Download copy of press release here.
ATLANTA (November 21, 2022) — Cobb Community Foundation (CCF) announced today that it has awarded $105,000 in charitable grants from the Cobb Unrestricted Community Fund to help strengthen and support small to mid-sized nonprofit charitable organizations that are helping Cobb County to thrive.
“This year was the inaugural year for our Thrive Grant program,” explains Shari Martin,
Shari Martin, CCF President; Janet Graham, Loving Arms Cancer Outreach; Helen Prokesch, Lekotek of GA; Kelly Cooper Smith, Lekotek of GA; Nancy Yarnell, Food Security of America. (Back Row) Gaspar Rodriguez, CCF Board Member; Travis Reeves, CCF Board Member
President & CEO of Cobb Community Foundation. “Our goal was to create a program where the process itself was helpful to the organizations going through it, even if they did not receive a grant.”
According to CCF’s website, organizations with total revenues between $75,000 and $1,000,000 were eligible to apply. “We did not want this grant to provide more than 10% of an organization’s income,” says Martin. The selection process which would ultimately determine which organizations would receive grants was designed to identify organizations that showed a willingness to self-assess, to partner with others, and to work toward a compelling vision for how they will help our community thrive along with:
Shari Martin, CCF President; Kristen Thompson, Marietta Mentoring for Leadership; Celia Talbot, Revved Up Kids; Paint Love, Laura Shaw; . (Back Row) Gaspar Rodriguez, CCF Board Member; Travis Reeves, CCF Board Member
- A demonstrated orientation towards best practices in nonprofit leadership, board engagement, and resource development,
- A well-articulated need for services and a clear path to impact in Cobb County,
- A recognition of the value of collaboration and resource leveraging,
- A diverse revenue stream and financial stability, and
- A self-awareness with respect to challenges and opportunities.
As with all of the organization’s grant programs, the Thrive Grants are funded entirely through contributions to Cobb Community Foundation. CCF’s Corporate Community Champions and other donors, through direct contributions, bequests, Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs and more, maximize the impact of their charitable dollars by leveraging CCF’s expertise and knowledge of the community. The 2022 Thrive Grant recipients are listed below alongside the Corporate Champion(s) who made their grants possible.
Made possible by Brasfield & Gorrie and other donors
Four Corners Group – $7,500
Sweetwater Mission – $7,500
Made possible by Genuine Parts and other donors
Shari Martin, CCF President; Debbie Day, Special Needs Cobb; Laura Keefe, YELLS; Martha Tovar, Wonderful Days Preschool. (Back Row) Gaspar Rodriguez, CCF Board Member; Travis Reeves, CCF Board Member
Teach One to Lead One – $7,500
Y.E.L.L.S. – $7,500
Made possible by Metro Atlanta Ambulance and other donors
Cumberland Counseling Center – $7,500
Loving Arms Cancer Outreach – $7,500
Made possible by Crane Elder Law Firm and other donors
Marietta Mentoring for Leadership – $7,500
Gaspar Rodriguez, CCF Board Member; Shari Martin, CCF President; Alexandra Thompson, Cumberland Counseling; Natalie Rutledge, Communities in Schools; Katherine Kessler, Cumberland Counseling; Travis Reeves, CCF Board Member
Made possible by Moore Colson and other donors
Food Security for America – $7,500
Made possible by Pinnacle Financial and other donors
Wonderful Days Preschool – $7,500
Made possible by SignatureFD and other donors
Lekotek of Georgia – $7,500
Made possible by our Silver Corporate Community Champions
Communities in Schools of Georgia in Marietta/Cobb County – $7,500
Special Needs Cobb – $7,500
Made possible by our Bronze and Partner Corporate Community Champions
Paint Love – $7,500
Revved Up Kids – $7,500
Silver Level Champions include Bennett Thrasher, Cobb EMC, Gas South, Georgia Power Foundation, Indian Hills Country Club, and Pinkerton & Laws. Bronze Level Champions include Ameris Bank, Atlanta Country Club, Cumberland Diamond Exchange, Mopdog Creative + Strategy, and Synovus. Partner Champions are Barnes Law Group, dkGallery, Fortress Builders, Marietta Country Club, Mauldin & Jenkins, Paraklete Financial, Renasant Bank, ServIT, and The Bottoms Group.
With a total of 40 qualifying applicants, there were twenty-six organizations that did not receive a grant. CCF’s website lists all organizations that applied, not only the organizations that received grants. “There were more deserving organizations than we had funds to award,” remarks Martin, “but we’ve made it easy for others to support them.”
Learn more about how you can help Cobb County thrive by visiting the website at cobbfoundation.org. For more information, contact Shari Martin at shari@cobbfoundation.org.
About Cobb Community Foundation
Cobb Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that uses the power of charitable giving and our role as community convener and catalyst to improve the quality of life in Cobb County and beyond. We are living our mission every day by inspiring charitable giving, building resources for the future and connecting donors who care with causes that matter. CCF is primarily funded by the revenues generated through its charitable fund services, as well as the organization’s Corporate Community Champion program and other direct contributions. Learn more by contacting Shari Martin at shari@cobbfoundation.org, or by visiting cobbfoundation.org/.
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