Although incorporated in Chicago, the Lela D Jackson Foundation for the Arts concentrates almost all of its giving in Sarasota County, FL, with a clear emphasis on education. The foundation channels large, multi-year gifts—often through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County—to sustain the L. Jackson scholarship fund and to support K–12 educational programs, including a focus on a local military academy. Its grants are few but sizable and targeted toward sustaining scholarship and school-based programming in a specific geography.
Concentrated, relatively small portfolio: few (6) but large grants totaling nearly $1M, repeated multi-grant support to the same intermediary (Community Foundation of Sarasota County) and local education organizations in Sarasota.
The Lela D Jackson Foundation for the Arts Co. makes large, targeted gifts that sustain the L. Jackson Scholarship Fund and school-based programming in Sarasota County, Florida. Its recent grants show a repeated pattern of six-figure support to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, including $300,000 in 2023, $250,000 in 2024, and $150,000 in 2025 for the scholarship fund. That scholarship line is paired with education support for local schools and related organizations, including the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and Sarasota Military Academy Foundation. The foundation’s giving is concentrated in a small set of recipients and purposes rather than spread broadly across many geographies or issue areas. Alongside scholarship administration, it has backed K–12 educational program support and other school-linked work in Sarasota, where grants are often structured as program support or restricted scholarship support. It also funds arts organizations in Sarasota, including Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Florida Studio Theatre, and the Sarasota Orchestra, showing that its arts identity sits alongside its education-focused grantmaking. Although incorporated in Chicago, the foundation’s recent philanthropy is centered in southwest Florida and often flows through intermediary organizations that administer scholarship or education programs.
Scholarship funding is the clearest line in the foundation’s recent grant record. In 2025, it gave $150,000 to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for the L. Jackson Scholarship Fund, following $250,000 in 2024 and $300,000 in 2023 for the same purpose. Education program support is another recurring theme. The Education Foundation of Sarasota County received $113,000 in 2023 and $35,000 in 2024, both for educational program support, then $95,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. The foundation also supported Visible Men Academy J Ronald Skipper Esq with $30,000 in 2024 and $20,000 in 2023. Its arts support includes $20,000 to Sarasota Ballet of Florida Inc in 2025 and $20,000 to Florida Studio Theatre in 2025, plus $20,000 to the Florida West Coast Symphony Inc d/b/a Sarasota Orchestra in 2024. These grants place arts institutions alongside schools in the foundation’s funding mix.
$430K
$8.2M
$911K
$624K
Most grants fall between $20K and $86K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$86K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in FL.
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Notable grantees: Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota Military Academy Foundation
Typical grants cluster around $20,000, with a median of $20,000 and a 25th percentile of $20,000; the 75th percentile rises to $86,250. That spread reflects a mix of repeated larger scholarship awards and smaller program grants. The foundation funds individuals, and the scholarship line is administered through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County rather than by direct individual awards in the recent-grants list. The pattern is recurring rather than one-off: the same scholarship fund appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and several education and arts recipients also reappear across multiple years. The foundation does not make program-related investments. Its recent giving is largely restricted or program-specific, with grants directed to named purposes such as scholarship funding and educational program support.
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Sarasota, Florida. The recent grants list shows Sarasota as the recipient city for nearly every award, including the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota Military Academy Foundation, Ringling College of Art & Design Office for Advancement, Sarasota Ballet of Florida Inc, and Florida Studio Theatre. The only non-Sarasota recipient city in the list is West Palm Beach, Florida, for Gunster. All recent grants went to U.S. recipients, and 0% were given to recipients in Illinois. The foundation gives regionally rather than nationally, with Florida serving as the clear center of activity.
It funds scholarship administrators, K–12 education organizations, and arts institutions. The recent grants list includes the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for the L. Jackson Scholarship Fund, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County for educational program support, and Sarasota Ballet of Florida Inc and Florida Studio Theatre for program support.
Yes. The largest recurring line in the recent grants is the L. Jackson Scholarship Fund, with awards of $300,000 in 2023, $250,000 in 2024, and $150,000 in 2025 through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
The typical grant size is $20,000. The p25 is $20,000, the median is $20,000, and the p75 is $86,250, showing a cluster of smaller program grants alongside larger scholarship awards.
Most grants go to Sarasota, Florida. Recent recipients include the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota Military Academy Foundation, Ringling College of Art & Design Office for Advancement, Sarasota Ballet of Florida Inc, and Florida Studio Theatre.
In the recent grants list, all 18 grants went to U.S. recipients, and the listed recipient locations are in Florida. No recent grants in the data go to recipients outside the United States.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY | SARASOTA, FL | $250,000 | 2026 | L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD |
| EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY | SARASOTA, FL | $100,020 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SARASOTA BALLET OF FLORIDA INC | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SARASOTA ORCHESTRA | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2026 | LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP |
| COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY | SARASOTA, FL | $150,000 | 2025 | L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD |
| EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY | SARASOTA, FL | $95,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SARASOTA MILITARY ACADEMY FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $60,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SARASOTA BALLET OF FLORIDA INC | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP |
| FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOLIDAY HOUSE SRQ | SARASOTA, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY | SARASOTA, FL | $250,000 | 2024 | L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD |
| COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY | SARASOTA, FL | $250,000 | 2024 | L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD |
| EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY | SARASOTA, FL | $35,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY | SARASOTA, FL | $35,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VISIBLE MEN ACADEMY J RONALD SKIPPER ESQ | Sarasota, FL | $30,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VISIBLE MEN ACADEMY J RONALD SKIPPER ESQ | Sarasota, FL | $30,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP |
| SARASOTA MILITARY ACADEMY FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP |
| SARASOTA MILITARY ACADEMY FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FLORIDA WEST COAST SYMPHONY INC D/B/A SARASOTA ORCHESTRA MASTER OPERATIN | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FLORIDA WEST COAST SYMPHONY INC D/B/A SARASOTA ORCHESTRA MASTER OPERATIN | SARASOTA, FL | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GUNSTER | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $4,989 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY | SARASOTA, FL | $300,000 | 2023 | L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD |
| EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY | SARASOTA, FL | $113,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VISIBLE MEN ACADEMY J RONALD SKIPPER ESQ | Sarasota, FL | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SARASOTA BALLET OF FLORIDA INC | SARASOTA, FL | $15,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY
$250,000L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD
EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY
$100,020EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SARASOTA ORCHESTRA
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP
COMMUNITY FDN OF SARASOTA CTY
$150,000L JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP FD
EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY
$95,000EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
SARASOTA MILITARY ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$60,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP
FLORIDA STUDIO THEATRE
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HOLIDAY HOUSE SRQ
$15,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT
$20,000LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP
SARASOTA MILITARY ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN OFFICE FOR ADVANCEMENT
$20,000LELA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP
SARASOTA MILITARY ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
FLORIDA WEST COAST SYMPHONY INC D/B/A SARASOTA ORCHESTRA MASTER OPERATIN
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
FLORIDA WEST COAST SYMPHONY INC D/B/A SARASOTA ORCHESTRA MASTER OPERATIN
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
GUNSTER
$4,989PROGRAM SUPPORT