By Cory Sekine-Pettite
Earlier this year, the Cobb Community Foundation (CCF) reported a record year in charitable donations and scholarships awarded. CCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that brings people, ideas, and resources together to address Cobb County’s needs and opportunities — helping businesses and individuals give with purpose and empowering nonprofits to do their best work.
In its 2025 Impact Report, CCF said its charitable assets reached $39 million. Collectively with their charitable fundholders who give through the Foundation, CCF granted $6.5 million in scholarships and support — 73 percent of which stayed in Cobb County. CCF President and CEO, Shari Martin, said she is overwhelmed with gratitude.
“[The Impact Report] tells the story of this community,” she said. “It’s a story about people who refuse to sit on the sidelines. People who see a need and step in. People who give, lead, and care — not for recognition, but because that’s just who they are. …You see it in businesses that invest in the well-being of the community that sustains them. Our Corporate Community Champions help make so much of this work possible — fueling grantmaking, strengthening nonprofits, and investing in long-term solutions. Because of that support, we’ve been able to invest in initiatives that help families build stability and opportunity.”
Among its key 2025 initiatives, CCF’s Match Magic Giveathon wrapped up on Dec. 2, 2025, with $1.7 million raised for 27 local nonprofits — more than doubling the total raised in 2024 and far exceeding the $1 million goal. Selected from more than 50 applicants, the 27 participating nonprofits were equipped with training, storytelling tools, and multi-channel visibility throughout the campaign. Through coordinated emails, social media, websites, and local media partnerships, Match Magic amplified each organization’s reach and helped engage both new and existing supporters.
Cobb Community Foundation said the results of Match Magic speak for themselves with 93 percent of participating nonprofits gaining new donors, 89 percent reaching new audiences, 78 percent seeing larger gifts from existing supporters, and 96 percent expressing strong interest in returning to the Match Magic campaign.
Further, CCF reports that matching campaigns such as this can increase total donations by up to 35 percent, encouraging donors to give more when their generosity is amplified. Cobb Community Foundation’s proportional match model follows this research, distributing match dollars based on each nonprofit’s share of total funds raised and encouraging greater participation and larger gifts across the community. Martin says, “Without the match, there is no Match Magic, which is why we are so thankful for them.” (CCF retains none of the donations raised.)
According to CCF, 2025’s success was anchored by the organization’s Platinum Match Pool Lead Donor, Walton Communities, whose $50,000 gift seeded the Match Pool in both 2024 and 2025. Additional support from Genuine Parts Company, S.A. White Oil Company, several of CCF’s donor advised fundholders, and others grew the pool to $138,000. Thanks to local philanthropist Steve Imler covering printing, mailing, and paid social media costs, the full Match Pool remained intact — maximizing impact for participating nonprofits.
Beyond Match Magic, Martin says, “I’m especially grateful for the individuals, families, and companies who have entrusted us with their charitable funds. They can support causes anywhere — and many do. But they choose to give through Cobb Community Foundation because they want to stay connected to this community, to better understand the challenges facing Cobb County, and to be thoughtful about where and how they give. We are honored to partner with them in that work.”
The largest share of the $6.5 million in grants and scholarships distributed by CCF partners went to education programs (17 percent), followed by faith-based initiatives, healthcare, youth services, community improvement programs, and more. The complete breakdown of the grant distributions can be found in the 2025 Impact Report online at cobbfoundation.org.
Speaking of education, CCF invested in several impactful programs in 2025, including Fast Start Academy, YMCA Little School at Green Acres Church, and Marietta City Schools. “Investments in early learning … are preparing children for success in school while supporting working families,” Martin said. “These are real solutions, made possible by people who care enough to act.
“At Cobb Community Foundation, we simply have the privilege of connecting the dots — mobilizing people, ideas, and resources so generosity can go further,” she continued.
For more information on its programs, to donate, or to find out more about volunteer opportunities, visit cobbfoundation.org.
