# Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham

Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham is an Endowment / Foundation based in Birmingham, AL, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Birmingham, AL, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Birmingham, AL, United States
- **Founded:** 1959
- **Assets under management:** ~$260 million (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** cfbham.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/community-foundation-of-greater-birmingham

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Founded in 1959, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham was established as a permanent endowment to serve the region. President and CEO Christopher Nanni runs the day-to-day alongside Investment Committee Chair DeLynn Zell, Board Chair Sanjay Singh, and a board stacked with construction and insurance executives from local firms like Hoar Construction, Brasfield & Gorrie, and Protective Life Corporation. The foundation pursues a hybrid strategy, blending a marketable securities portfolio with direct community investments in distressed debt, fund-of-funds allocations, and special situations. Its balance sheet carries direct real estate exposure through entities like the Charitable Real Estate Foundation and specific residential projects such as The Cottages on Georgia Road in Birmingham. The partnership with Opportunity Alabama (OPAL) anchors its place-based, impact-oriented co-investment strategy. Since inception, the foundation has channeled over $500 million into Greater Birmingham. The team, whose size is not publicly disclosed, stewards an estimated $260 million in assets (Altss estimate). The investment committee, chaired by Bridgeworth CEO DeLynn Zell, works alongside a board embedded in the regional economy. The foundation also holds split-interest agreements and maintains membership in the Council on Foundations and Philanthropy's Promise. Structurally, its distinction comes from a community-foundation mandate run with the direct-investment muscle of a private family office — holding loans, real estate titles, and special-situations exposure rather than outsourcing everything to external managers. This operating posture gives it an unusual level of control over how endowment capital meets local development needs.

## Sectors

- Real Estate
- Private Credit
- Secondaries & Special Situations

## People

- Christopher Nanni — President and CEO
- DeLynn Zell — Investment Committee Chair
- Sanjay Singh — Board Chair
- Turner Burton — Board Member; President of Hoar Construction
- Chris Kramer — Board Member; Brasfield & Gorrie
- David Germany — Board Member; Vice President at Protective Life Corporation

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham?

The Investment Committee, chaired by DeLynn Zell, CEO of Bridgeworth (now Savant Wealth Management), oversees the foundation's portfolio. President and CEO Christopher Nanni manages daily operations, with strategic guidance from a board that includes leaders from Hoar Construction, Brasfield & Gorrie, and Protective Life Corporation.

### Does the foundation operate like a typical grantmaker or does it make direct investments?

It operates a hybrid model. Beyond traditional grantmaking, the foundation makes direct impact investments in local real estate, co-invests alongside partners like Opportunity Alabama, and holds a portfolio spanning marketable securities, distressed debt, fund-of-funds, and special situations.

### What is the foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external partners?

The foundation actively co-invests with local development entities. Its documented partnership with Opportunity Alabama (OPAL) and direct lending activity, such as the Titusville Cultural Center Loan, show a willingness to anchor or participate in place-based deals with other impact-oriented capital providers.

### How is the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham's real estate exposure structured?

Real estate exposure includes direct holdings through the Charitable Real Estate Foundation, a mixed-use entity, and direct residential development like The Cottages on Georgia Road. The foundation also holds loans tied to cultural and community properties rather than investing only through third-party real estate funds.

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/community-foundation-of-greater-birmingham

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology