To champion charitable giving to improve the quality of life in the areas we serve, both now and for future generations.
Givewell Community Foundation Inc’s recent giving is anchored by large, place-based commitments in Lakeland, especially to Bonnet Springs Park and related designations. Several of its biggest awards support city and community development, general contributions, and long-term park funding, showing a funder that pairs immediate support with sustained community projects. The foundation’s grant record also reaches into education and campus life through major support for Florida Southern College and Florida Polytechnic Univ Foundation, while human services and health remain active channels through Parker Street Ministries Housing, Lakeland Regional Health Foundation, YMCA of West Central Florida, and The Salvation Army West Polk County. The pattern suggests a community foundation working across a defined service area with substantial recurring support for local institutions. Its largest recent grants are measured in the multi-million-dollar range, and the same Lakeland organizations appear repeatedly across years and funding categories. That repetition points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. Alongside its community development work, the foundation funds arts and culture, religion, veterans projects, parks and public spaces, and college and career readiness, but the most visible pattern in the recent grants is concentrated support for local civic assets and service providers.
In city and community development, the foundation gave $12,744,360 to Barnett Bonnet Springs Designated for city and community development, and $8,355,000 to Bonnet Springs Park Fund for the same broad area. Those awards sit alongside additional park-related grants, indicating sustained support for community infrastructure and public space. Education is another clear lane. Florida Polytechnic Univ Foundation received $5,522,000 for college support, and Florida Southern College received $5,516,854 for college support, with a separate $6,935,082 award to the same college for arts and culture. Human services also appear prominently: Parker Street Ministries Housing received $6,000,000 for human services, and The Salvation Army West Polk County received $2,126,324 for human services. Health and local care show up through Lakeland Regional Health Foundation, which received both general support and health funding in 2024 and 2025.
$136.4M
$669.9M
$63.7M
$66M
Most grants fall between $11K and $100K, with a median of $26K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$26K
75th Percentile
$100K
CATHERINE NESLUND
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Typical grants cluster around a median of $26,423, with a lower quartile of $10,500 and an upper quartile of $100,000, but the recent record also includes very large multi-million-dollar awards. The grants are not limited to one-off gifts: several recipients reappear across multiple years, including Bonnet Springs Park-related entities, Lakeland Regional Health Foundation, YMCA of West Central Florida, and Carol Jenkins Barnett Community-related funds. The foundation is classified as a mixed community foundation, funds individuals, and does not make program-related investments. No application process is shown in the provided data.
Grantmaking is strongly local. In the recent grants list, 100% of recipient organizations are in the US, and 80% of grants go to recipients in Florida, the foundation’s headquarters state. Lakeland dominates the recipient map, with repeated awards to local institutions such as Bonnet Springs Park, Lakeland Regional Health Foundation, and Florida Southern College. Outside Lakeland, only a few Florida cities appear in the recent list, including Highland City and Coral Gables, indicating a mostly city-centered grant pattern within the state.
The recent grants show support for community development, education, human services, health, arts and culture, religion, parks and public spaces, and nonprofit capacity building. Recipients include local park funds, colleges, health foundations, human services providers, and community organizations, which fits the foundation’s broad community-improvement focus.
The grant-size distribution is p25 $10,500, median $26,423, and p75 $100,000. Recent awards also include multi-million-dollar grants, so the foundation makes both modest operating-style gifts and very large project or designation-based commitments.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Bonnet Springs Park-related entities, Lakeland Regional Health Foundation, YMCA of West Central Florida, and Carol Jenkins Barnett Community-related funds. That repeated appearance suggests ongoing relationships rather than purely one-time gifts.
The giving is highly concentrated in Florida: 80% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is Michigan only in the broader recipient pattern? Actually, the recent grants list is overwhelmingly Lakeland, Florida. The listed recipient country distribution is entirely US, with 876 grants to US recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Givewell Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to public nonprofit charitable organizations serving Polk County and recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations.
