John Bulow Campbell Foundation

The J. Bulow Campbell Foundation operates from one of the clearest and most consistent giving philosophies in Georgia philanthropy: capital campaigns, Christian values, and established organizations only. Founded upon Atlanta businessman J. Bulow Campbell's death in 1940 with approximately $6-7 million in assets, the foundation has grown to $758M and distributed over $900 million cumulatively — guided by its founder's scriptural touchstone, 1 Timothy 6:18: "Be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate."

The foundation functions exclusively as a capital campaign funder. It does not provide operating support, program grants, annual gifts, seed capital, or event funding. Every major grant in the database — from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta ($11.6M across seven grants) and Shepherd Center Foundation ($4M) to Wesleyan School ($2M), Spelman College ($1.5M), and Morehouse School of Medicine ($1M) — was awarded for a capital purpose: construction, renovation, land acquisition, or endowment. First-time applicants who approach this funder with program or operating requests will be declined regardless of organizational quality.

The foundation is governed by a lean board of seven unpaid trustees and led by Executive Director Elizabeth 'Betsy' Verner, who recently succeeded longtime ED John W. Stephenson. The board meets quarterly and makes final funding decisions at those meetings. Applications begin with a one-page letter of inquiry submitted by quarterly deadlines (January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1). Critically, staff contact before submission is explicitly encouraged — calling 404-658-9066 or emailing info@jbcf.org to discuss organizational fit and appropriate grant size is standard practice and strategically essential.

The foundation prioritizes well-established nonprofits with experienced leadership, a demonstrated record of financial stability, and documented success metrics. Organizations in their early years or without multi-year track records will not succeed here. The foundation has explicitly named "Christian-based institutions and organizations emphasizing Christian principles" as a priority, alongside accredited private educational institutions and Georgia Research Alliance-member universities. All 203 grants in the available database were awarded to Georgia organizations, with heavy Atlanta concentration, underscoring the funder's deep roots in the state's civic infrastructure.

The J. Bulow Campbell Foundation has demonstrated consistent growth in both assets and annual grantmaking over the past decade. Assets rose from $524M (FY2015) to $758M (FY2024), while annual giving climbed from $31.9M (FY2015) to $39.96M (FY2024), peaking at $46.3M in FY2023. Net investment income has been the dominant revenue driver: $89.1M in FY2024, $81.9M in FY2021, and $36.7-36.8M in FY2019-2020 — substantially exceeding the mandatory 5% payout rate every year.

Grant size data from the foundation's grantee database reveals a median grant of $300,000, an average of $468,552-$584,500 (depending on period), and a range from $57,012 to $2,000,000. At 57 grants in FY2024 totaling $39.96M, the implied average award was approximately $700,000 — elevated above the longer-term median, reflecting continued deployment toward major anchor institution campaigns.

The largest individual grants recorded include: Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta ($4.5M single grant, $11.6M across seven grants total), Shepherd Center Foundation ($4M), The Salvation Army ($3.25M single + $1.37M across six additional grants), YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta ($3M), and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation ($2.5M).

Sector analysis reveals four primary giving streams. Education dominates: private Christian K-12 schools (Wesleyan School $2M, The Howard School $1.65M, Mount Paran Christian School $1.25M, Savannah Country Day School $1M, Athens Academy $750K), independent schools (Pace Academy $1M, Holy Innocents' Episcopal School $1M), and higher education (Berry College $2M, Spelman College $1.5M, Morehouse School of Medicine $1M, University of Georgia $1M). Youth development is the second major stream: YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta ($3M), YMCA of Georgia's Piedmont ($1.8M), Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier ($1.5M), Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta ($1.25M), Camp Twin Lakes ($1.5M), and Young Life ($1.5M). Human services represent the third: Atlanta Mission ($2M), City of Refuge ($1.5M), Mercy Care Foundation ($1.5M), Covenant House Georgia ($750K), and Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia ($750K). Healthcare capital rounds out the portfolio: Shepherd Center Foundation ($4M), Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation ($2.5M), and Piedmont Healthcare Foundation ($1M).

Geographic concentration is absolute: 100% of the 203 grantee records in the database are Georgia organizations, with a pronounced Atlanta-metro clustering.

