The Straz Family Foundation concentrates large, strategic gifts to cultural and civic institutions in the Tampa region and to a small number of national cultural partners. Their funding emphasizes performing arts presentation and education, community arts infrastructure, major local attractions (zoo/conservation), and significant support for a local Presbyterian congregation’s operations and capital needs. Grants are few but sizeable, aimed at sustaining flagship institutions and high-profile projects rather than broad-based small grants.
A defining feature of the Straz Family Foundation is its repeated support for Tampa’s major arts, civic, and community institutions at meaningful scale. The largest recent grant in the data is $1.7 million to the Metropolitan Opera for arts education and appreciation, showing that the foundation’s reach extends beyond Florida when a cultural partner fits its priorities. In Tampa, the foundation backed the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center with $1,190,642 in 2025 and $1,145,000 in 2024 for performing arts programming, underscoring a pattern of large, continuing support for flagship venues. Its giving also reaches institutions tied to local identity and public life, including Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa Museum of Art, Metropolitan Ministries, and First Presbyterian Church. The result is a grantmaker that favors substantial, targeted awards over broad dispersal, with a portfolio centered on arts access, civic institutions, conservation, and selected faith-based and educational commitments.
Arts education and presentation are central to the foundation’s recent grants. It gave $684,000 in 2025 to Tampa Museum of Art for art education and appreciation, and $110,000 in 2025 to John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art for the same purpose. In performing arts, the foundation supported Tbpac with $161,000 in 2023 for event sponsorship, alongside much larger programming gifts to Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in 2024 and 2025. Beyond the arts, it funded wildlife and conservation work with $725,000 in 2025 to Zootampa at Lowry Park for wildlife protection and preservation. Community support also appears in grants such as $400,000 in 2025 to Metropolitan Ministries for homeless programs and $25,000 in 2025 to Hillsborough County Public Schools for public school education.
Typical grants cluster at a meaningful scale: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. The recent record shows both one-time and recurring support, with several organizations appearing in multiple years, including Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Lowry Park Zoo, Metropolitan Opera, Metropolitan Ministries, Wake Forest University, and the University of Florida Levin College of Law. The foundation’s structure is private family philanthropy rather than an individual-giving vehicle, and it does not make program-related investments. No application process is shown in the data provided.
$8.8M
$131.7M
$4.2M
$10.7M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small set of institutionally prominent grantees — mix of local flagship cultural/civic organizations and selective national arts partners; occasional repeat gifts to the same local beneficiary.
Notable grantees: Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Metropolitan Opera, Lowry Park Zoo, First Presbyterian Church (Tampa)
Giving is heavily concentrated in Florida: 73% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, and Florida is also the top state by grant count. Tampa is the main recipient city, with grants to Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Lowry Park Zoo, Metropolitan Ministries, Tampa Museum of Art, and Hillsborough County Public Schools. Outside Florida, grants also landed in New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina, and Washington, DC. All recorded grants in the recipient-country distribution are in the US.
Recent grants show support for arts and cultural institutions, wildlife and conservation organizations, homeless services, faith institutions, higher education, public schools, and health-related work. Examples include arts education, performing arts programming, wildlife protection and preservation, homeless programs, and graduate and tax programs.
Yes. Multiple recipients appear in more than one year, including Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Lowry Park Zoo, Metropolitan Opera, Metropolitan Ministries, Wake Forest University, and the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
The grant-size distribution is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger individual gifts such as $1.7 million to the Metropolitan Opera and seven-figure support for Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
Florida is the top state by grant count, and 73% of grants go to recipients in Florida. Tampa is the most common city in the recent grants list, with support for institutions such as Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Lowry Park Zoo, Metropolitan Ministries, Tampa Museum of Art, and Hillsborough County Public Schools.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $1,700,000 | 2025 | ARTS EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION |
| TAMPA BAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | TAMPA, FL | $1,190,642 | 2025 | PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMMING |
| ZOOTAMPA AT LOWRY PARK | TAMPA, FL | $725,000 | 2025 | WILDLIFE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION |
| TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART | TAMPA, FL | $684,000 | 2025 | ART EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION |
| CARTHAGE COLLEGE | KENOSHA, WI | $500,000 | 2025 | CHRISTIAN EDUCATION |
| METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES | TAMPA, FL | $400,000 | 2025 | HOMELESS PROGRAMS |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | ACADEMIC PROGRAMS |
| JOHN & MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART | SARASOTA, FL | $110,000 | 2025 | ARTS EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LEVIN COLLEGE OF LAW | GAINESVILLE, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | GRADUATE PROGRAMS |
| TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL | TAMPA, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | ACADEMIC HEALTH SYSTEM |
| HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS | TAMPA, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | ACADEMIC PROGRAMS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $18,620 | 2025 | LAKEFRONT ATHLETICS FACILITIES GIFT FUND |
