Lettie Pate Evans Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Lettie Pate Evans Foundation makes grants for arts and culture, as well as education, largely in Georgia and to organizations in Virginia that its founder previously funded.
IP TAKE: The foundation prioritizes organizations based in or serving Georgia, where the Coca-Cola Company is headquartered, and some institutions in Virginia. Organizations that are not based in these two areas or serve people living there will be hard pressed to secure funding from this small, but generous funder.
However, given this funder’s unique arrangement with other grantmaking organizations, the Woodruff and Whitehead Foundations will also consider grant proposals addressed to the Evans Foundation. Despite limited geographical interests, get in touch with the Evans Foundation first, but don’t hesitate to contact the other foundations to figure out if your work aligns with one of their missions and interests.
The Lettie Pate Evans Foundation prioritizes giving to large, established organizations that are either private or independent. Look elsewhere for funding to benefit public schools, colleges, or universities. Nor does it fund direct work related to the performing arts – unless you’re seeking funds to build spaces that enclose them. It absolutely does not fund grassroots, local or new organizations seeking seed money.
To improve chances of securing a fund here, reach out to the foundation “well before the grant deadline to determine if your request is a fit for funding. First-time grantseekers may submit an informal inquiry to fdns@woodruff.org.”
PROFILE: Established in 1945, the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation, an independent private foundation, has awarded more than $332 million in grants since its founding. Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans, was the wife of Joseph B. Whitehead, one of the original bottlers of Coca-Cola. When he died, Lettie Pate took over her husband’s bottling business and real estate interests to great success, becoming one of the “first female directors of any major American corporation when she was appointed to the board of the Coca-Cola Company in 1934.” The Evans Foundation funds arts, culture, and education.
The foundation shares an office and staff with other Whitehead family philanthropies – the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation and the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation – as well as with the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. This arrangement came about through the friendship and business relationship between Mrs. Evans and Mr. Woodruff, longtime leader of The Coca-Cola Company. Each foundation is governed by its own board and charter. Grant proposals addressed to the Evans Foundation may also be considered by the Woodruff and Whitehead Foundations.
Grants for Higher Education and K-12 Education
The Lettie Pate Evans Foundation prioritizes education giving through its broad education program, which makes grants for health education, early childhood education, higher education and select independent schools in Georgia. The foundation only considers institutions in Virginia if they received support from Lettie Pate Evans during her life.
Education grants are sizable and range from about $500,000 to $16 million USD. The foundation gives the most to its education interests. Please note that this funder does not fund any level of the public school system; it only funds private or independent schools. Past education grantees include the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta for capital giving, Virginia Theological Seminary, The Howard School, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, among others.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Evans Foundation invests in arts and culture, believing both are key to economic development in Georgia and Virginia communities. The founder was a patron of the arts, and funded organizations like the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where she was once a trustee. While its arts and culture giving does not typically fund the performing arts, this foundation does make grants for major Atlanta arts and cultural institutions; the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund’s grantmaking for small to mid-sized arts organizations; Georgia arts and culture institutions beyond Atlanta that contribute to community development; and previous Virginia organizations that Evans funded during her lifetime.
Arts and culture grants range from about $50,000 to $1.2 million USD. This area of funding reflects the second largest for the foundation with about $2.7 million USD in grants awarded in 2019. The foundation does not fund annual operating support, endowments, fundraisers, artwork acquisition, or performances; however, it does fund “capital and capacity-building grants to arts and cultural organizations with significant audiences, strong leadership and sound financial operations.” Past arts and culture grantees include the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, and the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences. It funds theater and music projects center on education or developing rehearsal spaces, but not plays or performances themselves.
Important Application Details:
Grants are generally limited to organizations located and operating in Georgia. Institutions in Virginia are considered for grants only if they received support from Mrs. Evans during her life. Learn more about previous grantees here to learn how the foundation makes awards and at what level. The foundation makes it easy to apply online.
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