Deadline: Annual competitive cycle; examples in scraped content include applications open September 10, 2021 through October 4, 2021, and September 9, 2022 through October 17, 2022.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARNETT BONNET SPRINGS DESIGNATED | LAKELAND, FL | $12,744,360 | 2025 | CITY & COMMUNITY DEV |
| BONNET SPRINGS PARK FUND | LAKELAND, FL | $8,355,000 | 2025 | CITY & COMMUNITY DEV |
| BARNETT BONNET SPRINGS DESIGNATED E | LAKELAND, FL | $7,895,940 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| BONNET SPRINGS PARK | LAKELAND, FL | $7,764,880 | 2025 | CITY & COMMUNITY DEV |
| FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE | LAKELAND, FL | $6,935,082 | 2025 | ARTS & CULTURE |
| PARKER STREET MINISTRIES HOUSING | LAKELAND, FL | $6,000,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIV FOUNDATION | LAKELAND, FL | $5,522,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION - COLLEGE |
| FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE | LAKELAND, FL | $5,516,854 | 2025 | EDUCATION - COLLEGE |
| PARKER STREET MINISTRIES HOUSING FU | LAKELAND, FL | $4,100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH FNDN | LAKELAND, FL | $3,515,675 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| CAROL JENKINS BARNETT COMMUNITY | LAKELAND, FL | $3,378,583 | 2025 | CITY & COMMUNITY DEV |
| LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH FOUNDATION | LAKELAND, FL | $3,026,205 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA | LAKELAND, FL | $2,838,575 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| CAROL JENKINS BARNETT COMMUNITY END | LAKELAND, FL | $2,262,788 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA | LAKELAND, FL | $2,212,310 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| THE SALVATION ARMY WEST POLK COUNTY | LAKELAND, FL | $2,126,324 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| FLORIDA UNITED METHODIST FOUNDATION | LAKELAND, FL | $2,000,000 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| NOW & FOREVER FUND (GWCF) | LAKELAND, FL | $1,935,895 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| GCU FUND - PASS THRU GIFTS | LAKELAND, FL | $1,679,962 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| FLORIDA ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT TRUST A | CORAL GABLES, FL | $1,550,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION - COLLEGE |
| ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH | LAKELAND, FL | $1,251,512 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA | HIGHLAND CITY, FL | $1,213,420 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ACADEMY PREP CENTER OF LAKELAND | LAKELAND, FL | $1,119,225 | 2025 | EDUCATION K-12 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY | LAKELAND, FL | $1,109,410 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA | HIGHLAND CITY, FL | $1,109,168 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| POLK STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $1,045,185 | 2025 | EDUCATION - COLLEGE |
| POLK STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $1,033,041 | 2025 | EDUCATION - COLLEGE |
| THE SIGNATRY | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $999,572 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| GRANT COMMITTEE ENDOWMENT FUND (GWC | LAKELAND, FL | $998,466 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| IDEA FLORIDA INC | TAMPA, FL | $750,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION K-12 |
| IDEA FLORIDA DESIGNATED FUND | LAKELAND, FL | $675,000 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| GRACE CHURCH OF MARIN | SAN ANSELMO, CA | $670,000 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY | RICHMOND, VA | $634,415 | 2025 | EDUCATION - COLLEGE |
| THE WEBB SCHOOL | BELL BUCKLE, TN | $634,415 | 2025 | EDUCATION K-12 |
| THE SALVATION ARMY - WEST POLK COUN | LAKELAND, FL | $607,743 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| PROJECT HARMONY | OMAHA, NE | $600,000 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| GOSPEL INC | LAKELAND, FL | $518,333 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| JDRF INTERNATIONAL | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $500,500 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| BREAKTHROUGH T1D AKA JDRF | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $500,000 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| ALL OTHERS 5000 OR LESS | — | $467,403 | 2025 | — |
| ALICE C O'REILLY LEGACY FUND | LAKELAND, FL | $461,858 | 2025 | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION |
| OTHER 5000 AND LESS | LAKELAND, FL | $461,296 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | LAKELAND, FL | $436,161 | 2025 | EDUCATION K-12 |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - LAK | LAKELAND, FL | $429,549 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| TALBOT HOUSE MINISTRIES OF LAKELAND | LAKELAND, FL | $413,526 | 2025 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| CHRISTIAN COUNSELING & EDUCATION FO | GLENSIDE, PA | $330,000 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| FLORIDA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | LAKELAND, FL | $329,933 | 2025 | ARTS |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WINTER | WINTER HAVEN, FL | $312,600 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| COMMUNITY ENDOWMENT FUND | LAKELAND, FL | $312,289 | 2025 | CITY & COMMUNITY DEV |
| ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $300,700 | 2025 | RELIGION |
BARNETT BONNET SPRINGS DESIGNATED
$12,744,360CITY & COMMUNITY DEV
BONNET SPRINGS PARK FUND
$8,355,000CITY & COMMUNITY DEV
FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE
$6,935,082ARTS & CULTURE
PARKER STREET MINISTRIES HOUSING
$6,000,000HUMAN SERVICES
FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIV FOUNDATION
$5,522,000EDUCATION - COLLEGE
FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE
$5,516,854EDUCATION - COLLEGE
LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH FNDN
$3,515,675HEALTH
CAROL JENKINS BARNETT COMMUNITY
$3,378,583CITY & COMMUNITY DEV
LAKELAND REGIONAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
$3,026,205HEALTH
YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
$2,838,575HUMAN SERVICES
YMCA OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
$2,212,310HUMAN SERVICES
THE SALVATION ARMY WEST POLK COUNTY
$2,126,324HUMAN SERVICES
FLORIDA UNITED METHODIST FOUNDATION
$2,000,000RELIGION
ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$1,251,512RELIGION
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF POLK COUNTY
$1,109,410HUMAN SERVICES
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
$1,109,168HUMAN SERVICES
POLK STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$1,045,185EDUCATION - COLLEGE
POLK STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$1,033,041EDUCATION - COLLEGE
IDEA FLORIDA INC
$750,000EDUCATION K-12
GRACE CHURCH OF MARIN
$670,000RELIGION
THE SALVATION ARMY - WEST POLK COUN
$607,743HUMAN SERVICES
JDRF INTERNATIONAL
$500,500HEALTH
ALL OTHERS 5000 OR LESS
$467,403OTHER 5000 AND LESS
$461,296GENERAL
LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
$436,161EDUCATION K-12
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - LAK
$429,549RELIGION
TALBOT HOUSE MINISTRIES OF LAKELAND
$413,526HUMAN SERVICES
CHRISTIAN COUNSELING & EDUCATION FO
$330,000RELIGION
FLORIDA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
$329,933ARTS
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WINTER
$312,600RELIGION
COMMUNITY ENDOWMENT FUND
$312,289CITY & COMMUNITY DEV
ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM
$300,700RELIGION