The Ellis Foundation concentrates its giving in a small number of substantial awards rather than many modest grants, combining one very large local congregation gift with a handful of mid-size philanthropic pass-throughs and issue-specific nonprofits. Their giving mixes place-based religious support in Atlanta with national/international philanthropic vehicles and targeted support for women's anti-violence programming. They frequently use donor-advised and designated fund mechanisms as part of their grantmaking approach.
Highly concentrated: very few, large grants (one dominant $2.5M local church gift) plus several medium-sized grants; uses DAFs and intermediary foundations to channel funding rather than many direct small awards; little evidence of repeat-year diversification in this snapshot.
A single $2,500,000 grant to First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta stands out in The Ellis Foundation Inc 26-28165’s recent record and sets the tone for a grantmaker that combines very large anchor gifts with a cluster of smaller awards. The church also received a separate $71,000 grant in 2025, showing an ongoing connection rather than a one-time transaction. Around that core relationship, the foundation supports philanthropy intermediaries, environmental and public-land work, and selected social-justice and community organizations. Its recent grants include $147,787 to Daf Prospect Fund F588 (lindsay Ellis) as a donor-advised fund contribution, $125,000 to Legacy Global Foundation Fbo Onepull Funds, and $110,000 to Trust for Public Land. The portfolio also includes gifts to Fernbank Museum, Opportunity International, Care USA, Carter Center, Equal Justice Initiative, and Purpose Built. That mix points to a funder that uses both direct operating support and pass-through vehicles, with much of its activity centered in Georgia and a smaller set of grants reaching beyond the state.
Faith-based support is a clear thread in the foundation’s giving. Beyond the large award to First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, it also made a $50,000 grant to First United Church in Atlanta, indicating sustained support for congregational institutions. The foundation also funds intermediary and pooled structures. It gave $147,787 to Daf Prospect Fund F588 (lindsay Ellis) as a DAF gift account contribution, and $125,000 to Legacy Global Foundation Fbo Onepull Funds in Mesa, Arizona. Those grants show use of philanthropic pass-through vehicles alongside direct charitable gifts. Issue-specific giving appears in women’s anti-violence work and environmental/public-land causes. The foundation awarded $110,000 to V-day in San Francisco, and it supported Trust for Public Land with $110,000. It also gave $70,000 to Climate Ride and multiple grants to Wild Foundation.
The Ellis Foundation Inc 26-28165 gives at a modest-to-mid scale overall, with a typical grant size of $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record is shaped by a small number of unusually large awards rather than many evenly sized grants. Recipients do repeat across years. First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, Wild Foundation, Care USA, Opportunity International, Carter Center, Equal Justice Initiative, Fcs Urban Ministries, Purpose Built, and several others appear more than once in the recent grants list. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF itself, and the data shows both direct grants and DAF-style or designated-fund contributions.
$3.8M
$10.5M
$647K
$3.8M
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$30K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Ellis Foundation Inc 26-28165.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 153 | $6.4M | 98.1% |
| 2 | India |
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Notable grantees: First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, V-Day, DAF Prospect Fund F588 (Lindsay Ellis), Legacy Global Foundation fbo OnePull Funds
Grantmaking is heavily Georgia-centered: 55% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and Atlanta appears repeatedly in the recipient list. Beyond Atlanta, other Georgia recipients include Chamblee and Montgomery is outside the state but still part of the foundation’s regional pattern. The distribution also reaches a small number of non-U.S. recipients in India, with 2 grants there, while the vast majority of grants remain in the United States.
The recent grants show support for congregational institutions, philanthropic intermediaries, environmental and public-land organizations, and social-justice and community nonprofits. Examples include church support in Atlanta, pass-through funding vehicles in Atlanta and Mesa, Arizona, and grants to organizations such as Trust for Public Land, V-Day, Opportunity International, and Equal Justice Initiative.
Typical grants cluster at $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent file also includes much larger awards, including a $2,500,000 grant and several $50,000 grants.
Yes. Georgia is the top state by grant count, and 55% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Atlanta appears frequently among recipient locations, alongside a smaller number of awards outside Georgia.
Yes. The recent grants list shows multiple-year support for several recipients, including First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, Wild Foundation, Care USA, Opportunity International, Carter Center, Equal Justice Initiative, Fcs Urban Ministries, and Purpose Built.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 3 |
| $21K |
1.9% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ATLANTA | ATLANTA, GA | $2,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DAF PROSPECT FUND F588 (LINDSAY ELLIS) | ATLANTA, GA | $147,787 | 2025 | DAF GIFT ACCOUNT FOR ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROSPECT FUND F588 (LINDSAY ELLIS) |
| TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $110,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FERNBANK MUSEUM | ATLANTA, GA | $90,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FLORIDA ELLIS HUFF AND FAMILY CHARITABLE | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $72,806 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ATLANTA | ATLANTA, GA | $71,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WILD FOUNDATION | BOULDER, CO | $70,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CLIMATE RIDE | MISSOULA, MT | $70,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CARTER CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FCS URBAN MINISTRIES | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PURPOSE BUILT | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FCS URBAN MINISTRIES | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PURPOSE BUILT | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WILD FOUNDATION | BOULDER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CARE USA | ATLANTA, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DIATRIBE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $45,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CARTER CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CARE USA | ATLANTA, GA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GEORGIA WORKS | ATLANTA, GA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GEORGIA WORKS | ATLANTA, GA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIRST UNITED CHURCH | ATLANTA, GA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR THE REVOLUTIONARY LOVE PROJECT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR THE REVOLUTIONARY LOVE PROJECT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIRST UNITED CHURCH | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA | DULUTH, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ATLANTA AREA COUNCIL BSA | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOSPICE ATLANTA | WAYCROSS, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETIES | LONDON, AA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ANGEL FLIGHT SOARS | CHAMBLEE, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ATLANTA AREA COUNCIL BSA | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FERNBANK MUSEUM | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY | DECATUR, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THEATRICAL OUTFIT | ATLANTA, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LEGACY GLOBAL FOUNDATION FBO ONEPULL FUNDS | MESA, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ANGEL FLIGHT SOARS | CHAMBLEE, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LEGACY GLOBAL FOUNDATION FBO ONEPULL FUNDS | MESA, AZ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETIES | LONDON, AA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ATLANTA
$2,500,000GENERAL
DAF PROSPECT FUND F588 (LINDSAY ELLIS)
$147,787DAF GIFT ACCOUNT FOR ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROSPECT FUND F588 (LINDSAY ELLIS)
FERNBANK MUSEUM
$90,000GENERAL
FLORIDA ELLIS HUFF AND FAMILY CHARITABLE
$72,806GENERAL
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ATLANTA
$71,000GENERAL
WILD FOUNDATION
$70,000GENERAL
WILD FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL
CARE USA
$50,000GENERAL
DIATRIBE
$45,000GENERAL
CARE USA
$40,000GENERAL
FIRST UNITED CHURCH
$35,000GENERAL
SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
$30,000GENERAL
SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
$30,000GENERAL
FIRST UNITED CHURCH
$25,000GENERAL
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$25,000GENERAL
ATLANTA AREA COUNCIL BSA
$25,000GENERAL
ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER
$25,000GENERAL
HOSPICE ATLANTA
$25,000GENERAL
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETIES
$25,000GENERAL
ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER
$25,000GENERAL
ATLANTA AREA COUNCIL BSA
$25,000GENERAL
FERNBANK MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL
COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
$25,000GENERAL
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$25,000GENERAL
GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
$25,000GENERAL
THEATRICAL OUTFIT
$25,000GENERAL
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETIES
$25,000GENERAL