AJC Her+Story

More than $1.4 million given to programs for Atlanta women and girls

Across the U.S., only 2% of charitable giving supports organizations dedicated to women and girls, according to the Atlanta Women’s Foundation.
Cynthia Zeldin (left) allows Global Village Project student Mu Doe (right) to pet Lily, a registered therapy dog, during their reading time at the Global Village Project school in Decatur in November 2019. The Global Village Project is one of about 20 nonprofits to receive a grant from the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, as the organization announced the investment of $1.418 million to nonprofits providing programmatic support to women and girls in Metro Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer/AJC)
Cynthia Zeldin (left) allows Global Village Project student Mu Doe (right) to pet Lily, a registered therapy dog, during their reading time at the Global Village Project school in Decatur in November 2019. The Global Village Project is one of about 20 nonprofits to receive a grant from the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, as the organization announced the investment of $1.418 million to nonprofits providing programmatic support to women and girls in Metro Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer/AJC)
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About 20 nonprofits with programs focused on helping women and girls in metro Atlanta received a financial boost to their work, thanks to the Atlanta Women’s Foundation.

On Thursday, as the bright afternoon sun streamed through the glass atrium of Atlanta City Hall, nonprofit leaders, city officials and executives from AWF gathered to distribute more than $1.4 million in grants at the foundation’s annual Community Investment Celebration. The grants ranged from $25,000 to $75,000.

Women in metro Atlanta live below the poverty line at a slightly higher rate than men, according to census data. Across the U.S., only about 2% of charitable giving supports organizations dedicated to women and girls, AWF said in its 2026 Impact Investment Report.

The foundation aims to fill that gap by investing in nonprofits that serve low-income women, girls and families in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. It focuses primarily on mental and physical healthcare, workforce development and economic opportunity, empowerment, education and life skills.

Atlanta Women's Foundation CEO Kari Love speaks during the organization's annual Community Investment Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Atlanta. (Courtesy of the Atlanta Women's Foundation)
Atlanta Women's Foundation CEO Kari Love speaks during the organization's annual Community Investment Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Atlanta. (Courtesy of the Atlanta Women's Foundation)

“At AWF, we believe that investing in women and girls is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen our communities. When women have the opportunity to succeed, families become more sustainable,” Kari Love, the foundation’s CEO, said during the event.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the grantee organizations are putting “boots on the ground” in the community.

“It is fitting that we are here in the City Hall, this beautiful atrium, to host a room full of folks that are completely aligned to remove systemic obstacles that may be in place that disproportionately affect women and girls and … to be more specific, oftentimes women and girls of color,” Dickens said during his remarks.

“We share AWF’s vision of a future where every woman and girl has a fair shot, where they are safe, healthy, and educated and economically secure,” he said.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (center) with city and Atlanta Women's Foundation officials during the organization's annual Community Investment Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Atlanta. (Courtesy of the Atlanta Women's Foundation)
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (center) with city and Atlanta Women's Foundation officials during the organization's annual Community Investment Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Atlanta. (Courtesy of the Atlanta Women's Foundation)

This year’s recipients included:

Alongside the grants, the foundation presented a $5,000 scholarship to a young mother and nursing student, Pue Meh, to help her studies at Clayton State University.

Last year, the foundation invested a little over $1.7 million in about 20 nonprofits. Since 1998, when the organization became independent from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, it has invested about $30 million in programs and grants focused on women and girls in the region.


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