Athens Area Community Foundation

10/16/2026

Learning, connecting, and sharing ideas! Last week’s visit to the North Georgia Community Foundation was a great reminder of the power of collaboration. We're always inspired by the chance to learn from other community foundations, share ideas, and strengthen our impact together!

10/15/2026

🖤 How do we honor the stories of our past while building a more just future? Nicole recently spent the evening with her fellow board members at the Athens Center for Racial Justice and Black Futures, an organization dedicated to illuminating the rich and diverse histories of African Americans in Athens and surrounding communities, igniting a commitment to justice and truth-telling, and inspiring future generations to create a more inclusive tomorrow.

📖 The Center is creating a space where community members can connect to the past, engage with Black history and culture, and help shape a more equitable future. Its mission grew from the community-led efforts to preserve and honor the history of Linnentown, a historically Black neighborhood whose story continues to inspire conversations about remembrance, justice, and hope.

🏛️ As a board member, Nicole is especially excited to support the development of what will become Athens' first dedicated African American history center, a place designed to educate, inspire, and bring people together through history, culture, and community dialogue.

✨ Grateful to serve alongside passionate leaders who are committed to ensuring these stories are preserved, celebrated, and shared with future generations. The work of building a stronger community starts with understanding where we've been and envisioning where we can go together.

10/14/2026

After losing their son to su***de, Patti and David Bradley founded the Spencer Bradley Foundation for Mental Health to help youth and young adults struggling with mental health. The Athens Area Community Foundation helped them turn grief into action and make a statewide impact.

Read their full story and learn how their foundation is changing lives:
https://athensareacf.org/community-stories/turning-loss-into-lifesaving-action/

10/13/2026

Nominations are OPEN for the 2026 Nonprofit of the Year Award! Do you know a nonprofit making an incredible difference in our community?
👉 Nominate them today and celebrate their impact!
📲 Scan the QR code or visit https://forms.gle/ZiCKYrvMNY2dYXNY6

Selected organizations will have the opportunity to share their story, highlighting leadership, innovation, collaboration, and community impact.

Celebrate the heart of our nonprofit community, submit your nomination today!

10/12/2026

Have you ever considered starting a donor advised fund? Let’s talk! 💛

A donor advised fund can help you organize your giving and support the causes you care about, with our team alongside you.

And it is just one of many ways to give with the Athens Area Community Foundation! Whether you want to establish a fund, contribute to a shared community effort, or plan a future gift, we can help you explore a path that reflects what matters most to you.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. Every relationship begins with a conversation.

Connect with us: https://athensareacf.org/giving/types-of-funds/

Your Giving. Our Guidance. Lasting Impact.

With many types of funds to explore, Athens Area Community Foundation can help you select the best option for giving.

10/12/2026

Sixty years of caring for our community, and a vibrant vision for what comes next! 💛

We were honored to celebrate the ribbon cutting for The Center at , one of our agency fundholders. The gathering was warm, welcoming, and full of possibility, honoring ACCA’s 60 year history while looking ahead to aging well for all.

A special connection made the celebration even sweeter: spending time with AACF fundholder Helen Hudson Mills, whose father, William Hudson, helped start ACCA! What a beautiful reminder that the care we invest in our community today can shape lives for generations.

Congratulations to the ACCA team and everyone helping bring this vision to life. Here’s to connection, belonging, and a vibrant future at every age!

10/09/2026

A little kindness goes a long way!
We’re feeling extra grateful for our wonderful community partners at The Center at ACCA for welcoming our newest team members, Elise and Madison, with these beautiful flowers! 💐

Starting something new is always a little more special when you’re surrounded by people who make you feel welcomed, supported, and connected.
Community partnerships like this are a reminder that meaningful work happens when we show up for one another, celebrate each other, and continue building a stronger community together. 💚

10/08/2026

💙 Happy National DAF Day! 💙
Today, we’re celebrating Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) and the many ways they help generosity go further in our community.

➡️For donors, a DAF can make giving more intentional, flexible, and connected to the causes you care about.
➡️For nonprofits, DAF grants can be an important source of charitable support that helps organizations respond to needs, strengthen their work, and create lasting impact.
➡️For professional advisors, DAFs can be a powerful tool for helping clients turn their charitable intentions into meaningful action.

And at the Athens Area Community Foundation, we get to sit at the intersection of all three. We bring community knowledge, trusted relationships, and a deep understanding of local needs to help connect generosity with opportunity.

🎁 Thinking about your year-end giving? Now is a great time to start.
If you have a DAF, consider reviewing your charitable priorities and initiating your year-end grants now. Your generosity can help local nonprofits finish the year strong and put resources to work where they’re needed most.

Whether you're already a DAF fundholder, considering opening a fund, advising clients on charitable giving, or leading a nonprofit, there’s a place for you in this conversation.
Because when we grow philanthropy together, we can all grow giving for the community we LOVE. ❤️

10/07/2026

🎉 Please join us in welcoming Madison Sanders to the AACF team!

Madison joined the Athens Area Community Foundation this month as our new Director of Community Leadership, where she’ll lead the growth of our community leadership initiatives across Northeast Georgia.

She brings a passion for bringing people and organizations together to address community needs and create lasting change. Most recently, Madison served as Executive Director of Family Promise of Athens and previously worked at the federal and state level with the Office of Head Start and the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students.

Madison holds a BA in Economics from Washington and Lee University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia.

A longtime Athens resident, Madison lives here with her husband, Mark, and their two children, Willie and Annie. 💚

Welcome, Madison! We’re so glad you’re here!

10/06/2026

What a joy to celebrate 50 years of the Jeannette Rankin Foundation 🌟

Sarah McKinney, President | CEO of the Athens Area Community Foundation, was honored to serve as emcee for the STAR Party and experience the energy, gratitude, and celebration from the stage.

From its Athens roots to its national impact, the Foundation has helped women transform their futures through education. We loved celebrating the scholars, supporters, and visionary leaders who make this work possible.

Congratulations on five decades of possibility and purpose! Here’s to all that comes next!