Soma Foundation Inc.

Soma Foundation Inc. is a values-first private grantmaking foundation with a clear confessional identity. Founded in 2014 by Daniel P. Amos — Chairman and CEO of Aflac, headquartered in Columbus, Georgia — the foundation exists to 'glorify God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ' by funding Christian ministries that align with its Statement of Faith. This theological alignment requirement is non-negotiable and is the first criterion evaluated in any application through the mandatory Eligibility Quiz.

The foundation's giving philosophy clusters around three distinct priority pillars: (1) theological education and seminary support, (2) transformative direct-service ministries for the poor and vulnerable, and (3) retired clergy benevolence through the Shepherd's Fund. Organizations that map cleanly onto one of these pillars — and can demonstrate both spiritual fidelity and programmatic effectiveness — are the strongest candidates.

The grantee record reveals a clear tiered relationship model. Major institutions like Baylor University ($5.4M across 2 grants), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary ($4.3M across 3 grants), and United Theological Seminary ($2.6M across 3 grants) have received recurring, multi-year, million-dollar support that almost certainly reflects personal connections within the Amos family's faith community. First-time applicants should not expect these scales of investment — entry-level grants typically run $25,000–$100,000.

For social service ministries, the foundation has demonstrated sustained multi-year partnerships with grantees like the Salvation Army ($1.6M across 4 grant cycles), Open Door Community House ($1.55M across 4 cycles), Valley Rescue Mission ($1.35M across 4 cycles), and Safehouse Ministries ($1.29M across 4 cycles). These are organizations operating in and around Columbus, Georgia — pointing to a meaningful local anchor even as the foundation funds nationally and internationally.

New applicants should approach SOMA as a relationship-oriented, faith-driven funder. The denominational mix skews Wesleyan/Methodist and evangelical: United Methodist conferences, Wesleyan seminaries, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Samaritan's Purse, Young Life, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes all appear in the grantee portfolio. Being explicit about your theological tradition and doctrinal commitments is essential from the first contact. Secular organizations, regardless of their social service impact, will not qualify.

Soma Foundation's grantmaking has grown dramatically over five years, reflecting the compound growth of its $374.1 million asset base. Total giving rose from $10.2 million in FY2020 to $22.6 million in FY2023 — a 122% increase. Grants paid (cash disbursements) followed the same trajectory: $8.1M (FY2020), $10.1M (FY2021), $13.3M (FY2022), $18.4M (FY2023). FY2024 grant detail is not yet in public filings, though total expenses were $15.6M, with $11.5M in charitable disbursements reported by ProPublica.

Within the available grantee database of 185 grants totaling $44.7 million, the average grant is $241,556 — but this figure is heavily skewed by a handful of large institutional investments. The median grant is $50,000, which is far more representative of what most grantees receive. The range spans from approximately $10,000 at the floor to $3.2 million at the ceiling (a single Community Foundation transfer). The most common grant band appears to be $25,000–$100,000 for recurring operational partners.

By program area, theological education is the dominant category, absorbing an estimated 31% of total documented giving: Baylor University ($5.4M), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary ($4.3M), Interdenominational Theological ($3M), United Theological Seminary ($2.6M), George W. Truett Seminary ($1.5M), Asbury Theological Seminary ($750K), Gammon Theological Seminary ($250K), and Wheaton College ($100K) total over $13.9M. Social service ministries (Salvation Army, Open Door Community House, Valley Rescue Mission, Safehouse Ministries, Mercy Med, Teen Challenge) account for approximately $5.2M (12%). International evangelism missions (Billy Graham, Asian Access, Samaritan's Purse, Childspring, Naomi's Village) add roughly $4.6M (10%). Community Foundation pass-throughs ($7.35M across 4 grants) represent another major channel for regional grantmaking.

Geographically, Georgia dominates at 63% of grants (116 of 185). Texas (11 grants), North Carolina (7), Massachusetts (7), Colorado (10), Florida (5), and Kentucky (5) follow. The payout rate in FY2023 was approximately 7% of assets ($22.6M / $323.5M), above the 5% legal minimum for private foundations.