| FLORIDA HOUSE ON CAPITOL HILL | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,206 | 2025 | FLORIDA EDUCATION AND INFORMATION CENTER |
| UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA | TAMPA, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | ACADEMIC PROGRAMS |
| IMMANUEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | MILWAUKEE, WI | $15,000 | 2025 | MINISTRY SERVICES |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF TAMPA | TAMPA, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | MINISTRY SERVICES |
| BERKELEY PREPARATORY SCHOOL | TAMPA, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | CHRISTIAN EDUCATION |
| PALMA CEIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | TAMPA, FL | $15,000 | 2025 | MINISTRY SERVICES |
| LUTHERAN CAMPUS MINISTRY AT NORTHWESTERN | EVANSTON, IL | $15,000 | 2025 | MINISTRY SERVICES |
| DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION | THONOTOSASSA, FL | $11,307 | 2025 | SCHOOL HOUSE PRESERVATION |
| ORLANDO BALLET | ORLANDO, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCES |
| MARY LEE'S HOUSE | TAMPA, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | YOUTH SERVICES |
| FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR FOUNDATION | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | WILDLIFE CONSERVATION |
| AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | FILM EDUCATION |
| JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA | TAMPA, FL | $5,050 | 2025 | VOLUNTEER ACTION AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS |
| MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | CATHOLIC EDUCATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA | TAMPA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | ACADEMIC PROGRAMS |
| FLORIDA ORCHESTRA | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | LIVE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA |
| CHILDREN'S HOME NETWORK | TAMPA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES |
| THE CHISELERS INC | TAMPA, FL | $2,500 | 2025 | PRESERVATION OF HENRY B. PLANT HALL |
| ST ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH | TAMPA, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | MINISTRY SERVICES |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | TAMPA, FL | $1,500 | 2025 | PREVENTION AND RELIEF OF HUMAN SUFFERING |
| INNOCENCE PROJECT OF FLORIDA | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $1,500 | 2025 | INNOCENCE PROJECTS |
| HENRY B PLANT MUSEUM | TAMPA, FL | $1,050 | 2025 | MUSEUM AND NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK |
| SALVATION ARMY OF TAMPA | TAMPA, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | MINISTRY SERVICES |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA | SARASOTA, FL | $526 | 2025 | COMMUNITY SUPPORT |
| TAMPA BAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | TAMPA, FL | $1,145,000 | 2024 | PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMMING |
| LOWRY PARK ZOO | TAMPA, FL | $1,025,040 | 2024 | WILDLIFE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION |
| TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART | TAMPA, FL | $758,000 | 2024 | ART EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION |
| METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES | TAMPA, FL | $452,500 | 2024 | HOMELESS PROGRAMS |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $406,000 | 2024 | OPERA HOUSE |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $309,600 | 2024 | LAKEFRONT ATHLETICS FACILITIES GIFT FUND |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $252,000 | 2024 | ACADEMIC PROGRAMS |
| FLORIDA HOUSE ON CAPITOL HILL | WASHINGTON, DC | $145,500 | 2024 | FLORIDA EDUCATION AND INFORMATION CENTER |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LEVIN COLLEGE OF LAW | GAINESVILLE, FL | $50,000 | 2024 | GRADUATE TAX PROGRAM |
| ARISE ALLIANCE INSTITUTE | TAMPA, FL | $36,000 | 2024 | MENTAL WELLNESS |
| FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $25,000 | 2024 | WILDLIFE CONSERVATION |
| HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION | TAMPA, FL | $21,000 | 2024 | PROFESSIONAL DAY TRAINING |
| RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART | SARASOTA, FL | $17,550 | 2024 | ART EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION |
METROPOLITAN OPERA
$1,700,000ARTS EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION
ZOOTAMPA AT LOWRY PARK
$725,000WILDLIFE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION
CARTHAGE COLLEGE
$500,000CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
HOMELESS PROGRAMS
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LEVIN COLLEGE OF LAW
$50,000GRADUATE PROGRAMS
TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
$25,000ACADEMIC HEALTH SYSTEM
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$25,000PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION
FLORIDA HOUSE ON CAPITOL HILL
$15,206FLORIDA EDUCATION AND INFORMATION CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA
$15,000ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
IMMANUEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$15,000MINISTRY SERVICES
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF TAMPA
$15,000MINISTRY SERVICES
BERKELEY PREPARATORY SCHOOL
$15,000CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
PALMA CEIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$15,000MINISTRY SERVICES
LUTHERAN CAMPUS MINISTRY AT NORTHWESTERN
$15,000MINISTRY SERVICES
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
$11,307SCHOOL HOUSE PRESERVATION
MARY LEE'S HOUSE
$10,000YOUTH SERVICES
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA
$5,050VOLUNTEER ACTION AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
$5,000ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
CHILDREN'S HOME NETWORK
$5,000YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
THE CHISELERS INC
$2,500PRESERVATION OF HENRY B. PLANT HALL
ST ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$2,000MINISTRY SERVICES
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$1,500PREVENTION AND RELIEF OF HUMAN SUFFERING
HENRY B PLANT MUSEUM
$1,050MUSEUM AND NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
SALVATION ARMY OF TAMPA
$1,000MINISTRY SERVICES
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA
$526COMMUNITY SUPPORT
FLORIDA HOUSE ON CAPITOL HILL
$145,500FLORIDA EDUCATION AND INFORMATION CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LEVIN COLLEGE OF LAW
$50,000GRADUATE TAX PROGRAM
RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART
$17,550ART EDUCATION AND APPRECIATION