MATCH |
| CARE INC | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2024 | CARE IMPACT AWARDS |
| ATLANTA VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOUNDATION INC | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2024 | ATLANTA VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOUNDATION - A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED RESPONSE FOR ATLANTAN'S FACING HOUSING ISSUES AND INTIMATE PARTNER ABUSE |
SUPPORT SOUTHERN COMPANY FOUNDATION ENGINEERING PIPELINE
CURRENT OPERATIONS AND FOR A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT, DIRECTED TOWARD THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF EMINENT TEACHER/SCHOLARS.
EBENEZER BUILDING FOUNDATION
$1,000,000CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA FOUNDATION
$1,000,000SUPPORT CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA NORTH DRUID HILLS CAMPUS
SUPPORT TO NAME THE JOHN LEWIS STUDENT CENTER ON GEORGIA TECH CAMPUS
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION INC
$1,000,000SOUTHERN COMPANY EMPLOYEE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FOR HURRICANE HELENE
SUPPORT FOR CYBERSECURITY CENTER
AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN
BONTERRA TECH LLC
$416,6652024 SOUTHERN EDUCATIONAL MATCHING GIFTS
COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE
$300,000ADVANCING SAFETY AND JUSTICE
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
$200,000SUPPORT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE (WITH CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL)
AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION
$150,000SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROJECTS
CYBERSPACE SOLARIUM COMMISSION 2.0 (CSC 2.0)
THE KING CENTER
$25,000SUPPORT DEXTER SCOTT KING MEMORIAL
SUPPORT FOR ATLANTANS FACING HOUSING ISSUES AND INTIMATE PARTNER ABUSE
SOUTHERN YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
$15,000OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
WOODRUFF ARTS CENTER - HIGH MUSEUM OF ART
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR HIGH MUSEUM OF ART
AJC ATLANTA'S 2024 NATIONAL HUMAN RELATIONS AWARD DINNER HONORING DONNA HYLAND (NO PARTICIPATION)
EDUCATION FARM
$7,500,000PROPEL CENTER: GLOBAL HBCU CAMPUS FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING
GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC
$7,000,000SUPPORT SOUTHERN COMPANY FOUNDATION ENGINEERING PIPELINE
GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC
$4,000,000CURRENT OPERATIONS AND FOR A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT, DIRECTED TOWARD THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF EMINENT TEACHER/SCHOLARS.
GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC
$1,000,000SUPPORT TO NAME THE JOHN LEWIS STUDENT CENTER ON GEORGIA TECH CAMPUS TOTALING $4M.
CF FOUNDATION INC
$1,000,000TOM AND ANN COUSINS LEGACY FUND
CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA FOUNDATION
$1,000,000SUPPORT CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA NORTH DRUID HILLS CAMPUS
COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE
$300,000ADVANCING SAFETY AND JUSTICE
SUPPORT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE (WITH CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL)
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE
$200,000STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION
$150,000SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROJECTS
CSC 2.0 (CYBERSPACE SOLARIUM COMMISSION 2.0)
ALLIANCE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORIC SITES MEDGAR & MYRLIE EVERS HOME NATIONAL MONUMENT
ANNIKA FOUNDATION
$50,000SHARE MY PASSION CLINIC IN GA, AS WELL AS OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE ANNIKA FOUNDATION
GEORGIA TECH FOUNDATION INC
$33,6672023 MATCHING GIFTS - SC FOUNDATION MATCH
ATLANTA VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOUNDATION - A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED RESPONSE FOR ATLANTAN'S FACING HOUSING ISSUES AND INTIMATE PARTNER ABUSE