Central Atlanta ProgressABOUT US
Our Foundation
The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in metro Atlanta and Georgia by investing in transformational, lasting solutions to community needs. We have awarded more than 2,300 grants totaling $4.2 billion since inception.
Legacy of “Mr. Anonymous”
Our grantmaking is inspired by the legacy of Robert Winship Woodruff, longtime leader of The Coca-Cola Company. He established the Trebor Foundation in 1937 and made many gifts to meet pressing needs in his hometown of Atlanta.
Mr. Woodruff lived by the creed, “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.” He gave quietly, earning the nickname “Mr. Anonymous.” Only upon his death in 1985 was Trebor (“Robert” spelled backwards) renamed the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation.
Metro Atlanta ChamberAbout the Foundation
The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation is the beneficiary of the estates of Mr. Woodruff and his wife, Nell Hodgson Woodruff. It shares an office and staff with the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, Lettie Pate Evans Foundation and Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, which allows us to jointly consider and administer grants for all four foundations. This arrangement came about through the friendship between Mr. Woodruff and Mrs. Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans, the first woman to serve on The Coca-Cola Company’s board of directors.
The Woodruff Foundation focuses giving on metro Atlanta and occasionally considers support for significant initiatives across Georgia. We make grants in six areas to improve the quality of life for everyone who calls our region home. Grants typically support one-time needs for organizations with strong leadership, a broad base of financial support, successful program outcomes, and the capacity to sustain work long-term.
Our Values
Humility
We believe that serving the Foundation is a privilege that demands our best efforts. We strive to be responsive and accessible to those who seek our support. We honor others by lifting up their work and investing in their ideas and leadership. We commit to listen deeply and learn continuously.
Integrity
We act with honesty, fairness and transparency. We communicate clearly and openly. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of ethical conduct. We work to build trust in our relationships and live out our values every day.
Stewardship
We honor the charitable intentions of our founders and seek to manage, invest and apply our resources judiciously and effectively. As a perpetual endowment, we focus on durable solutions and transformational opportunities.
Equity
We recognize that inequities – particularly racial inequity – exist in our community. We dedicate ourselves to understanding and advancing equity and investing in our community so that all have the opportunity to thrive.
The Jones Center at Ichauway by Hunter Nichols ProductionsLeadership and Policies
Governance
The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees, which sets policies and makes decisions about the Foundation’s operations, grantmaking, management, investments and governance.
Articles of Incorporation
Provides specific purposes for the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation as a Georgia corporation and private foundation.
Bylaws
Lists the rules that guide the Board of Trustees in managing the Foundation’s operations.
Statement of Principles
Serves as a guide for everyday professional conduct for the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and staff.