Ricks-Wheeler Fund
The proceeds of the James Wynn Ricks, Jr. and Kenneth Wayne Wheeler Fund, a gift of the late Jim Ricks, are designated to support programs and activities which minister to persons living with HIV/AIDS. The amount available for disbursement each year now exceeds $30,000, and grant requests are reviewed by a committee of Cathedral parishioners. While engaging with our community partners by volunteering and serving with them, the Cathedral also contributes monetarily to ensure stability for our partners’ ongoing efforts to serve our neighbors.
To add impact and contribute to the Ricks-Wheeler Fund, please contact David Rocchio at drocchio@cathedralATL.org, or 404-365-1033. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at with the Ricks-Wheeler grantees, please contact the Rev. Julia Mitchener, Canon for Mission, at 404-365-1083 or julia.mitchener@cathedralATL.org.
Applications
Applications to the Ricks/Wheeler Fund should be submitted electronically by Monday, August 3, 2026. Only electronic submissions will be considered, and should include the following:
- Application form
- Letter of request
- Two years of most current audited financials
- Most recent IRS Form 990
- IRS letter of exemption certifying 501(c)3 status (unless previously submitted)
- One page report of use of last year’s grant funds (prior recipient only)
Please keep your letter of request brief—preferably one page, and no more than two. Please describe in it the mission of your organization, the services you provide, the population that you serve, and any historical information that you think may be helpful to the grants review committee in understanding the ministry that you provide.
Grants from the Ricks/Wheeler fund are not restricted to Episcopal or other faith-based organizations. However, it is important to the grants review committee to understand how the grant will be used to carry out the gospel service to which we are called. Please make sure your letter explains to us how the grant provided will carry out both the intent of the donor—ministry to persons with HIV/AIDS—and this gospel call to service.
If your organization does not conduct annual audits, please attach financials along with a statement by your board chair or executive director certifying that the statements are true, whole, and accurate.
While not required, a site visit may be a useful activity for our grants reviewer(s) to understand the work your organization does. A grants reviewer may contact you to schedule a site visit.
If you have any questions about the Ricks-Wheeler grant process, please contact Sara Craig-Goodell, scraiggoodell@cathedralATL.org.