Radow Family Foundation Inc.

## Approach Strategy

The Radow Family Foundation is a small, family-directed private foundation operating out of Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia. It is headed by Norman J. Radow (President) with administrative support from Brian Joseph Hurd (Secretary, full-time) and Lisa Hurd (Treasurer). The foundation does not have a public website or formal open grant cycle, which means successful applicants typically have a prior relationship with the Radow family or are referred through trusted networks within Atlanta's Jewish community or higher education sector.

Who should apply: Organizations are most likely to receive funding if they fall into one or more of the following categories: - Jewish community organizations, synagogues, federations, or Israel-connected nonprofits - Higher education institutions with ties to Kennesaw State University or the Atlanta Jewish community (e.g., Hillel chapters, Jewish student life programs) - Reproductive health and global health nonprofits with credible programmatic scope - Atlanta-area community service organizations addressing underserved populations

How to approach: - Applications may be submitted via an attached PDF form (referenced in the foundation's 990PF Part XV). Email outreach is the most likely first step. Contact: 3560 Lenox Rd NE Ste 2625, Atlanta, GA 30326; Phone: (770) 272-9330. - Build a relationship through the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, which is the foundation's largest recurring grantee, suggesting deep alignment with the Federation's network. - Requests should be framed as "general fund support" — the foundation overwhelmingly makes unrestricted grants rather than project-specific awards. - Cold applications from outside the foundation's known networks are unlikely to succeed without a warm introduction.

## Funding Patterns

Annual grant volume: The foundation has made between 23 and 30 grants per year in recent filings (29 grants in 2024, 23 in 2023, 30 in 2022 — 82 grants over three years).

Grant size distribution: - Median grant: ~$10,000 - Most grants: $25,000–$100,000 - Large anchor grants: $288,000–$500,000 (reserved for top institutional priorities) - Smallest grants: ~$5,000

Note: The anomalously high 2020 grantmaking ($3.1M) likely reflects a large founding distribution or one-time major grant. The foundation's sustainable annual grantmaking is approximately $600K–$1M.

Geographic pattern: Roughly 60% of grantmaking goes to Atlanta/Georgia-based organizations. The remaining 40% flows to national Jewish organizations (FIDF, AIEF, PSI, NY Law School, etc.) and a handful of out-of-state institutions (Plattsburgh College in NY, Wisconsin Badger Camp in WI).

Cause concentration: Jewish communal and Israel-related causes consistently capture the largest share — estimated 55–65% of total annual giving. Higher education is the second-largest category at 25–30%.

## Peer Comparison

The Radow Family Foundation is a small-to-mid-sized Atlanta private foundation by Georgia standards. Here is how it compares to similar foundations in the Atlanta Jewish philanthropic ecosystem:

Peer foundations: - Marcus Foundation (Atlanta, GA): Substantially larger ($500M+ in assets), broader focus including autism/development, Jewish causes, and children's health. Not a meaningful peer — operates at a different scale. - Blank Family Foundation (Atlanta, GA): A major Atlanta Jewish family foundation; broader health and community focus. Much larger asset base. - Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation (Atlanta, GA): Focused exclusively on Atlanta nonprofits; education and childcare emphasis. Comparable grant sizes but different focus. - Robert W. Woodruff Foundation (Atlanta, GA): Far larger, general public benefit orientation. - Cousins Foundation (Atlanta, GA): Real estate family foundation; civic and education focus in metro Atlanta.

Closest true peers (family foundations with $1–5M assets, Jewish community focus, Atlanta): - Sam Eig Foundation - Tull Charitable Foundation (smaller, Atlanta-based) - Hillenbrand Family Foundation

Distinguishing characteristics of the Radow Foundation: 1. Unusually concentrated relationship with Kennesaw State University — the $500K single grant to KSU in 2024 suggests a multi-year institutional commitment or capital campaign pledge, not typical for a foundation of this asset size. 2. Strong FIDF (Friends of Israel Defense Forces) partnership — recurring grants in both 2024 and prior years signal ideological alignment. 3. The Jewish Fertility Foundation and PSI suggest openness to reproductive health causes beyond the core Jewish communal portfolio — an uncommon combination for Atlanta family foundations. 4. Small asset base ($1.5–2.2M) but generous distribution rate (~45% of assets annually), indicating the foundation may be spending down toward natural conclusion or relying on annual contributions from the Radow family to sustain giving.

## Recent Activity (2024)

The most recent available 990PF filing (tax year 2024, published by IRS December 2025) shows the following grants:

2024 financial summary: - Total distributions: ~$996,000 - Total assets (year-end): ~$2.2M - Officer compensation: Brian Joseph Hurd (Secretary) at $93,000/yr - Revenue in 2024 was negative (-$278,455), suggesting investment losses; the foundation is drawing down assets

Organizational note: The significant investment in Kennesaw State University ($500K grant + Hillels + Chabad at KSU) suggests Norman Radow or a family member has a strong personal connection to KSU — perhaps as an alumnus, trustee, or major donor. This is a focal relationship for understanding the foundation's direction.

## Application Tips

1. Align with the foundation's demonstrated priorities. The Radow Foundation's giving is highly concentrated: Jewish community organizations and higher education (especially KSU-connected programs) account for the majority of annual grantmaking. Proposals outside these areas face long odds unless they have a strong community services or reproductive health angle (see Open Doors Atlanta and PSI).

2. Request general operating support. Nearly all Radow grants are classified as "General Fund" support. Project-specific or restricted-use proposals are not the norm for this foundation. Frame your ask as unrestricted support for your mission.

3. Lead with your Atlanta roots. The foundation is headquartered in Buckhead and most grantees are Atlanta-based or affiliated with Atlanta Jewish life. Emphasize local impact, local leadership, and ties to the Atlanta community. Demonstrating a connection to the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta — the foundation's anchor grantee — would strengthen credibility.

4. Right-size your ask. Most grants are in the $10,000–$100,000 range. First-time applicants should likely request $10,000–$25,000 and build the relationship over time. The $500K KSU grant represents an outlier likely tied to a capital campaign and existing deep relationship.

5. Pursue a warm introduction. The foundation has no publicly visible grant application portal or RFP process. A warm introduction through the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, a KSU administrator, or a mutual contact in the Atlanta Jewish philanthropic community will significantly increase the likelihood of a response.

6. Contact information: - Address: 3560 Lenox Rd NE Ste 2625, Atlanta, GA 30326 - Phone: (770) 272-9330 - Administrative contact: Brian Joseph Hurd (Secretary) — the day-to-day operational contact - Decision authority: Norman J. Radow (President)

7. Timing: No formal application deadline is listed. The foundation files on a calendar year (December year-end). Grant decisions are likely made on a rolling basis or in concentrated periods (Q3/Q4 of each year based on typical private foundation practices).