The Power of Place: Innovation, Partnership, and Philanthropy in Cartersville
We are excited to welcome you to Cartersville, population 25,000 and home to Smithsonian-affiliated museums that have welcomed more than 3 million visitors. GGA’s 2025 Place-Based Philanthropy Tour will commence on Tuesday, October 28th at 4:00 pm and conclude on Wednesday, October 29th at 3:00 pm.
Cartersville’s nonprofit, civic, and philanthropic leaders are working together to spark economic growth, strengthen education, and meet community needs. Experience firsthand how place-based philanthropy is shaping a thriving Georgia community—and gather fresh ideas for your own work.
Our full agenda is below!
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The Mayor of Cartersville will welcome GGA attendees, and speakers from the city and county will help introduce us to this special place in the northwest corner of Georgia. Setting the stage for the two-day gathering, leaders will share a brief history of the region, its economic development trajectory, and the community’s philanthropic legacy. Speakers will share how a culture of innovation, through partnerships between city, philanthropic, business, and nonprofit leaders, has led to remarkable community growth. The session will preview examples that will be explored in depth throughout the visit.
Marty Sonenshine, Anverse, Inc
Matt Santini, Mayor of Cartersville
Steven Schumacher, President of Cartersville Bartow County Tourism
Macra Adair, Savoy Museum
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Attendees are invited to enjoy a private, self-guided tour of the museum, which will be closed to the public for participants’ exclusive access.
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Following the self-guided tour, participants can reconnect with friends and meet new colleagues at a special reception and dinner served in the museum's event space. To close the evening, program leaders will connect the day’s themes and preview what lies ahead. Speakers will frame Cartersville’s story as one of aspiration, innovation, and care for community. From supporting K-12 students and strengthening the workforce pipeline to meeting human needs and positioning Cartersville as both an industrial hub and cultural destination, participants will gain a roadmap for the discussions and site visits to come.
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Transportation will be provided from the hotel to the Tellus Museum for the morning program, and then to the College & Career Academy and downtown for the afternoon programs. Please make plans to check-out prior to the morning program. You may leave your luggage in your vehicles or with the front desk. A continental breakfast with coffee and refreshments will be provided at Tellus Science Museum.
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Marty Sonenshine will open the day with an overview of Anverse’s distinctive approach to philanthropy. As both a family foundation and operating entity, Anverse has leveraged partnerships with elected officials, agency leaders, and nonprofits to respond to community needs in creative ways. Participants will hear how programs such as the Benevolence Fund and challenge grants have seeded long-term change, while collaborations with civic partners have ensured that resources reach where they are most needed.
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Cartersville and Bartow County are experiencing rapid growth, balancing industrial expansion with cultural tourism and workforce development. This panel will showcase how public-private partnerships have centered arts and culture as a powerful means of economic growth in Cartersville. Melinda Lemmon from the Joint Development Authority will present key data on economic and population growth in Bartow County, a destination for industry and tourism. Leaders from the Booth Western Art Museum, Tellus Science Museum, Savoy Automobile Museum, and Bartow County History Center will then discuss how their respective institutions, through collaborative ownership and management models, have driven economic prosperity and kept local assets within the community.
Speakers include:
Moderator: Cathy Lee Eckert, COO of Georgia Museums
Adam Wade, Tellus Science Museum
Trey Gaines, Bartow County History Center
Macra Adair, Savoy Museum
Seth Hopkins, Booth Western Art Museum
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What does it look like when a community takes ownership of its own challenges? This discussion will feature nonprofit leaders addressing homelessness, addiction recovery, and support for children and families. Moderated by David Aft of the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia, the panel will explore how Cartersville’s “homegrown” approach has created lasting impact. Nonprofit leaders will provide firsthand examples of how philanthropy has helped build a stronger social safety net to meet the needs of the community's most vulnerable residents.
Speakers include:
Doug Belisle, Good Neighbor Shelter
Rachel Castillo, Advocates for Children
Jessica Mitcham, Recovery Bartow
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Participants will have the opportunity to explore the new Tellus Science Museum exhibit, Journey to Space. Journey to Space was designed and developed by the Science Museum of Minnesota in partnership with NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the International Space Station Office, the California Science Center, and partner museums.
Then, participants will be transported to the Bartow County College & Career Academy.
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The Bartow County College & Career Academy is a cornerstone of the region’s workforce development strategy. During this presentation, school leaders, employers, and alumni will share how the Academy equips students with skills that align with industry needs while also supporting personal growth and career exploration. Participants will hear first-hand accounts about how this model is preparing the next generation and addressing demographic changes in the community.
Speakers include:
Superintendent Clint Terza
Lisa DiPrima, CTAE Coordinator
Greg Doss, Principal
Current Students
Lunch will be provided by local favorite, Scott’s Walk-Up Bar-B-Q.
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Attendees will be transported downtown for a guided walking tour of the Radio Station and the Teacher Resource Center, a public-private partnership, before the group convenes at the Grand Theater.
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Many of Cartersville’s most valued community assets exist because of innovative philanthropy. This panel will highlight how philanthropic support saved the Grand Theater, revitalizing it and giving it back to the community as an anchor that sparked community gathering and downtown development, drawing visitors to local restaurants and businesses. Speakers will also discuss the theater's role in providing enrichment and educational programs, including summer camps for students. The session will also showcase the community resource of the local AM/FM radio station, which provides local news and broadcasts community celebrations and high school sports, reinforcing a sense of local pride and connection.
Speakers include:
Matt Santini, Station Manager of WBHF
Kristy Montgomery, Program Director at The Grand Theater
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This concluding panel will bring together key leaders to share specific case studies where philanthropy was a catalyst for starting and sustaining initiatives, such as the GateKey program, enhanced afterschool programming for at-risk K-12 students, and the Teacher Resource Center. Local education leaders and philanthropic voices will share how private giving has sustained programs that government and markets alone could not. Together, they will illustrate how philanthropy continues to fuel Cartersville’s identity as both a cultural destination and a community that invests deeply in its people.
Speakers include:
Dr. Marc Feuerbach, Superintendent of Cartersville City Schools
Lisa Bell, President of Cartersville City Schools Foundation
Jennifer Wiggins-Matthews, director of K-5th afterschool programs
Sara Tornincasa, Empowering Canes (6th-12th grade afterschool programs)
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The gathering concludes with reflections from program hosts and participants, connecting themes across economic development, education, culture, and human services.
Transportation via charter bus will be provided to return to the Courtyard Cartersville hotel.
