The Lillian S. Wells Foundation concentrates its giving on a small number of sizable, often repeat grants that combine biomedical research and clinical medicine with community-focused investments in South Florida. Major support goes to brain tumor research and pediatric medicine, alongside consistent funding for regional youth economic education and performing arts, and periodic gifts to national health policy research. Grants are directed to established institutions rather than small grassroots groups, reflecting a preference for program- or endowment-style gifts (research funds, professorships, capital/campaign support).
Lillian S Wells Foundation Inc has made brain tumor research a defining line of giving, with multiple $1,000,000 grants to the University of Florida Foundation for the L.S. Wells Fund for Brain Tumor Research in 2023 and 2025. That scale sits alongside other large institutional gifts in health policy, pediatric medicine, and South Florida education and arts, showing a pattern of substantial support for established organizations rather than smaller project grants. The foundation’s recent activity also includes $500,000 gifts to Heritage Foundation for health policy studies and to Junior Achievement of South Florida for general purposes, as well as repeated support for Broward Performing Arts Foundation’s campaign for Parker Playhouse. In health care, it has backed pediatric otolaryngology through Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, including support for the Lauren D. Holinger, MD Professorship. The mix of research, clinical medicine, civic education, and cultural funding points to a grantmaker that uses sizable, recurring institutional commitments across a limited set of priorities.
Biomedical research is a central theme. The foundation gave $1,000,000 in 2025 to University of Florida Foundation for the L.S. Wells Fund for Brain Tumor Research, extending a prior $1,000,000 gift in 2023 for the same fund. In health policy, it awarded $500,000 in 2025 to Heritage Foundation for health policy studies, matching a $500,000 gift in 2023 for the same purpose. Pediatric medicine is another clear thread: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago received $250,000 in 2025 for the Lauren D. Holinger, MD Professorship in Pediatric Otolaryngology, with another $100,000 in 2025 for the same professorship. Education grants include $200,000 in 2025 to James Madison Institute for civics education studies and $100,000 in 2025 to Intercollegiate Studies Institute Inc for an honors program.
Grant size is weighted toward major commitments: the typical grant falls at $50,000 at the 25th percentile, $175,000 at the median, and $500,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same institutions across 2023 and 2025, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation operates as a private foundation rather than an individual donor vehicle and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants are mostly program, professorship, research-fund, or campaign support rather than broad small-dollar awards.
$3M
$30.1M
$2.1M
$3.3M
Most grants fall between $50K and $500K, with a median of $175K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$175K
75th Percentile
$500K
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Concentrated, large gifts with multiple repeat grants to the same institutions; mix of restricted research/endowment funding and regional capital or program support rather than many small one-off grants.
Notable grantees: University of Florida Foundation (L.S. Wells Fund for Brain Tumor Research), Heritage Foundation (health policy studies), Junior Achievement of South Florida, Broward Performing Arts Foundation / Parker Playhouse, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Giving reaches several concentrated hubs. Florida recipients appear often, including Gainesville, Coconut Creek, Fort Lauderdale, and Tallahassee, and recipients in the HQ state account for 50% of grants. Outside Florida, Chicago, Washington, Wilmington, and Farmington appear in the recent grant list. All recorded grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients, with no non-U.S. countries represented.
Its recent grants center on brain tumor research, health policy studies, pediatric otolaryngology, civics education, honors programming, and performing arts support. The largest recurring commitment is to brain tumor research, with repeated $1,000,000 grants to the University of Florida Foundation for the L.S. Wells Fund for Brain Tumor Research.
The grant-size distribution is skewed toward large awards: p25 is $50,000, median is $175,000, and p75 is $500,000. Recent examples include million-dollar research grants and multiple $500,000 institutional gifts.
Yes. The recent record includes repeat grants across 2023 and 2025 to several organizations, including University of Florida Foundation, Heritage Foundation, Junior Achievement of South Florida, Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, James Madison Institute, Intercollegiate Studies Institute Inc, Nova Southeastern University, Miss Porter's School, and The Latino Student Fund.
The top state by grant count is Connecticut, while recipients in Florida make up 50% of grants. Recent recipient cities include Gainesville, Coconut Creek, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Washington, Tallahassee, Wilmington, and Farmington.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION | GAINSVILLE, FL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | L.S. WELLS FUND FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION | GAINSVILLE, FL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | L.S. WELLS FUND FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH |
| BROWARD PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $500,000 | 2025 | CAMPAIGN FOR PARKER PLAYHOUSE |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA | COCONUT CREEK, FL | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA | COCONUT CREEK, FL | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | FOR HEALTH POLICY STUDIES |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | FOR HEALTH POLICY STUDIES |
| BROWARD PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $500,000 | 2025 | CAMPAIGN FOR PARKER PLAYHOUSE |
| ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD PROFESSORSHIP IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY |
| JAMES MADISON INSTITUTE | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $200,000 | 2025 | CIVICS EDUCATIONS STUDIES |
| JAMES MADISON INSTITUTE | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | CIVICS EDUCATIONS STUDIES |
| INTERCOLLEGIATE STUDIES INSTITUTE INC | WILMINGTON, DE | $100,000 | 2025 | HONORS PROGRAM |
| INTERCOLLEGIATE STUDIES INSTITUTE INC | WILMINGTON, DE | $100,000 | 2025 | HONORS PROGRAM |
| ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD PROFESSORSHIP IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY |
| NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | ART MASTER TEACHER AND CURATOR OF EDUCATION ART MUSEUM |
| NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | ART MASTER TEACHER AND CURATOR OF EDUCATION ART MUSEUM |
| MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL | FARMINGTON, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL | FARMINGTON, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE LATINO STUDENT FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE LATINO STUDENT FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION | GAINSVILLE, FL | $1,000,000 | 2023 | L.S. WELLS FUND FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2023 | FOR HEALTH POLICY STUDIES |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA | COCONUT CREEK, FL | $500,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BROWARD PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $500,000 | 2023 | CAMPAIGN FOR PARKER PLAYHOUSE |
| ANN & ROBERT H LURIE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2023 | LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD PROFESSORSHIP IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY |
| JAMES MADISON INSTITUTE | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $100,000 | 2023 | CIVICS EDUCATIONS STUDIES |
| INTERCOLLEGIATE STUDIES INSTITUTE INC | WILMINGTON, DE | $100,000 | 2023 | HONORS PROGRAM |
| MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL | FARMINGTON, CT | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $50,000 | 2023 | ART MASTER TEACHER AND CURATOR OF EDUCATION ART MUSEUM |
| THE LATINO STUDENT FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION
$1,000,000L.S. WELLS FUND FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION
$1,000,000L.S. WELLS FUND FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA
$500,000GENERAL PURPOSES
LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD PROFESSORSHIP IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY
JAMES MADISON INSTITUTE
$100,000CIVICS EDUCATIONS STUDIES
LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD PROFESSORSHIP IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY
ART MASTER TEACHER AND CURATOR OF EDUCATION ART MUSEUM
ART MASTER TEACHER AND CURATOR OF EDUCATION ART MUSEUM
MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOUNDATION
$1,000,000L.S. WELLS FUND FOR BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH
LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD PROFESSORSHIP IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY
MISS PORTER'S SCHOOL
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
ART MASTER TEACHER AND CURATOR OF EDUCATION ART MUSEUM