About Zeist Foundation
The Zeist Foundation makes a small number of very large, locally focused grants in the Atlanta region, concentrating on community development, education, and health-related services. It favors institutional recipients (community foundation, major university, neighborhood nonprofits) and appears to fund both direct service providers and place‑based infrastructure that benefits Atlanta neighborhoods. Repeated multi‑grant relationships suggest long‑term partnerships rather than one‑off gifts.
Focus Areas
Atlanta neighborhood revitalization and community development (e.g., Wylde Center, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta)Higher‑education‑linked health and human services at Emory UniversityEarly childhood education and readiness advocacy (e.g., GEEARS)K–12 school support and family services in underserved Atlanta communities (e.g., Whitefoord)
Who They Fund
local community residents and neighborhoodsnonprofit service providers in health and human servicesarts organizations and practicing artists
About Zeist Foundation
The Zeist Foundation Inc has built a pattern of very large, invitation-only grants for Atlanta-area institutions, with repeated support for place-based work in Edgewood and the Maynard Jackson High School cluster. Its recent awards show a foundation that combines neighborhood revitalization, education, health and human services, and arts and culture rather than limiting itself to a single cause area. The largest recent grants include $1,571,000 to Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and $1,564,000 to Whitefoord Inc, both in Atlanta. Emory University has also received multiple seven-figure awards, including $1,550,000 in 2024 and $1,550,000 in 2025, indicating a sustained relationship with a major local anchor institution. Other recent support has gone to organizations serving children, youth, and families through direct services, community infrastructure, and cultural programming. The foundation’s grantmaking is structured around a small number of sizable awards, with a clear preference for nonprofit organizations operating in Metro Atlanta and across Georgia. The mix of recipients includes community foundations, schools, health providers, and arts institutions, which suggests a cross-sector approach to local philanthropy.
What Zeist Foundation Funds
In community development, The Zeist Foundation Inc gave $1,230,000 in 2025 to Wylde Center The for community development, and $350,000 in 2024 to the same organization. It also awarded $1,021,000 in 2025 to Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta for community development, alongside earlier support of $1,571,000 in 2023 and $1,103,500 in 2024. In education, Whitefoord Inc received $1,564,000 in 2024 and $1,525,000 in 2025, while GEEARS received $1,350,000 in 2024. Health and human services is another consistent area: Emory University received $1,550,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta received $1,000,000 in 2023 and $500,000 in 2024. Arts and culture grants also appear in the record, including $850,000 to High Museum of Art in 2024 and $725,000 to Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2024.
How Zeist Foundation Gives
Typical grant size sits at $40,000 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grant list shows a separate set of much larger institutional awards. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or program-related investments. Grantmaking appears recurring rather than one-off: Emory University, Whitefoord Inc, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and Wylde Center The each appear in multiple years. The process is invitation-only, with a multi-stage review that includes a prospect list and Letter of Inquiry via Foundation Source.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$15.6M
Total Assets
$268.2M
Total Revenue
$23.6M
Total Expenses
$21.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $40K and $100K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$40K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Local4 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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