A HISTORY OF GIVING
Sartain Lanier was a distinguished business leader who also made significant contributions to many organizations in his community, particularly in the area of education. He was co-founder of Atlanta-based Oxford Industries, as well as Lanier Business Products. Since 1963 The Sartain Lanier Family Foundation has carried out the charitable interests of Sartain Lanier and his family. The Foundation seeks to use the assets he bequeathed for the community he valued, with the intelligence, effectiveness and values he embodied. [Learn more]
FOCUS ON EDUCATION
The Foundation is focused on organizations which have broad, systemic impact with an emphasis on opportunities for K-12 students in the metro Atlanta area. New grants are limited to organizations in the metro Atlanta area. The few grants given each year outside Atlanta are based on commitments to organizations with which the Foundation has a lengthy history.[Learn more]
NEW GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
Beginning in August 2021, the Sartain Lanier Family Foundation moved from an “invitation only” to “letter of inquiry” process to be more clear, transparent and accessible to those seeking grants. The link to the letter of inquiry (LOI) application and applicable deadlines can be found here. The Grant Committee will review each LOI thoroughly. For each deadline, we will contact any organization submitting an LOI by the 1st of the following month about whether the organization will be invited to submit a full proposal.
More changes are ahead as the Foundation’s Board of Trustees considers future focus areas. We anticipate that the Foundation will continue to focus on children and youth, with a particular interest in education. We will also continue to make multi-year operating, project and capital grants to organizations of all sizes, though recognizing that multi-year giving limits the number of organizations we can support in a three-year cycle.
We understand that 2020 and 2021 have been especially traumatic for nonprofit leaders and staff, and those you serve. We hope to make changes in process and outcomes that honor all aspects of your work. We also hope to institute the elements of the trust-based philanthropy movement to make the grant process as simple as possible.