Soma Foundation occupies the $370–380M asset tier alongside several other family-controlled private foundations classified under Philanthropy & Grantmaking (NTEE T20). The table below captures its peer set by asset size:

Among foundations of similar scale, Soma stands out in two important ways. First, it maintains a publicly accessible, open application process with clearly stated quarterly deadlines — unusual for a family foundation at this asset level. John M. Belk Endowment, the most operationally transparent peer, operates primarily by invitation and focuses on post-secondary education and economic mobility in the Carolinas. The other three peers have essentially no public-facing application infrastructure.

Second, Soma's confessional identity creates a sharply defined applicant pool that self-selects. Unlike general philanthropies that evaluate across multiple issue areas, SOMA's Statement of Faith requirement functions as an efficient pre-screening mechanism — making it far more accessible to aligned organizations than its asset size might suggest, while being completely closed to the secular sector.

No major press releases, grant announcements, or external media coverage of Soma Foundation surfaced in searches for 2025-2026. This is consistent with a family foundation that operates quietly and does not engage in public communications campaigns or media outreach — the Amos family's philanthropic work is largely private.

The most significant recent development is the foundation's financial trajectory. Total assets grew from $231.8 million at the close of FY2020 to $374.1 million at the close of FY2024 — a 61% increase in four years driven by investment income ($18.1M in FY2023), Amos family contributions ($11.2M in FY2023), and market appreciation. Annual giving has nearly tripled from $8.1M in FY2019 to $22.6M in FY2023.

ProPublica's FY2023 filing reveals operational changes: Robert Beckum is now listed as a Director at $200,000 in compensation, and Jacklyn T. Silva serves as Administrator at $55,305. These roles were not present in prior years' filings, when officer compensation was $0. This signals a more professionalized grantmaking infrastructure emerging within the foundation, likely to support the increased volume of giving.

Trustees remain Daniel P. Amos (Chairman/President), Kathelen Amos, Lauren Amos, Laura Smith ($25,000 annual compensation), and Tamara Callier ($25,000 annual compensation). No leadership transitions among the founding family are apparent. The quarterly application cycle with February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 deadlines appears unchanged from prior years.

The single most important preparation step is a careful, honest self-assessment against SOMA's Statement of Faith before spending any time on the application. The foundation uses a mandatory Eligibility Quiz at the top of the application funnel specifically to surface misalignment early. If your organization's doctrinal commitments, leadership requirements, or programming ethos diverge from an evangelical Christian framework, no amount of strong impact data will overcome this filter.

For doctrinally aligned organizations, the application's five evaluation criteria deserve equal preparation: (1) demonstrated effectiveness in delivering the proposed services, (2) engagement of nonprofit best practices in governance and operations, (3) long-term sustainability of services beyond the grant period, (4) specific measurable outcomes with named assessment tools, and (5) documented collaborative funding from other confirmed sources. Weak answers on any of these five dimensions will significantly reduce competitiveness, even for theologically aligned applicants.

Time your application to one of the four quarterly deadlines: February 1, May 1, August 1, or November 1. The May and November cycles may see comparatively lower application volume than February (year-start) and August (fiscal-year-end planning). Submit at least two full weeks before the deadline to account for online portal issues, required document uploads, and review by your leadership.

Explicitly name the SOMA priority pillar your request fits. If you are a seminary or theological school, use the Theological School Scholarships framing. If you are a direct-service ministry, tie your work to 'transformative ministries for the poor and vulnerable.' Do not leave reviewers to infer your fit — name it directly in your opening narrative.

Present a multi-year track record. The grantee data consistently shows organizations that have received 3-4 grant cycles of support, starting with modest amounts and growing over time. SOMA is not a one-time funder — they build long relationships with organizations that prove out over years. Frame your application as the beginning of a relationship, not a transaction.

Avoid the hard exclusions categorically: no local church or school operating budgets, no endowments, no startup organizations, no festival or conference support, no film production, no advocacy groups, no multi-year pledges, and nothing headquartered outside the U.S.