Who We Are
The Liz Blake Giving Fund equips and activates the potential of Atlanta’s mothers and their children by investing in two-generation (2Gen) approaches to early childhood development, maternal and child mental health and wellbeing and financial empowerment.
About the Liz Blake Giving Fund
Since 2019, the Liz Blake Giving Fund has championed efforts to invest in Georgia’s mental health ecosystem, early education field, and models of financial empowerment with a focus on equipping and empowering under-resourced moms and children ages zero to three through a two-generation investment approach.
Leveraging financial and social capital, informed by research, we advocate for the sustainability of the 2Gen investment model to address key points of vulnerability perpetuating economic immobility for women and children.
Our Mission
With relentless optimism, the Liz Blake Giving Fund is committed to investing in:
the empowerment of women as successful mothers and providers for their families and leaders in their communities.
the early brain and social development of infants and young children to promote language nutrition, and positive parent-child interaction, leveraging trauma-informed best practices.
Who We Are
Liz and Frank Blake
Liz and Frank Blake have been active leaders in the philanthropic community in Atlanta for many years both in their professional careers and in retirement. Liz served as Habitat for Humanity’s senior vice president, Advocacy, Government Affairs, and General Counsel for nine years. After retiring in late 2014, Liz continued to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity International, making over fifty trips to Haiti to secure tenure and land rights and address gender issues impacting development. Prior to 2006, Liz was executive vice president and general counsel of US Airways, Trizec Properties and GE Power Systems. She was also vice president and chief of staff of Cinergy Corp., now part of Duke Energy. Liz serves on the boards of Green Brick Partners, Inc. (GRBK NYSE), the Marcus Autism Center, Enterprise Community Partners, Skyland Trail, and the Westminster Schools. She previously served ten years on the board of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; is a past chair of the Ohio Board of Regents and of the Carter Center's Board of Councilors. Liz is a graduate of Smith College and Columbia University School of Law.
In late 2019, the Blakes launched the Liz Blake Giving Fund to pilot giving strategies that would demonstrate significant and immediate impact in Metro Atlanta, where they have made their home. Learnings from the Fund will instruct future givings of their family foundation.
Mary Flynn Niemitz
Mary Flynn Niemitz serves as Director of Strategy for the Liz Blake Giving Fund. An Atlanta native, she has previously worked in affordable housing in San Francisco and philanthropy in New York City. Since moving home to Atlanta 2014, she has worked with nonprofits and family funds to develop strategy, engage stakeholders, and create mission impact. She holds an MPA from the Columbia School of International Affairs and a BA from Washington and Lee University.
How We Operate
As a small, but nimble donor-advised fund, we are able to work swiftly to identify and fund gaps in the care continuum, strategically investing in new models with opportunities to scale throughout the city of Atlanta and beyond. We thrive in getting to know each partner and nonprofit—building rapport with leadership to more easily identify opportunities to invest that can make transformational differences.
Where We Invest
Focusing on pregnancy to 3rd grade, the Liz Blake Giving Fund prioritizes two-generation approaches to:
