Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia

Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia

The Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia operates from Dalton, Georgia, deploying capital through a network of donor-advised and permanent endowment funds. Its leadership includes President David Aft and board members drawn from local industrial firms like Shaw Industries and Synovus Bank. Rather than managing a single source of wealth, the foundation pools charitable gifts from families and corporations tied to the region's manufacturing economy, directing them toward civic infrastructure. Deployment concentrates on built-environment projects within Whitfield County and the surrounding northwest Georgia area. The foundation has directed capital toward the restoration of the historic 1852 Depot in downtown Dalton and the construction of facilities at the Burr Performing Arts Park. Its capital structure relies on permanent endowments — including the Norene Boring Trust Endowment Fund, the Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center Permanent Endowment Fund, and the Strain Family Charitable Foundation — which provide a durable base for grantmaking alongside a beneficial interest in assets held by other regional entities. The foundation's board integrates executives from dominant local employers. Vance Bell, Chairman and CEO of Shaw Industries, and Bill Davies, a Synovus Bank executive, hold leadership roles. The foundation maintains accreditation with the Council on Foundations through 2026 and holds active memberships in the Southeastern Council of Foundations and the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. In May 2024, the foundation's assets under management were estimated at approximately $100 million by Altss research, reflecting decades of aggregated community philanthropy. The foundation's structure as a community endowment — not a private family office — means its grantmaking priorities are shaped by a board of regional business leaders rather than a single family's directives. This governance model ties its investment posture directly to Dalton's economic cycles and civic needs, making it a distinct vehicle for local capital recycling.