The J. Bulow Campbell Foundation is best contextualized alongside similarly capitalized private foundations in the $740M-$780M asset range. The five closest asset-comparable peers are geographically dispersed across the southeastern, midwestern, and western United States:

Note: Peer annual giving figures are estimated at approximately 5% of assets (the IRS minimum payout requirement for private foundations); actual figures may differ. JBCF figure reflects confirmed FY2024 Form 990 data.

Among this cohort, the J. Bulow Campbell Foundation stands out as the most accessible: it accepts unsolicited LOIs on a quarterly cycle, publishes detailed eligibility criteria and application guidelines on its public website, and actively encourages pre-submission staff contact. The vast majority of foundations at this asset tier operate on an invitation-only basis. However, JBCF's open process comes with strict substantive gatekeeping — capital campaigns only, established organizations, Christian values alignment, and geographic restriction to Georgia and five neighboring states. The open door is real, but narrow.

The most consequential recent development at the J. Bulow Campbell Foundation is a leadership transition. Long-serving Executive Director John W. Stephenson, whose IRS-reported compensation peaked at $479,700 in FY2022, has stepped back from day-to-day operations. Elizabeth H. 'Betsy' Verner has assumed the Executive Director role — confirmed by the foundation's own application process page, which directs applicants to contact Verner directly. Her compensation was recorded at $273,354 in an earlier year and $363,067 in FY2024, indicating a multi-year transition rather than an abrupt change. For prospective applicants, this transition represents both a relationship opportunity and a moment of caution: established grantee relationships formed under Stephenson may need to be refreshed with the incoming leadership.

On the financial front, FY2024 was a strong year. Total assets rose to $758M from $716M in FY2023, driven by $89.1M in net investment income. Annual grant disbursements of $39.96M across approximately 57 awards continued the elevated giving pace that began in FY2022 ($42.1M) and continued through FY2023 ($46.3M) — a meaningful step up from the FY2019-2020 baseline of approximately $24-25M annually.

The foundation maintains an intentionally low public profile consistent with founder Campbell's practice of anonymous giving. No press releases, program pivots, or public announcements were identified in searches for 2025 or 2026. The foundation's prior grants PDFs for 2018-2025 remain the primary public transparency vehicle. The foundation's website (jbcf.org) was confirmed active as of early 2026 with all application guidance current.

Securing a grant from the J. Bulow Campbell Foundation requires strategic timing, specific organizational readiness, and genuine values alignment — not just strong writing.

Lead with campaign readiness, not organizational narrative. The foundation is most responsive when three conditions are simultaneously met: reliable cost estimates for the capital project exist, 50-60% of the total campaign goal has already been raised from other sources, and the project is scheduled to begin within the next 12-18 months. This is not a preference — it is an explicit readiness threshold. Applying before reaching 50% of goal will almost certainly result in a decline.

Call before you write. Pre-submission contact with Executive Director Betsy Verner (404-658-9066, info@jbcf.org) is explicitly encouraged by the foundation. This conversation serves two critical functions: it confirms your organizational eligibility, and it helps you calibrate your request amount. The foundation avoids funding disproportionate percentages of any single campaign, so asking staff what an appropriate request level looks like for your campaign size prevents you from inadvertently submitting either a too-small or too-large ask.

Nail the one-page format. The LOI must be exactly one page and must include: the organization's full legal name; description of mission, founding date, programs, and service statistics; how the grant would be used; total project cost and funds raised to date; the specific dollar amount requested; project timeline; and signatures from both your board chair and chief administrative officer. Attach your original IRS tax-exempt determination letter confirming 'not a private Foundation' status. Missing any element is a common mistake.

Use the foundation's language. The foundation's philosophy is rooted in Christian stewardship — terms like humility, service, community permanence, and faithful use of resources resonate. Christian-affiliated organizations should explicitly reference values alignment. Secular organizations should emphasize long-term institutional durability, community benefit, and proven leadership.

Demonstrate financial maturity. The foundation explicitly favors established organizations with experienced leadership, documented financial stability, and measurable success metrics. Include references to audited financials, reserve funds, board governance strength, and multi-year organizational track record.

Avoid these disqualifying mistakes: requesting operating support framed as capital; asking for more than roughly 20% of your total campaign goal in a single grant; applying as a new or startup organization; contacting trustees directly; or failing to wait the mandatory one year after a declined application.