Grantmakers in the News
August 1, 2004
Name: The Goizueta Foundation
Year founded: 1992
Contact: Maria Elena Retter, Exec. Dir.
Address: 4401 Northside Parkway, Suite 520
Atlanta, Georgia 30327
Telephone: 404-239-0390
Fax: 404-239-0018
URL: www.goizuetafoundation.org
Mission: The purpose of The Goizueta Foundation is to assist organizations that empower individuals and families
through educational opportunities to improve the quality of their lives.
Background: The Goizueta Foundation, established in 1992 by Mr. Roberto C. Goizueta and his wife, Olga, aims to support educational
programs that promote sustainable change and have a long-term impact in the community. Mr. Goizueta was Chairman, Board of
Directors, and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company until his death in October 1997. He was a native of Cuba
and a graduate of Yale University. In 1954, Mr. Goizueta joined the technical department of The Coca-Cola Company in Havana,
Cuba, where his family and he resided until 1960, when they relocated to the U.S.
Mr. Goizueta felt deeply that the nation's future and the future of our country's youth depended on the strength of the
American family. In creating The Goizueta Foundation, he sought to acknowledge his indebtedness to this country and to
continue the commitment to philanthropic endeavors that has symbolized the leadership of The Coca-Cola Company for more
than a century.
In order to carry out this vision, The Foundation prefers to work closely with potential grantees to encourage open
communication and foster a sense of community partnership. Currently, The Foundation operates with a staff of seven
individuals who are all involved in the grant-making process.
What are the foundation's current priorities/programs? The Foundation supports programs and organizations within
the state of Georgia. Because our resources are limited, and to best advance The Foundation's mission, we focus our
grantmaking for the greatest possible impact by concentrating on those problems which we believe have long-term impact and
sustainable change. Therefore, The Goizueta Foundation is currently focused on and will review organizational overviews in
the following areas:
- Early Childhood Education
- Primary and Secondary Education
- Higher Education
- Continuing Education for Adults
- Youth and Family Development
- Youth Homes
- Immigrant/Refugee Services
- Services for People with Disabilities
* In order to maximize its grant-making impact, The Goizueta Foundation has selected a limited number of Arts and Cultural
organizations in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Therefore, The Foundation will review organizational overviews from the
pre-selected list only.
What is the best initial approach for organizations approaching your foundation? Organizations are asked to
complete an organizational overview form and submit required attachments. A detailed description of the grant-making
process can be accessed at www.goizuetafoundation.org. The
Foundation does not accept blind proposals and will not consider organizations that have not followed The Foundation's
process.
When reviewing a proposal, what do you look at first? Before an organization reaches the proposal stage in our
process, The Goizueta Foundation determines strategic alignment with the organization’s mission, its long-term vision, and
the services it delivers. The program staff works with each organization individually to coach and counsel the
organization through The Foundation’s entire grant-making process. When reviewing proposals, The Goizueta Foundation
involves its entire staff in review. As a team, we review each proposal to understand the organization’s goals and
implementation strategies, and ensure that the proposed initiatives match The Foundation’s priorities.
How do you measure the success of your grantee's project? Typically, when partnering with organizations, The
Goizueta Foundation sets goals and drafts evaluation elements in collaboration with the organizations. The Foundation
views every grant as a learning opportunity. We hope that organizations will stay in close contact with our program team
so that we can continuously reflect upon each grant’s challenges and successes. We are aware that few grants go exactly as
planned. Through reporting, we hope to increase our understanding of the current and evolving challenges facing our
grantees and the strategies they are using to overcome them.
What keeps you motivated to work in the field of philanthropy? It is an awesome experience to help organizations
transform the way in which they operate with the purpose of touching and improving human lives. Philanthropy is about
connecting, creating, learning, and sharing. The Goizueta Foundation is pleased to be in a position to support many
successful endeavors that are changing social outcomes one grant at a time.
Tell us about a funding partnership you consider to be a great success and why.
Recently, The Goizueta Foundation partnered with Hispanic Scholarship Fund to initiate an outreach project for Georgia.
Since its establishment, Hispanic Scholarship Fund has been the cornerstone of Hispanic resources and networking for higher
educational institutions. In addition, they have successfully created meaningful partnerships with many elementary,
middle, and high schools in Georgia to ensure that the schools are aware of the opportunities available for Hispanic
students and their families. While their daily work and activities are impressive, Hispanic Scholarship Fund also
evaluates their programs and shares their best practices and lessons learned with others in the community. By sharing
their successes and struggles, Hispanic Scholarship Fund has helped The Goizueta Foundation forge greater collaborative
relationships and advance our knowledge in the field.
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